How to Update the Nikon D3400’s Firmware

Updating the Nikon D3400’s firmware isn’t hard, but there are some things you need to be careful of.

The two cardinal rules of updating firmware are:
1. Use a fully charged battery.
2. Don’t interrupt the update process.

The Nikon D3400‘s firmware has been very stable since the camera’s release. While there have been some firmware updates issued, most of them have been focused on adding and improving the wireless connection between the SnapBridge app and the camera.

The most recent update — and, as of now, the last one Nikon has ever released for this camera — was v1.13, a minor tweak to the way cities were listed when adjusting the camera’s timezone setting.

How to check the Nikon D3400’s current Firmware Version

You can find the current version under:

MENU > Setup (wrench icon) > Firmware Version

The relevant version we’re looking for here is the “C” version. Check that against the latest version on Nikon’s website.

How to update the Nikon D3400’s Firmware Version

There is a single method for updating the firmware of the Nikon D3400. I mention this because if you read the D3400 reference manual, it implies that you can do it through the SnapBridge mobile app.¹ That’s not the case. The SnapBridge app will give you a “firmware update available” alert when you connect the camera, but you can’t actually run the firmware update from the mobile app.

Preparation for Nikon D3400 firmware update

Before you start the firmware updating process, there are a few things to do.

Firstly, use the method above to check the firmware version that’s already installed. If you already have the latest version installed, there’s no need to run it again.

You can find the version currently installed here:

MENU > Setup (wrench icon) > Firmware Version

Assuming a firmware update is called for, make sure your camera’s battery is fully charged. That reduces the risk of the update being interrupted.

It’s also worth using a freshly formatted SD card. So download any files you have on it and format the card. While it’s not strictly required, it reduces the risk of complications if you’re starting with a clean card.

1. Download the latest firmware from Nikon’s website

You can download the latest firmware for the Nikon D3400 here.

Nikon makes their firmware available as self-extracting archives for Mac (.dmg) and Windows (.exe). So after you’ve downloaded the file, run it to extract the .bin file — that’s the actual firmware update file.

NOTE: Nikon releases all official firmware updates on its own website. But sometimes, you might find firmware updates for the D3400 or other cameras available through third-party sites. I’d recommend sticking only to Nikon sites for downloading the file — that’s the safest option, especially for something that’s so crucial to your camera running smoothly. And occasionally, you might come across firmware versions that have been hacked to provide or unlock additional features. They can be good, but they need to be used with caution and with the understanding that Nikon support won’t be able to help you if something goes wrong with that. As of this writing, version 1.13 (released June 2018) is the last firmware Nikon has released for the D3400, and it’s been the current version for years now — so if that’s what shows up as the latest download, you’re not missing anything.

2. Copy the .bin file to the SD card

Using a memory card reader, copy the .bin file across to the root of your SD card.

Don’t bury it in one of the folders on the card — it should be at the top level. If you put it in a subfolder, the camera won’t recognize it.

It might have been extracted in a folder called D3400update, but the file you want has a .bin file extension and will be named something like D3400_0113.bin.

Eject the memory card from your computer.

3. Insert memory card into D3400

With the camera powered off, insert the memory card into the camera.

4. Run the Nikon D3400 firmware update

With the memory card in the camera, go back to the Firmware Version page.

MENU > Setup (wrench icon) > Firmware Version

You should now see a new option at the bottom: Update.

Select that, and press OK.

You’ll get a confirmation screen that shows you the from and to firmware versions.

Let the camera do its thing. It should only take a few minutes. But it’s very important that the process does not get interrupted. Interrupting the firmware upgrade process can render the camera inoperable. So it’s not a good time to be messing with any buttons.

5. Confirm the update

Once the process has finished, you can go back to the Firmware Version screen to confirm that it shows the new version.

MENU > Setup (wrench icon) > Firmware Version

6. Format the memory card

To remove the .bin file and set the card up as a clean slate, format it.

Nikon firmware types

Like most modern Nikon digital cameras, the D3400 has a few different types of firmware, each designated with its own code.

In the D3400’s case, you might see: LF, LD, and C.

• LF = Lens Firmware
• LD = Lens Distortion Control Data
• C = Camera Firmware

Whether you see the lens firmware options will depend on what lens you have installed at that particular moment. Only newer lenses are compatible with that feature.

The one you want here is the C firmware.

Do you really need to update the Nikon D3400’s firmware?

It’s nearly always recommended that you upgrade a camera’s firmware to the latest version. That ensures you have the latest compatibility with accessories and the latest performance tweaks.

It’s very rare that a firmware update breaks something. That said, it is possible for camera manufacturers to make changes that are undesirable — an example is GoPro intentionally breaking compatibility with third-party batteries — but that’s very rare.

So I’m very much in favor of keeping a camera’s firmware up-to-date. Thankfully, though, it’s something that most camera manufacturers do relatively infrequently.

Notes & References:

1. The reference manual says that one of SnapBridge’s features is “receive camera’s firmware updates.” That’s not really true. It can give you a notification that an update is available, but you can’t actually manage the update from SnapBridge. [↩︎]