Version 1.44.0 of the MeshCore Companion App dropped on May 20, 2026, bringing native USB connectivity for desktop platforms, a rebuilt message composer, and a solid batch of fixes and refinements.
USB Connections on Desktop
The app now supports USB connections on Windows, macOS, and Linux, giving you a reliable wired option alongside Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This is particularly useful for fixed station setups where a cable connection is simply more practical. The Bluetooth pairing flow on Windows has also been improved, and there's a new auto-reconnect checkbox for Wi-Fi connections.
Rebuilt Message Composer
The message composer UI has been redesigned from the ground up. You can now share contacts and positions directly from the composer. Typing @username in channel messages automatically appends a space, which is a small but welcome quality-of-life touch. Chat messages containing latitude,longitude pairs with at least three decimal places are now automatically turned into clickable location links.
Unscoped Channel Messages and Repeater Improvements
With firmware v1.16.0 or later, you can now send unscoped channel messages even when a default scope is configured. This lets you broadcast outside your predefined recipient group without having to change your scope settings first. The repeater neighbours list can now resolve node names from your discovered contacts database. Repeater neighbours will also appear on the map tab even if the repeater you're logged into has no position set — a useful improvement for remote or headless repeater nodes.
Drafts, Translations, and Bug Fixes
Draft messages are now saved automatically by default. If you prefer the old behaviour, you can toggle this off in message settings. Language support has been expanded with Spanish and Romanian translations, and SNR signal strength reporting now covers SF5 and SF6 (Spreading Factors 5 and 6 — shorter LoRa modulation settings used for higher data rates at reduced range).On the bug fix side: commands that failed to time out properly have been fixed, the connect screen no longer stays open when a node auto-reconnects, and deleting an outgoing message no longer causes the app to keep retrying delivery after the message was already received. Enabling repeat mode also no longer forces a frequency change if the current frequency is already permitted.