If the Entagged app is displaying an error related to USB there is an issue with either
- the magnetic USB plug for the Entagged M,
- the USB cable for the Entagged N1 and N2,
- or with the USB port of your camera.
The issue is not with
- the HDMI cable of the Entagged M
- or the plug of the N1 and N2.
You can also tell that there is a USB error if it says [0xFF] (instead of the camera model) next to the colored connection dot in the status bar on any main screen.
Below you'll find steps to troubleshoot the USB issue. Some are relevant to all 3 Entagged models, some are only relevant to specific models.
Before troubleshooting, make sure you determine your Entagged model so you are sure to be troubleshooting the correct component. Please also make sure you are plugging in your Entagged and the cable correctly as this is the most common source of error.
- Make sure to turn off Wi-Fi settings in your camera, as this can interfere with the USB connection and the correct functioning of the Entagged.
- Test your camera's USB port by connecting the camera to a computer via USB.
- If your camera has a USB-C port, make sure you're testing with a USB 2.0 cable, such as a smartphone charging cable. (USB 2.0 cables are very thin and more flexible compared to thick and stiff USB-3.0 cables.)
- On Mac, open the app “Image capture” to see if your camera gets detected. On Windows, your camera should show up in the Explorer. Test if applying a little pressure on the cable in all directions will cause the camera to disappear from the Image Capture app on Mac or the Explorer on Windows. If the camera never appears, or disappears with cable movement, your camera's USB port is defective and needs to be repaired by the camera manufacturer.
- Unplug and replug the cable into the camera and the Entagged a couple of times to clean the contacts and make sure you plug it in the correct direction (instructions here). Lint in the camera port can also prevent you from plugging in the cable/Entagged fully.
- Test the same Entagged on the same camera with a different cable if you have a second one on hand.
- Unplug the cable from the top of the Entagged just the tiniest bit.
- Test the camera's accessory terminal (round on N1, rectangular on N2, not the USB port): Make sure the camera is on and the Entagged is plugged in fully. Gently rotate the Entagged slightly clockwise, and check if the problem disappears when you hold it there with a bit of pressure applied. If this is the case, your camera port is almost definitely broken and will need to be serviced by Nikon.
- Make sure you've correctly set your camera's USB settings (see set up instructions).
- Clean the magnetic contacts: Particles on the magnets may prevent them from mating flush. Twist the Entagged on the USB plug back and forth a few times to clean the magnetic plug contacts. Wiping both surfaces with a soft cloth can also help.
- Test with a second magnetic plug, if you have one available.
- Check the concentricity of the rings of the magnetic plug and include a photo of the contact surface if you need to reach out to our Customer Care team.
- On Sony cameras, only one of the two USB ports can be used at a time, and the second USB port cannot power the camera. Make sure to unplug all devices except the Entagged.
Should these steps not alleviate the issue, please reach out to our Customer Care team and include a detailed description of the troubleshooting steps you tested.
Are you mid-shoot and need to quickly use an alternative tagging method? Click here for a brief explanation on how to pivot to QR tagging.