MUSE DESKTOP COMPANION

Give your Muse
a talking desktop mini terminal

A small round-screen Muchan that sits on your desk. Press a button to chat with your Muse, and replies appear right on the screen. No software to install: buy a channel, build your firmware, flash it to your Muchan, pair it, and start chatting — all in one flow on this page.

Start setting up your mini terminal Check out the Avatar Workshop first

No account to create · No software to install · Just a computer + Chrome

Get these three things ready first

Like measuring before you buy an appliance — get everything ready first, and the next five steps will go smoothly.

Waveshare Round-Screen Mini Terminal

Look for model ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.75C, and make sure it is the battery version. In China, search for this model on Taobao or Pinduoduo; outside China, buy it from the Waveshare website:Official page (do not pick the one with -EN in the name — that is the version without a battery). You provide the Muchan yourself; we only provide the firmware and the channel.

Muse Subscription

An active Muse subscription account. The mini terminal stands guard on your desk for your subscription, and you will need your subscription identity to apply for its device key (see the Q&A below for how to get it).

Check first, buy second: open the SDK token page — if you can create a device key starting with mgst_, your subscription works with the gadget. If you can't get a key, don't buy yet — the build won't work without one.

A Computer + Chrome

Desktop Chrome or Edge, plus a USB cable that can transfer data — flashing happens entirely in the browser. You will also need your phone: the final pairing step is done in the Muse App.

Step 1

Browse the shop

Everything you need is in this little shop: First time? Start with a firmware build (Magic or Stock). Already using one? Renewals and extra device slots are handled here too. Checkout happens right on this page — no jumping around.

Magic Firmware Build

The firmware connects to Muse through our magic channel, so it works on your regular home WiFi. Includes one custom build and one channel key — the key is valid for 1 year and includes 2 device slots. You will also get 3 free avatar codes on the payment success page together with your channel key (you can also give them to friends). Our builds also embed a CJK font, so replies in Chinese and Japanese display right on the screen — no blank boxes.

US$18.99 one-time · includes 1 year of channel

Stock Firmware Build

The firmware connects directly to Muse's official service and does not go through our channel — best if your network can already reach the official service directly. Includes one custom build that stays usable forever, with no expiry and no device slot needed; includes 3 free avatar codes. After payment you will receive a build code — just enter it in the next step when you build your firmware. It also embeds a CJK font, so Chinese and Japanese replies are readable right on the screen.

US$8.99 one-time

Avatar Code

One code = one custom avatar: enter the code in the Avatar Workshop, write one sentence, and generate a little character that is uniquely yours. Any firmware build (Magic or Stock) also includes 3 free codes, so you may not need to buy extras.

US$0.99 / each

Channel Renewal

Channel about to expire? Enter your existing channel key, and one more year will be added to that same key. Magic Firmware only — Stock Firmware connects directly to the official service, has no channel key, and never needs renewal.

US$9.99 adds 1 year

Add Device Slots

Want to connect another mini terminal? Enter your channel key to add 2 more device slots to it. Also Magic Firmware only — Stock Firmware uses no device slots, so you don't need this.

US$6.99 +2 device slots

Two ground rules, up front

Your key is your account: no sign-up. After payment, you get your key right on the success page, and a delivery email goes to your checkout email as a backup — if you ever lose it, recover it with that email on the recovery page. Still, save it right away. Entered the wrong device key? Do not worry — just build again (each code can build up to 3 times a day). See the Q&A。

Read the Q&A first
Step 2

Pick an avatar

A little character lives on your mini terminal's screen — by default, it is a rainbow pony. Want one of your own? Write one sentence to generate it — just enter an avatar code to get started (avatars only accept avatar codes).

How it works
  1. Click the button below to open the Avatar Workshop, enter your avatar code (any firmware build includes 3 free codes, or you can buy one separately in the Step 1 shop), write a short description, and generate it.
  2. When you are happy with it, click "Confirm, this is the one", then come back to Step 3 on this page and submit your build — your avatar will be included automatically, no files to move.
  3. Want to change it later? Generate and confirm a new one, then use the "Avatar only" option in Step 4 — it takes about 1 minute and will not touch your pairing or settings.

Avatar Workshop

Describe what you want in one sentence — for example, "a silver robot wearing aviator sunglasses with a red heart light on its chest" — and the AI will draw it for the round screen, check it against your description, and revise it once. Your confirmed avatar goes into your Muchan together with your Step 3 firmware. You can change it anytime on its own by flashing just the avatar part, without touching pairing or settings.

Open the Avatar Workshop
Step 3

Hand over your key, build your custom firmware

Give us the device key Muse issued to you, and we will build a one-of-a-kind firmware in the cloud just for you — your key, your avatar. Download it right on this page when it is ready.

How it works
  1. Get your device key first (its full name is the Gadget SDK token): open the official page gadgets.muse.ai/settings/sdk-tokens → Sign in with your Muse account → Create a new key → Copy it (48 characters, starting with mgst_).
  2. Choose your firmware: for Magic Firmware, enter the channel key you bought in Step 1; for Stock Firmware, you do not need a channel key — enter the build code you got on the success page after payment instead.
  3. Choose a font (Stock Firmware): CJK font or English-only font. Magic Firmware always uses the CJK font — this step does not appear for it.
  4. Choose how to talk: Hold to talk (up to about 9 seconds at a time) or Tap to talk (tap to start, tap again to send, no time limit).
  5. Then paste your device key into the box below and check the preview to confirm the start, end, and "48 characters ✓".

    Your key is used only once to build your firmware and destroyed right after. We never store it.

  6. Avatar file or your own source (optional): The muchan-avatar file you downloaded from the Avatar Workshop, or a muse_pixel.c you wrote to the official recipe — drop in either one; the kind is recognized automatically and shown below. A chosen file takes precedence; with no file, the avatar this browser carried over from the workshop is used (if any). Source files go through the safety precheck first: a structural check here plus a light compile in an isolated environment (about 2 minutes). Only a passed source can be submitted; the status below tells you exactly which layer failed, if any.
  7. Click "Start build" and stay on this page to watch the progress: without a custom avatar it usually takes under a minute; with an avatar, about 10–15 minutes. Closed the page? No problem — come back to "Track / Download" below on this page, enter your code, and you will find today's packages (kept for 24 hours).
  8. When it is ready, click download and keep the firmware archive safe — you will need it in Step 4.

⚠️ This firmware is yours alone — your channel key is embedded in it. Flash it only on your own devices, and never share the file: anyone who flashes it will use your account and take up your seats.

Build Workshop

First, pick a font

How replies look on the screen

Then, the talk button

How you send voice messages

YOUR CONFIGURATION
Includes a channel key for 1 year · 2 device seats · 3 avatar codes on the house

Download firmware

Track / Download (with your code)

Enter your code — your channel key for Magic Firmware, or your build code for Stock Firmware — to see the packages you built today, how far each has got, and a download button when one is ready. Packages are kept for 24 hours; after that, simply build again (it counts toward that day's builds). Lost your code? Recover it with your checkout email on the recovery page.

Step 4

Flash the firmware to your Muchan

Use a data cable to write the firmware you downloaded in Step 3 to your Muchan — entirely in the browser, no tools to install.

How it works
  1. Unzip the firmware archive you downloaded in Step 3, and connect your Muchan to your computer with a USB cable that can transfer data (a charge-only cable will not work).
  2. Select your firmware file below, then choose a flashing mode: pick "Full flash" for your first time, or "Avatar only" if you are only changing your avatar.
  3. Click "Start flashing", pick the serial port whose name starts with "USB JTAG/serial debug unit" in the popup (the number after it doesn't need to match anything; if several appear, choose the one marked "Paired"), and wait for the progress to finish — your Muchan will restart automatically; if it doesn't, hold the top power (PWR) button for about 10 seconds to power it off, then press it once more to turn it on.

Third · Click the button below and, in the popup, pick the port whose name starts with "USB JTAG/serial debug unit" — the number after it doesn't need to match anything, and if several appear, choose the one marked "Paired". Picked the wrong one? No problem: unplug the cable, plug it back in, and click again. The file is only read in your browser and is not sent anywhere.

🛠 Web Flasher

Step 5

Pair and start chatting

The final step happens on your phone: let your Muchan and your Muse account claim each other. The channel works silently in the background — you do not need to worry about it in this step.

  1. Plug in your Muchan and power it on. The screen lights up showing your avatar.
  2. Open the Muse App on your phone and sign in with the account tied to your subscription.
  3. In the App's device settings, turn on Developer mode.
  4. In device settings, tap Add Device, find the mini terminal over Bluetooth, and follow the prompts to finish pairing.
  5. Follow the App prompts to connect to your home WiFi — the password only goes to your Muchan, never through us.
  6. Once pairing is complete, switch your Muchan off and back on again: this lets the control connection register fresh — on a first connection the tunnel authorization can occasionally fall out of sync with the registration, and a restart settles it.
  7. Go back to your Muchan, press the talk button, and say your first words — when a reply appears on the screen, you are all set.

Optional: unhappy with the voice transcription? The platform's built-in transcription garbles short phrases easily — add our open-source board-voice-flow local transcription pipeline to your Muse, and voice notes are transcribed locally into a clean transcript before replies. For setup, see the Q&A item “Voice recognition is often wrong” below — you install it by pasting one block of text.

To change WiFi or pair again later, use the device settings in the App. At this point, your Mu酱 is officially on duty.

Q&A

Check here first. If you cannot find your answer, see Support at the bottom of the page.

Expand all Q&A (19 questions)
What is Mu酱? Who is it for?
Mu酱 is a "firmware + channel" service for Muse subscribers: it turns a round-screen mini terminal into a desktop device that can talk directly to your Muse — press to talk, read replies on the screen. It is for people who already subscribe to Muse and want a little terminal on their desk they can call out to anytime. You will need to provide the Muchan hardware yourself first (see "Get these three things ready first" at the top of the page).
Can I use an avatar made by my own Muse?
Yes — two ways. 1) The easy way: use this site's Avatar Workshop (Step 2) — describe it in one sentence, download the avatar file, and upload it in the Build Workshop (Step 3) when you order a build. 2) Make your own: give your Muse the official recipe (AVATAR_RECIPE.md in the official Muse Gadgets SDK) and it will generate a muse_pixel.c avatar source file for you. You can upload self-made source files right in the Build Workshop: they first go through a safety precheck (a structural check here plus a light compile in an isolated environment, about 2 minutes), and once passed they compile straight into your firmware. Option 2 is also packaged as a ready-made Skill: paste the short block below to your Muse and it will ask what character you want, draw it to the official recipe and this site's acceptance rules, self-check it and hand you muse_pixel.c (the same Skill is in a public GitHub repo).
Paste this to your Muse (click to select all, then copy):
Make my Mu酱 avatar by following the Skill in this public repo: https://github.com/irol765/muchan-avatar-skill
1. First ask what character I want (look, colors, personality) — don't start drawing until it's clear.
2. Draw a 64×64 pixel face and produce exactly one file: muse_pixel.c.
3. Self-check it against the acceptance spec in the repo, item by item, and hand me the complete file only when everything passes.

The full Skill is maintained in the public GitHub repo — open the link above to read it in full.

What do I need to prepare before I start?
Three things: a Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.75C (battery version); an active Muse subscription; and a computer with desktop Chrome or Edge, plus a USB cable that can transfer data. You will also need your phone — the final pairing step is done in the Muse App.
Do you not sell the Muchan? Where can I buy one?
No — we only provide firmware and the channel, not hardware. In China, search for "ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.75C" on Taobao or Pinduoduo; outside China, buy it from the Waveshare website (Official page). Make sure to get the battery version and avoid the no-battery version with -EN in the name. A Muchan of the same model bought elsewhere works just as well.
What is a "device key"? Where do I get one?
It is a unique credential issued by Muse — 48 characters, starting with mgst_ — like an ID card for this device. Your firmware must contain it for the device to be allowed to talk to your Muse. How to get it (its official full name is the Gadget SDK token):
1. Open the official page gadgets.muse.ai/settings/sdk-tokens;
2. Sign in with your Muse account;
3. Create a new key;
4. Copy it and paste it into the input box in Step 3. Before you hand it over, use the preview below the input box to double-check the start, end, and length: one wrong character and pairing will not work.
What if I lose my channel key?
Let us be clear about the rule up front: your channel key is your account and there is no password — but there is a recovery path. At payment we email your delivery to your checkout email as a backup. If you lose the key, go to the recovery page, enter your checkout email, pass the human check, and the key and codes are re-sent to that inbox. Still, the first thing to do when you get your key is copy and save it right away, or download it as a file from the payment success page. Only if you also lose access to the checkout email can we not recover it.
What if I entered the wrong device key?
You do not need to buy again. Go back to the Step 3 workshop, enter your code (channel key for Magic Firmware, build code for Stock Firmware) together with the correct device key, and build again — each code can build up to 3 times a day (resets at midnight, Beijing time). When it is ready, enter your code in "Track / Download" on this page to download it (within 24 hours).
How long until I get my firmware after ordering? How do I get it?
After you submit, it usually takes 15–30 minutes: every firmware build is made individually for your key. Stay on the Step 3 page and the progress will refresh on its own — a download button appears when it is ready. Closed the page midway? No problem — closing the page or using a different browser is fine: come back and enter your code under "Track / Download (with your code)" on this page to keep tracking and download. Once the download is complete, the key used for this build is destroyed.
What if flashing goes wrong? Will my Muchan be bricked?
Almost never. Flashing just writes files to your Muchan — if something goes wrong, flashing the full package again will bring it back. If your Muchan will not connect to your computer, hold down the BOOT button on your Muchan while plugging in USB to put it back into download mode, then flash again (this is the standard method for these small boards; see the official Waveshare documentation for the exact button location). If you still cannot recover it, contact Support.
How do I change my avatar? Is it a hassle?
Not at all. Generate a new one in the Avatar Workshop and confirm it, then use "Avatar only" in Step 4 to flash it — the whole thing takes about 1 minute, and your pairing and WiFi settings stay intact. The default avatar is a rainbow pony, which looks great too if you do not change it.
What is the difference between Stock Firmware and Magic Firmware? Which should I choose?
The difference is how the mini terminal reaches Muse. Magic Firmware: the connection goes through this site's magic channel, so it works on regular home WiFi. The channel key is paid yearly and includes device slots. Choose this if you are using it in China. Stock Firmware: the firmware connects directly to Muse's official service and does not go through us. You pay once for the build and it stays usable forever — best if your network can already reach the official service directly (for example, the device usually sits on a network with direct access). Stock Firmware starts with a build code: claim it on the payment success page right after buying, then enter it when you select "Stock Firmware" in Step 3. Not sure? Start with Magic Firmware — that is the right fit for most people.
What is an avatar code? How do I get one?
An avatar code is your ticket to a custom avatar: one code = one generation. Go to the Avatar Workshop, enter the code, write a one-sentence description, and generate a little character that is uniquely yours. How to get one: any firmware build (Magic Firmware Build or Stock Firmware Build) includes 3 free codes — they are shown on the payment success page together with your main delivery. You can use them yourself or give them to friends. You can also buy codes separately in the Step 1 shop. One reminder: avatars only accept avatar codes. Your channel key is for building firmware and cannot be used in the Avatar Workshop.
Where do I find my channel key / avatar code after payment?
After payment you will land on a "Payment complete" page where your channel key or avatar codes are shown right there — copy and save them immediately, or download them as a file. They are only shown once. Quick note: the email Stripe sends after payment is just a receipt — your key and codes are not in the email, so do not go digging through your inbox.
What is the difference between "Full flash" and "Avatar only" when flashing?
"Full flash" replaces the entire firmware on your Muchan: use it for your first flash, or to recover a Muchan after a bad flash. You will need to pair again afterward. "Avatar only" replaces just the small avatar portion: your pairing and WiFi stay intact and it takes about 1 minute — that is all you need for routine avatar changes.
Will you store my device key?
No. It only appears in two places: the input box in your browser, and in memory on the cloud machine while your firmware is being built. This site does not store or log your key, and once the download is complete, the key used for the build is destroyed. You can verify this yourself: after you submit, the input box clears automatically, and when the build is done the page tells you the key used for this build has been destroyed. We have not done a third-party audit, so we will not make pretty promises — the mechanism is right here for you to see.
How many devices can one channel key cover? How do I renew?
One key includes a number of device slots: the current tier includes 2 devices. Renewing does not mean buying a new key: in the "Channel Renewal" card in the Step 1 shop, enter your existing channel key, pay, and the new time will be added to that same key. Running out of device slots? The shop also has "Add Device Slots" — 2 more at a time.
What if an official update breaks the firmware?
If an official Muse update makes the current firmware unusable, we will rebuild it and post an announcement. Just build the new version with your code (it counts toward that day's 3 builds) and flash it again. Your channel key's validity period keeps counting as usual and is not affected.
Voice recognition is often wrong or garbled. What can I do?
That is a known quirk of the platform's built-in transcription: short phrases, quiet speech, or mixed Chinese and English often come out garbled — it is not your Muchan or the channel. For accurate transcripts, you can add a local transcription pipeline to your Muse: we open-sourced the setup we use ourselves, board-voice-flow, which transcribes voice notes locally with SenseVoice and has the assistant cross-check before replying. Nothing leaves your machine; just follow the repo's instructions.
Paste the block below to your Muse and it will set everything up and verify it (click to select all, then copy):
Please set up the board-voice-flow local transcription pipeline for me. The repo is https://github.com/irol765/board-voice-flow — follow its README and SKILL.md:
1. Install SKILL.md and skill.yaml as the skill board_voice_flow in my custom-skills folder, and deploy the two scripts and systemd units from the repo.
2. Download the SenseVoice-Small int8 model (link in the README, ~230 MB) and create the venv with sherpa-onnx.
3. Enable both services (asr-server, asr-watch) at boot, then verify with one existing voice_note wav: its line must appear in board-transcripts.txt within a few seconds.
4. Deploy the asr-guard timer as described in the Health guard section of SKILL.md, and verify it: run the guard script once by hand — it must print a single line, OK.
5. From then on, handle the voice-note files that arrive in my main chat by the SKILL.md flow: read the platform transcript, compare with the local transcript file, and trust the local one.
Adapt paths to this machine, and report the verification result when done.
I sent voice messages back to back and now nothing goes through?
Sending the next message while the previous reply is still in progress can jam the send channel, and the new message may sit unanswered for a long time. Please wait until the previous reply has finished and the device is back on its standby screen before sending the next one. If it is already stuck, restart the device once and send again.

Need help?

Stuck? Check the Q&A above first — most questions are answered there. The three cards below are the most common self-help entry points.

Pairing failed / Wrong key entered

It is usually a mistyped device key. Go back to the Step 3 workshop, enter your code and the correct device key, and build again (up to 3 builds per code per day).

Build again →

Check your build progress

Closed the page, or using a different browser? No problem: come back to "Track / Download" on this page and enter your code to check progress and download your firmware (packages are kept for 24 hours).

Check progress →

Want a new avatar?

Generate a new one in the Avatar Workshop, confirm it, then flash with "Avatar only" — about 1 minute, with pairing and settings untouched.

Change avatar →

Security note

Built on the official firmware, with minimal changes. The firmware is built on the official Muse Gadget SDK, with only two necessary changes: the Magic edition points the mini terminal to our relay channel instead of the default Muse service address, and carries a channel key that belongs only to you; the Stock edition keeps the official address untouched. The interface, features, and behavior are identical to the official release, and the firmware contains no analytics, advertising, or third-party tracking components.

Your device key is never kept by us. It enters a one-time build environment over an encrypted connection for the few minutes of the build, and is compiled into your firmware only. When the build finishes, the environment and the key are destroyed. It never enters our database, orders, emails, or logs — we cannot view it, and we cannot recover it for you.

The channel forwards; it keeps nothing. The channel only checks that your key is valid and that you stay within the number of device seats you bought. It does not read or store your conversations or voice; everything stays encrypted end to end and is forwarded directly to Meta's official service.

Verify it yourself. You can inspect the device's traffic with packet-capture tools, or compare the firmware against the official release item by item — everything stated here stands up to scrutiny.