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Connecting a Device

Devices connect to the extension over SSH — a network-based connection supported on both Qualcomm Linux and Ubuntu. Add any device by IP address, which is useful for headless setups or devices on the same network.

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Available Devices

When a device is plugged into the host, it appears in the Available Devices section along with metadata such as dev kit type, serial number, connection status, and mode (USB, WiFi, etc.). Available devices list

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Activating a Device

  1. Open the Dashboard → Devices section.
  2. Locate your device in the Available Devices list.
  3. Click Activate.
The activated device becomes the Active Device — the target for builds, deploys, flashes, and debug sessions. It shows connection mode (SSH or EDL) and available sample applications. Active device pane
Only one device can be active at a time. Switching the active device automatically retargets all build and deploy operations.

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Device Connectivity — WiFi

To connect a device to WiFi, open the connectivity options menu from the active device pane. Connectivity options menu The extension lists available WiFi networks sorted by signal strength. Available WiFi networks Select a network and enter the credentials. Once connected, the connectivity status appears next to the device. Device connected via WiFi

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Adding a Device by IP Address (SSH)

  1. In the Devices section, click Add Device.
  2. Enter the device IP address.
  3. Select SSH as the connection method.
  4. Click Connect.

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SSH Setup

SSH connections are supported for both Ubuntu and Qualcomm Linux devices. You will need:
  • Target device powered on and accessible on the network
  • SSH client installed on the host
  • Both machines on the same network

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Device Setup

Get the device’s IP address and username via a serial/UART console:
Default usernames: ubuntu (Ubuntu OS) or root (Qualcomm Linux).

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Extension Configuration

Navigate to the Devices page and click the Connect device via SSH button to open the dialog. SSH setup — Devices page There are two tabs: SSH setup — Generate New SSH Key tab Generate New SSH Key — creates a new key pair on the host:
  • SSH Key Name — name for the generated key file
  • SSH Key Folder — directory to save the key (defaults to ~/.ssh)
  • Private SSH Key Passphrase — optional passphrase
  • Device Identifier — enter either an IP Address (e.g. 10.92.162.215) or Device Name (e.g. mydevice.local)
  • Device Username — username on the device (e.g. ubuntu)
  • Device Password — device password (used to copy the public key)
  • Port — 22 (default)
Click Create and Connect to generate the key, copy it to the device, and connect. SSH setup — Use Existing SSH Key tab Use Existing SSH Key — connects with a key already on the host:
  • Private SSH Key File Path — path to your existing private key (e.g. ~/.ssh/my-ssh)
  • Private SSH Key Passphrase — optional passphrase
  • Device Identifier — IP Address or Device Name
  • Device Username — username on the device
  • Device Password — device password
  • Port — 22 (default)
Click Connect to establish the SSH connection. A successful connection looks like this: SSH connection successful Activate the device to set it as the active target: SSH device activated

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Flashing Device Software

1

Navigate to Downloads

Go to Dashboard → Downloads → Device Software tab.
2

Select the image

Choose the firmware image that matches your dev kit and OS.
3

Click Flash

Click the Flash button next to the image.
Do not disconnect the device during flashing. An interrupted flash can destabilize the device. Recovery may require multiple power-cycle + manual EDL + reflash cycles.
4

Verify EDL mode (if flash fails)

If flashing fails, verify the device is in EDL mode:
Look for:

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Ubuntu Device Setup

For Rubik Pi and IQ-9075 EVK devices with Ubuntu OS, follow these steps after flashing:
  1. From the Dashboard, navigate to the Operating Systems tab and click Flash to begin flashing the OS image. A dialog will direct you to EDL mode instructions.
Dashboard — Operating Systems tab
  1. Once the device enters EDL mode, it appears in the Available Devices section. Activate it, then go back to Dashboard and click Flash.
Flash dialog
  1. After flashing completes and the device shows as Active, click the SDKs tab in the Downloads section to configure the device with all required packages (approximately 15–20 minutes).
Dashboard — SDK tab
If flashing fails, the device may need to be recovered. Do not disconnect the device during flashing.

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UFS Provisioning

If you encounter UFS-related issues, consult the provisioning guide for your specific hardware: UFS provisioning

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CDT Configuration

Custom Device Tree (CDT) configuration may be required for some hardware setups: CDT configuration

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Change Overlay Configuration

The Change Overlay Configuration feature lets you switch the software overlay stack on your active device between Qualcomm Open Source and Qualcomm Proprietary implementations for individual hardware subsystems. This is useful when evaluating open-source drivers, testing proprietary optimized stacks, or reproducing issues specific to one software path.
Supported only on devices running Qualcomm Linux 2.0. Operates on the currently active device only. Ensure the correct device is set as active before applying changes. Applying a new configuration replaces the device’s active overlay setup and requires a restart.

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Accessing the Feature

1

Open the Dashboard

Locate the Active Device section.
2

Open the overflow menu

Click the ⋮ (More options) button on the active device card.
3

Select the feature

Choose Change Overlay Configuration from the dropdown.
Active device card — ⋮ menu with Change Overlay Configuration option

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The Configuration Dialog

Each row lets you pick between the Qualcomm Open Source and Qualcomm Proprietary implementation of a subsystem. A green dot marks the overlay currently active on the device; selecting a different option labels the previous one (active) and enables Apply Configuration.
Change Overlay Configuration dialog in the default all-open-source state

Every overlay set to its open-source variant — no pending changes

Freedreno (open-source Mesa/DRM) vs. Adreno (Qualcomm proprietary GPU driver)
Open-source vs. Qualcomm proprietary video stack
Libcamera (open-source) vs. CamX (Qualcomm proprietary pipeline)
ASoC (Linux ALSA/ASoC) vs. AudioReach (Qualcomm proprietary audio)
No overlay (no open-source option) vs. Sensors (Qualcomm proprietary)
No overlay (no open-source option) vs. GST Plugins (Qualcomm proprietary GStreamer plugins)
No overlay (no open-source option) vs. FastCV Vision (Qualcomm proprietary computer vision)
Bulk selection shortcuts sit at the bottom of the table:

All Open Source

Sets every configurable overlay to its open-source variant

All Proprietary

Sets every configurable overlay to its Qualcomm proprietary variant

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Applying the Configuration

After making your selections, click Apply Configuration in the bottom-right corner. The dialog closes and the extension begins applying the overlays to the device. The active device card immediately shows a progress bar: Device card — refreshing package index
Do not disconnect the device or close VS Code while this step is in progress.
Depending on the number of overlays changed and network conditions, this may take several minutes.

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Post-Apply Status

Success: The device card shows Overlay configuration applied successful in green and returns to Active – SSH status. A notification confirms: Overlay configuration applied successfully. Device card — overlay configuration applied successfully
The device may reboot automatically after a successful overlay application. If it does, the device disappears from the Active Device card. Reconnect via SSH and reactivate it from the Available Devices section. To verify which overlays are applied, reopen the Change Overlay Configuration dialog from the ⋮ menu.
Failed application: If the overlay could not be verified after installation, the device card shows Overlay apply failed in red: Device card — overlay apply failed A notification toast provides additional detail: Overlay installation successful! Failed to verify Overlay(s).

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Verify Device in EDL mode

Expected output when in EDL / QDL mode: