USB Connection

The NanoVNA-F V3 connects to a PC over USB Type-C, appearing as a virtual COM port. The recommended PC software is NanoVNA-Saver, which provides a full graphical interface for remote control, data logging, and screenshot capture.

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Download NanoVNA-Saver

Platform	Source
Windows (SYSJOINT build)	Nanovna-Saver-0.3.12-by-SYSJOINT.exe
Windows / Linux / macOS (community)	NanoVNA-Saver GitHub Releases

Note

The SYSJOINT build is a standalone Windows executable tested with the NanoVNA-F V3. The community GitHub release supports all three platforms and is updated more frequently.

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Driver Requirements

Operating System	Driver Needed
Windows 10 / 11	No driver required — plug and play
Windows 8 and earlier	Install the STM32 Virtual COM Port driver from ST STSW-STM32102
Linux	No driver required — the cdc_acm kernel module handles it automatically
macOS	No driver required on modern macOS versions

Tip

On Linux, you may need to add your user to the dialout group (or uucp on Arch-based distributions) to access the serial port without root:

sudo usermod -aG dialout $USER

Log out and back in for the change to take effect.

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Connecting to NanoVNA-Saver

1. Power on the NanoVNA-F V3 and connect it to your PC with a USB Type-C cable.

2. Launch NanoVNA-Saver. On Windows, double-click nanovna-saver.exe. On Linux/macOS, run the application from the extracted release or installed package.

3. Select the COM port. The NanoVNA-F V3 appears as a serial device. On Windows this is typically COM3 or similar; on Linux it appears as /dev/ttyACM0.

4. Click “Connect to Device.” NanoVNA-Saver reads the device information and begins displaying live sweep data.

Once connected, NanoVNA-Saver provides:

• Live S11 and S21 traces with multiple display formats
• Marker placement and readout
• Sweep frequency range control
• Calibration management
• Data export (Touchstone S1P/S2P, CSV, screenshots)

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Taking Screenshots via PC Software

NanoVNA-Saver can capture the NanoVNA-F V3’s screen display as an image.

1. With the device connected, click Manage to open the Device Settings dialog.

2. Click the Screenshot button. The capture takes approximately 5 seconds as pixel data transfers over USB.

3. Once the screenshot appears, right-click the image area and select Save Image to export it as a PNG file.

Tip

Screenshots taken via PC software capture the exact LCD contents at 800 x 480 resolution, making them suitable for documentation or sharing measurement results.

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Troubleshooting

Device not detected:

• Try a different USB cable — some cables are charge-only and lack data lines
• On Windows 8 or earlier, install the STM32 Virtual COM Port driver
• Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable
• Restart the NanoVNA-F V3

COM port appears but connection fails:

• Close any other program that may be using the same COM port (serial terminals, other VNA software)
• Only one application can use the serial port at a time

Connection drops intermittently:

• Use a shorter, higher-quality USB cable
• Avoid USB hubs — connect directly to a port on the PC
• Check that the USB Type-C connector is fully seated