Connecting with App-based VEXcode IQ - Chromebook – VEX Library

It takes just a few steps to connect a VEX IQ Brain to app-based VEXcode IQ on your Chromebook. The steps are the same for both 1st and 2nd generation IQ Brains to connect to app-based VEXcode IQ on a Chromebook.

To Connect a VEX IQ Brain

Diagram shows a Battery being connected to an IQ Brain. An arrow indicates that the Battery should be slid into the charging port on the bottom of the Brain. The Battery is oriented with its latch facing away from the Brain.

Insert the battery into the IQ Brain.

Diagram shows a finger holding down the Brain's Check button to turn it on.

Turn on the IQ Brain by pressing the checkmark button.

Launch app-based VEXcode IQ.

VEXcode IQ Toolbar with the Devices icon highlighted in between the Code Viewer and the Help icons.

Select the Device window icon to open the Devices window.

VEXcode IQ Devices menu with the IQ Robot Brain generation setting shown. This setting is set to the 2nd gen option, but both options are highlighted.

Ensure the generation selection matches the generation of your VEX IQ Brain. Select the correct generation if it does not.

Brain connected to a laptop computer using a USB cable.

Use the USB cable to connect the Brain to your device.

(For 1st generation Brains, use the micro-USB cable, for 2nd generation Brains, use the USB-C cable.)

VEXcode IQ Toolbar with a green Brain icon highlighted in a red box with the adjacent Download, Run, and Stop icons.

Your IQ Brain will then connect to app-based VEXcode IQ. The Brain icon in the Toolbar will show green to indicate that the Brain is connected, and the 'Download', 'Run', and 'Stop' buttons will be available.

You must keep the Brain plugged into your device to maintain the connection, in order to do things like download a project to the Brain.

VEXcode IQ Out of Date Firmware prompt with a message that reads Your VEX IQ Controller's firmware is out of date and needs to be updated. Do you want to update now? There are two buttons below, one reads No and the other reads Update. The Update button is highlighted.

Note: If your Brain's firmware is out of date, the Brain icon in the Toolbar will show as orange, and you will be prompted to update the firmware, in order to connect the Brain to your device.

Select 'Update' to update the firmware, and keep the Brain plugged into your device until the update is completed.

To Disconnect a VEX IQ Brain

Brain that was connected to a laptop computer using a USB cable, but now the cable has been unplugged from the Brain.

To disconnect your device from an IQ Brain, unplug the USB cable from your Chromebook or the IQ Brain.

Powered on Brain with its X button highlighted.

You can also disconnect an IQ Brain from app-based VEXcode IQ by turning the Brain off.

Turn the Brain off by holding the X button until the screen on the Brain goes black.

VEXcode IQ Toolbar with a Brain icon highlighted in a red box with the adjacent Download, Run, and Stop icons. The Brain icon is white and the other three icons are grayed out.

Upon disconnecting, the Brain icon in the Toolbar will show as white, and the 'Download', 'Run', and 'Stop' buttons will be unavailable.