Neat Bar Devices May Stall During Android 10 to 13 Upgrade on 25.4.0 Early Preview
Known issue (INBUGS-3350)
Scope and conditions
This issue affects Neat Pad and Neat Bar devices during the upgrade from Android 10 to Android 13 on NeatOS 25.4.0. The behavior depends on both the generation of the Neat Bar Gen 2 / Neat Bar Pro and its starting Android version:
| Devices and Android version | Impact | Required action |
|---|---|---|
| Neat Bar Gen 1 – Android 10 paired with Pad – Android 10 | Impacted – Bar will stall mid-upgrade and remain stuck on the purple update screen due to timing and pairing logic differences between Pad and Bar. | Perform a factory reset of the Bar after the upgrade completes on the Pad, then re-pair with Neat Pad. |
| Neat Bar Gen 2 – Android 10 Neat Bar Pro – Android 10 paired with Pad – Android 10 | Partially impacted – Normally upgrades correctly, but relies on tight sequencing with Neat Pad. If the Pad or Bar reboots out of sync, the upgrade may not complete or pairing may fail. | Usually upgrades successfully; if pairing fails, re-pair the devices. They may require a reboot to pair. |
| Neat Bar Gen 2 – Android 13 Neat Bar Pro – Android 13 paired with Pad – Android 10 | Impacted – Bar doesn’t initiate the upgrade process (since it is not updating again). The Neat Pad expects the Bar to reset and upgrade, causing pairing to fail. | Perform a factory reset of the Bar after the upgrade completes on the Pad, then re-pair with Neat Pad. |
Summary
- The Bar Gen 1 will not be moving to A13 and will remain on A10, therefore it doesn’t initiate the Android update process when paired with a Pad that is trying to update from A10 to A13 and will be impacted.
- A Bar Gen 2 or Neat Bar Pro that is already on A13 and paired with a Pad trying to update from A10 to A13, the Bar Gen 2 / Neat Bar Pro will therefore not initiate the Android update process and will be impacted.
- In some more rare occurrences a Bar Gen 2 and Neat Bar Pro that is on A10 and paired with a Pad on A10, both trying to upgrade to A13, can have timing issues and also be impacted.
Description
When applying the upgrade from Android 10 to Android 13, Neat Bar devices may experience mid-upgrade issues, depending on the device’s generation.
After your system has received the 25.4.0 release, it’s possible to upgrade from Android 10 to Android 13 by first performing a factory reset on both Neat Pads and Neat Bars. Once reset, the devices will still run version 25.4.0 on Android 10. You’ll need to go through the Out-of-Box (OOB) setup to pair the devices before starting the upgrade to Android 13.
You can check the firmware versions of your affected Neat devices on the Neat Pad under System Settings > Devices > Selecting a device or by using Neat Pulse.
| Neat Product | Android 10 Version | Android 13 Version |
| Neat Pad | NFA1.20251003.0226 | NFA2.20251003.1308 |
| Neat Bar (Gen 1) | NFB1.20251003.0010 | N/A |
| Neat Bar Pro | NFD1.20251003.0013 | NFD2.20251003.0115 |
| Neat Bar (Gen 2) | NFE1.20251003.0013 | NFE2.20251003.0115 |
During the OOB setup, Neat Pad will display a message letting you know that the devices will be upgraded to Android 13 (a screenshot can be included here). Proceeding will begin the upgrade process on both the Neat Pad and Neat Bar.
What you’ll see during the upgrade:
- Neat Bar (Gen 1): A message appears saying “Do not unplug your Neat Pad or Neat Bar while updating.” The device may stay on this purple update screen.
- Neat Pad: Shows a purple upgrade screen followed by a black progress bar screen while updating.
- Neat Bar (Gen 2) and Neat Bar Pro: Upgrade normally and continue to the next screen automatically.
After the upgrade completes
- Neat Bar (Gen 1): The device may remain stuck on the purple screen, showing the following text: “Do not unplug your Neat Pad or Neat Bar while updating.” To recover it, perform another factory reset, then re-pair it with Neat Pad.
- Neat Bar (Gen 2) / Neat Bar Pro: These devices will complete the upgrade and go directly to the OOB setup screen running Android 13.
- Neat Pad: After the upgrade, it will land on the OOB Welcome page. You’ll need to pair it with your Neat Bar one more time.
Note: After receiving version 25.4.0 on Android 10, users will need to complete two pairing steps:
- First pairing – to transition from Android 10 to Android 13
- Second pairing – to set up the system again once both devices are on Android 13
Root Cause
This issue occurs due to timing and pairing logic differences between Neat Pad and Neat Bar devices during the Android 10 → 13 upgrade process. Neat Bar (Gen 1) will not upgrade to Android 13, so the device will remain on Android 10.
Workaround
If your Neat Bar becomes stuck during the upgrade:
- Allow the Neat Pad to finish its upgrade and reboot.
- Once Neat Pad is fully on Android 13, perform a manual reset of the affected Neat Bar.
- Re-pair the devices through the OOB setup.
After completing these steps, your system will function normally.
Fix
A permanent fix will be included in a future software release.