---
title: Force BSN Player into Recovery
slug: legacy-docs/force-bsn-player-into-recovery
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-03-11T06:58:09.587Z
---

:::hint{type="warning"}
This page / section pertains to **BrightSign Network** (often abbreviated **BSN**), our legacy cloud platform. Our latest cloud platform is **BSN.Cloud**. Development of BSN has largely ceased and the platform will eventually be deprecated and replaced with BSN.Cloud.
:::

If a player doesn't appear to be calling in or is in a rebooting loop, you can force it to go through recovery the next time it boots up. There are two recovery modes: one reformats the flash card and one does not. When the player goes through recovery, it downloads the currently published project again, along with the updated schedule. If you chose "no reformat", then only new content files are redownloaded.

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1. Publish an updated BrightAuthor Classic project (including a BrightSignOS update if needed)
2. Go to the **Tools** menu.
3. Select **Advanced.**
4. Select the **Control** tab.
5. Enter the player serial number.
6. Select **Recovery - don’t reformat** or **Recovery - Format.**
7. Select **Add action.**
8. Restart the player by applying a **reboot** command or using one of the options below:
   - Manually by pulling its power
   - Using the **Reboot** command if you have the Diagnostic server enabled
   - Wait for the player to restart if it is in a reboot loop

The player will check for the recovery flag when it powers up, before it tries to play what's on the flash card.