To update an RX-V685, check your version under SETUP > System > Information. If you’re behind, press SETUP while the receiver is online and choose START when the update notice appears, or copy Yamaha’s firmware file to a USB drive and run the update from the front panel. Either way, it takes about 20 minutes or more. Don’t turn off or unplug the receiver until it says the update succeeded.
As of September 25, 2026, Yamaha’s USA firmware page for this model lists Version 2.17 (the page is dated July 10, 2024). The same file covers the RX-V685, RX-A780, RX-A880, TSR-7850 and HTR-6072. If your receiver already shows 2.17 or higher, Yamaha says you don’t need to update.
Step 1: Check which firmware version you have
You can check with the TV or with only the receiver’s front display.
Using the remote and TV
- Turn on the receiver and switch the TV to the receiver’s HDMI input.
- Press SETUP on the remote.
- Select “System,” then “Information,” and press ENTER.
- Look at the “Firmware Version” line. Use the left and right cursor keys if you need to scroll through the information pages.
Using only the front panel
- Put the receiver in standby.
- Hold STRAIGHT and press MAIN ZONE power. The ADVANCED SETUP menu opens on the front display.
- Press PROGRAM until “VERSION” appears. The front display shows the installed version.
- Press MAIN ZONE power to leave the menu, then turn the receiver back on.
What version 2.17 changes
Yamaha’s page lists two changes for 2.17: “Bug fix & stability improvement” and “End of support for Alexa Skills and Google Actions.” In other words, updating won’t bring back Alexa or Google Assistant skills for this receiver. Those services have ended. Yamaha’s spec sheet also notes that AirPlay 2 came to the RX-V685 through a firmware update. So if AirPlay 2 is missing on your receiver, you’re running old firmware.
Which update method should you use?
| Method | You need | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Network update from the on-screen notice | Receiver connected to the internet, TV on its HDMI input | Most people; the receiver finds the file itself |
| Network update from the Setup menu | Same as above | Starting the update yourself when no notice has appeared |
| USB update from the front panel | A computer, an empty FAT16/FAT32 USB flash drive | Receivers not on a network, slow or Wi-Fi-only connections, or when the network update is never offered |
Yamaha warns that a slow internet connection or a wireless connection can keep the network update from working. If your receiver is on Wi-Fi and the update won’t start, use the USB method. You don’t need to keep trying.
Method 1: Update over the network
The receiver has to be online first. If it isn’t, connect the RX-V685 to Wi-Fi or plug in an Ethernet cable. When new firmware is ready, a firmware update indicator lights on the front display, and a notice appears on the TV after you press SETUP.
- Turn on the receiver and switch the TV to the receiver’s input.
- Press SETUP on the remote. If an update is ready, a description of the update appears on the TV.
- Read the description.
- Use the cursor keys to select “START” and press ENTER. The on-screen menu disappears, and the update begins.
- Wait. Don’t touch the receiver, and don’t unplug the power cord or network cable.
- When “UPDATE SUCCESS PLEASE POWER OFF!” appears on the front display, press MAIN ZONE power on the front panel. The update is done.
No notice appeared? You can start the update yourself. Press SETUP, then go to “System” > “Firmware Update” and choose “Firmware Update.” If that item can’t be selected, the receiver is still preparing the download. Wait a while and try again, or switch to the USB method.
If you’d rather update when you’re done watching
In step 4, choose “LATER” instead of “START.” The next time you turn the receiver off, it asks you to confirm the update. Press ENTER (or INFO on the front panel) to start. The receiver turns itself off when the update finishes. A few things can catch you off guard:
- If you don’t respond within two minutes, the receiver turns off without updating.
- Pressing RETURN on that screen cancels the update and turns the receiver off.
- If you turn the receiver off from the AV CONTROLLER or MusicCast CONTROLLER app, it shuts down without updating.
Method 2: Update with a USB flash drive
Prepare the drive
Yamaha’s installation guide for this firmware lists these requirements for the flash drive:
- A standard USB flash drive (USB Mass Storage Class).
- Formatted as FAT16 or FAT32.
- Not encrypted and not password protected.
- Empty, with nothing else on it.
- Download the Ver. 2.17 ZIP file (about 53 MB) from Yamaha’s RX-V685 firmware page. The download link sits with Yamaha’s software license agreement on that page, so read it before downloading.
- Extract (unzip) the file on your computer.
- Copy the firmware file that ends in .bin to the top level (root folder) of the flash drive, not inside a folder. Don’t rename it.
- Safely eject the drive.
Run the update on the receiver
Warning: Don’t turn off the receiver while the update is running. Yamaha says doing so may keep the unit from starting up again.
- Press MAIN ZONE power to put the receiver in standby.
- Plug the flash drive into the USB jack on the front panel.
- Hold STRAIGHT and press MAIN ZONE power. The front display shows the ADVANCED SETUP menu.
- Press PROGRAM until the display shows “UPDATE” with “USB” as the setting. If it shows “NETWORK” instead, press STRAIGHT to switch it to “USB.”
- Press INFO (labeled INFO (WPS)) on the front panel. The update starts.
- When “UPDATE SUCCESS” appears on the front display, press MAIN ZONE power to turn the receiver off.
- Remove the flash drive.
- Wait about five seconds, then turn the receiver back on.
Check the version again (Step 1) to confirm the receiver now shows 2.17.
When the update fails or won’t start
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Update failed.” on the front display | The firmware update didn’t finish | Press STRAIGHT to choose an update method (USB or NETWORK), then press INFO to try again |
| “Version error” | The firmware update failed | Run the update again, by network or USB |
| “FILE NOT READY” | The receiver hasn’t finished preparing the update | Wait a while, then try again |
| USB update does nothing | Drive not seated, file not in the root folder, or drive password protected | Reseat the drive, move the .bin file to the top level, or use a different, unprotected drive |
| No notice, no indicator, “Firmware Update” grayed out | The network connection is too slow or unstable, or the file is still being prepared | Wait and try later, or switch to the USB method |
| Network update fails | The receiver isn’t properly connected to the network | Check the network connection and try again, or use the USB method |
If the receiver still acts up after a successful update, a clean start may help. Our RX-V685 factory reset guide shows how to back up your settings to USB first, so you can get them back if the reset doesn’t help.
Quick answers
Do I need to update if everything works?
No. Yamaha’s own note in the manual is to run an update only when it’s needed. On a working receiver, the main benefit of 2.17 is general bug fixes and stability.
Can I update with the MusicCast app?
Yamaha documents the updates through the receiver itself: the on-screen notice, the Setup menu, or the front-panel ADVANCED SETUP menu. It doesn’t document an app-based update for this model. Use one of those.
Is there a newer version than 2.17?
Not on Yamaha’s USA page as of September 25, 2026. The RX-V685 is now listed as discontinued. Check the firmware page before you download, in case that changes.
For Yamaha’s own wording, see the manual’s pages on updating the firmware via the network and the ADVANCED SETUP UPDATE item.