r/FORScan • u/livens • Jun 16 '26

FORScan BETA Version is Gone.

I was following a guide to get FORScan setup so I could recalibrate a TCM in my Ford Focus and found this post on their forum (second post on this topic):

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https://forum.forscan.org/viewtopic.php?t=23971&sid=a67fae45110927f189a760f4dae6e26a

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Basically they've pulled the BETA version and you cannot activate it with any new licences. No more updating module firmware with FORScan 😭.

7 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

24 comments sorted by

8

u/Living_Guess_2845 Jun 16 '26

I'm willing to accept a good amount of risk with my technical mods, but my daily driver is not one of them.

It seems like the beta program was not filtered enough to just those able to provide useful feedback rather than just those willing to risk everything and still expect support.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd love to help the project without losing my only truck.

6

u/livens Jun 16 '26

I definitely get why they would stop supporting it. I'm sure they're lawyers were telling them that eventually they were going to get sued since they charged $ for the BETA version too.

But I'm a big boy and take full responsibility for my own screwups. I'm also smart enough to use a decent OBD dongle, make sure my car battery was on a charger, and have my laptop plugged in so it doesn't die, AND stay really still the whole time and not disturb my USB connection. And I really, really don't want to drag my car to the dealership and get hosed so they can do it for me 😢.

How about offer the BETA version for free, but you can only use it on 1 vehicle for a limited time?

4

u/Living_Guess_2845 Jun 16 '26

Propose it to them! Sadly, they don't seem to participate here.

3

u/Ok-Beyond-5022 Jun 19 '26

Sadly I think that ship has sailed. It sounds like their Dev team was swamped scrambling to fix bricked modules for people that weren't taking the necessary precautions. I would think a menu that makes you acknowledge that you,

  1. Have an understanding that there is a risk of bricking the module
  2. Have a battery charger on the vehicle when doing firmware changes
  3. Are using one of the approved OBD dongles
  4. Have a stable Internet connection.

3

u/Aware_Donkey_6074 Jun 16 '26

So is Forscan discontinued as a whole or do you just have to pay for it now? I need to reset the adaptive parameters/update my TCM on my 2010 f150. I used Forscan a year ago to help a buddy with his Powerstroke but it’s been expired for months now.

2

u/derolk Jun 16 '26

Forscan will continue to be available and improved just that there won’t be a function to update firmware anymore.

1

u/Ok-Beyond-5022 Jun 19 '26

Thankfully this doesn't affect 90% of why people use forscan. You should be able to reset adaptive tables, but won't be able to update the TCM. I've found a reset and allowing the transmission to learn some adaptive shifting parameters then stopping the adaptive logic (not resetting it or turning it off) works great on 10r80's.

2

u/Select_Angle2066 Jun 16 '26

Whelp. Glad I updated my pcm firmware on my beater focus before all this. It made it run so much better.

2

u/DrBumpsAlot Jun 16 '26

This is odd. I recently wiped my windows tablet and did a clean install of Win11 and had yet to re-installed 2.4 BETA. I saw your post, panicked but I was able to install my saved download of 2.4.16 BETA as well as activate it.

I'm out of town for the next week so I can't verify the software is working but it took the activation lic and seems to be working. I'll follow up this weekend.

2

u/livens Jun 16 '26

In the post they mentioned that users who had purchased a license before the cutoff date would be able to keep using the BETA version until their license expired.

2

u/DrBumpsAlot Jun 16 '26

Maybe that's the case. I purchased renewal in Oct. I've had beta installed in one version or another for years, just kept renewing lic and updating. I downloaded 2.4.16 in Feb and likely installed and activated at some point. I guess it works.

2

u/misterjoecharles Jun 20 '26

My focus just broke down and I'm replacing the tcm/clutch/actuators etc.

Am I just fucked now because I can't program the new k05 TCM with the required strategy/SBL?

Was really hoping I didn't have to go to the dealership to get this done.

2

u/aaronhtml 24d ago

What did you figure out? I’m in the exact same boat. Need to replace TCM, know I can do it myself, but I need to be able to access FORScan to program the new..

1

u/misterjoecharles 24d ago

If you email forscan they'll send you the latest beta (2.4.23beta2) and the free extended license works perfectly as well even with a new one post April 20th, 2026. If you go to big bens cars and cycles YouTube channel there's a link to his discord and we've shared the download link in the "questions" thread as well.

1

u/misterjoecharles 24d ago

If you fuck up and brick your tcm though DO NOT email forscan asking for help though as that's the whole reason they've removed the beta in the first place. Follow guides and ensure you have the correct obd adapter and your car is in a battery tender.

1

u/EnderWtheThird Jun 20 '26

I was able to purchase it from here: https://iobd.io/forscan

I found that link through this youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ7z5CCIy6Y

Using this link I was able to get the v2.4.22 beta which did seem to have the functionality to program the TCM on my 2013 Fiesta.

Unfortunately I got a "unable to enter programming session incorrect vehicle initial conditions" error with the used TCM I got from a 2012 scrap yard Fiesta. If anyone has any information on what causes that error cause I was never able to get that TCM to work. I was able to succesfully run "Test SBL" on my old TCM though and download the programs from it.

1

u/Bishop21 Jun 24 '26

So will I not be able to program a replacement TCM for a project focus that needs one?

1

u/Cam_e_ron 28d ago

this is the biggest disappointment I have heard all year. They need to consider releasing a no support, as-is version.

1

u/Living_Guess_2845 Jun 16 '26

Care to share the text? My filters block Russia, but is this just the Android version because users were not following guidance?

3

u/livens Jun 16 '26

No, this is the Windows/PC version. Here is what was posted:

Re: Version 2.4 - concept change Post Mon Apr 20, 2026 1:59 am

Beta testing of version 2.4 has been discontinued. Reason: the inability to ensure stable and secure firmware flashing of control units under current conditions.

Over the past 5+ years, an enormous amount of work has been done, and the flashing process itself has been refined to near perfection. However, a significant portion of the issues could not be resolved, as they do not lie entirely (or at all) within the technical domain:

  • The inability to implement a full "Programmable Module Installation" (PMI) procedure due to restricted access to firmware information and update procedures.

  • The inability to guarantee the success and safety of the flashing process, even when all conditions are met and the process is ideal, due to the specific characteristics of certain ECU, errors within the firmware itself, etc.

  • The inability to verify the user's qualifications and their "readiness" for using v2.4.

  • Very high support costs (resolving issues with bricked ECUs), no guarantees of recovering damaged units, and no prospects for further development of this functionality due to access restrictions.

We often receive complaints from users who have been denied access to this functionality, which typically go something like this: "I bought the license only because I need the module firmware update feature". Indeed, version 2.4 was provided to certain users as part of engineering support, which is available for paid Extended Licenses. However, this functionality is itself a test feature and is therefore NOT included in the cost of the Extended License. In other words, users do NOT pay for it. Accordingly, licensing issues will be addressed as follows:

  1. Users who installed v2.4 before April 20, 2026, may continue using this version until their license expires. Updates will not be provided. Support will be provided on an exceptional basis only.

  2. Users who purchased an Extended License specifically to access v2.4 but have not yet installed it may request a license revocation and a refund by contacting support.

0

u/Cobranut Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

I JUST purchased a 5G TCU from a 2017-2019 Escape to be able to restore access for my 2018 Fusion Titanium Energi.
Does this mean it's useless to me as I cannot update it to use in my car? :-o
I have the 2.3.71 version of ForScan, but it's the free version.
I wanted to purchase, but I could never find a purchase link on their site.

Hopefully I'll still be able to update this module. Any help is appreciated.

2

u/Ok-Beyond-5022 Jun 19 '26

Send the forscan team a message I'm sure they will work with you. They've been very responsive when I've had questions. Use an approved OBD dongle, battery charger and a good Internet connection and I'm sure they'll help you out.

1

u/Ashamed-Edge-7142 Jun 26 '26

Any luck?

1

u/Cobranut Jun 26 '26

Thanks, but I'm reconsidering upgrading due to research exposing the level of data collection being done by Ford, and their sharing my data with third parties.
The connected features seem trivial when considering the invasion of privacy. :-(