Zebra ET60 and ET65 setup guide: from box to first scan

This guide takes a new Zebra ET60 or ET65 from the box to a working tablet: battery and cards, first charge, setup wizard, Wi-Fi or mobile data, a scan test and updates. Zebra covers both Android models in one set of guides, so every step applies to both unless it says ET65 only.

Before you start

Know your configuration

The ET60 and ET65 are the same 10.1-inch rugged Android tablet. The ET65 adds 5G/LTE mobile data and satellite positioning; the ET60 is Wi-Fi only. Zebra builds both in several configurations:

The product pages list the options of our ET60 (ET60AW-0HQAGN00A0-A6) and ET65 (ET65AW-ESQAGSK0A0-A6). Batteries for the Android and Windows tablets are not interchangeable: Zebra uses different voltages and part numbers.

Ship Mode

A tablet with a battery leaves the factory in Ship Mode, so the battery doesn't drain in storage. It wakes up when you connect USB power, place it in a powered vehicle dock, or press Power.

Fit the SIM and microSD cards (optional)

Both card holders sit under the battery behind an access door. Skip this step if you don't need them. Take ESD precautions.

1. If the tablet is on, press and hold Power, touch Power off, and wait until it is off.
2. Slide the two battery release latches towards the sides and lift the battery out.
3. Remove the access door.
4. ET65 only: unlock and open the SIM holder, place the nano SIM with the contacts facing down, then close and lock the holder.
5. For a microSD card (up to 2 TB): unlock and lift the card holder, seat the card in its holding tabs, then close and lock the holder.
6. Refit the access door and make sure it is firmly seated. A loose door breaks the tablet's sealing.

Insert the battery

1. Insert the battery bottom edge first into the compartment on the back.
2. Press it down until both latches snap into place.

Battery-free models have a blank battery pack in this place, which keeps the tablet sealed. They run only in a powered vehicle dock; when removed, a built-in super capacitor keeps them on for up to five minutes.

Charge the battery

Charge at room temperature, ideally with the tablet in sleep mode, and use only Zebra batteries and chargers. You can use the tablet while it charges. Zebra lists these charging options:

From 4 % to 80 %, a standard battery takes about 2.5 hours and an extended battery about 5.5 hours. Zebra's charging range is 5–40 °C; above about 37 °C, charging may pause and restart to protect the battery.

The Charging indicator on the front shows the state:

Switch on and run the setup wizard

Press and release Power. A new tablet starts the Android setup wizard, which asks for the language, a network and other basic settings. The screens depend on the Android version and your company's setup.

Working with gloves or in the wet? Choose the touch mode under Settings › Display › Touch panel mode: Finger and Glove, Finger and Wet, or Finger and Passive Stylus. On the freezer version, the Heater Control app shows the temperature and humidity and lets you set when the touchscreen heater switches on (15 °C by default) and off (22 °C).

Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile data

1. Open Settings › Network & internet › Internet and switch Wi-Fi on.
2. Touch your network, enter the password and touch Connect. Connected appears under the network name.
3. For a hidden network, scroll to the bottom, touch Add network, enter the Network name, choose the Security type, enter the password and touch Save. To connect, touch and hold the saved network and touch Connect to network.

For WPA/WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise networks you also choose an EAP method, a CA certificate and a domain, so ask your IT team for the settings. By default the tablet uses DHCP and no proxy. Both models support Wi-Fi 6E, including the 6 GHz band. The band choice under Network preferences › Additional settings › Band and Channel Selection is set to Auto by default; leave it there unless IT asks otherwise.

Mobile data and eSIM (ET65 only)

With a nano SIM fitted, mobile data normally works straight away, because many operators' access point names (APN) are preset. If it doesn't, compare Settings › Network & internet › Mobile network › Advanced › Access Point Names with your operator's details. Mobile data on the ET65 is data only, without voice calls over the mobile network.

To add an eSIM, connect to Wi-Fi (or mobile data through a nano SIM) first, then open Settings › Network & internet › Mobile Networks. Touch + next to SIMs (or SIMs, if no nano SIM is fitted), choose manual code entry or scan the operator's QR code, and touch Next, Activate and Done. An erased eSIM cannot be used again.

Scan a barcode

Zebra's preinstalled DataWedge app controls the SE55 imager and the camera, and types the scanned data into the app you have open.

1. Open an app with a text field, for example a notes app, and touch the field.
2. Point the scanner exit window on the back at the barcode. Tablets without the SE55 scan with the rear camera instead.
3. Press and hold the scan button on the back. The SE55 shows an aiming dot with illumination; the camera opens a preview window.
4. Keep the barcode inside the aiming pattern, or in the preview, until the tablet beeps. The data appears in the field.

DataWedge is switched off on the Home screen, so always test in an app. You can also use the DWDemo app. To add Enter after each scan or set up your own app, see the DataWedge setup guide.

Keep the tablet updated

Zebra delivers Android updates and security patches as LifeGuard updates. Zebra's supported Android versions list shows Android 16 as the final version for both, and Zebra's Android 15 update instructions already include the ET60 and ET65. Before an ET65 moves from Android 13 to 14, it needs the Android 13 September LifeGuard update (13-33-18) or later. Zebra states that an OS upgrade keeps user data, while a downgrade performs an Enterprise Reset.

If an app stops responding, press and hold Power and touch Restart. If the whole tablet stops responding, press Power, the Scan button on the back and Volume Up together for at least 4 seconds and release them when the screen turns off (a hard reset). For enterprise and factory resets, read the Zebra Android reset guide: on the ET60 and ET65 you open the recovery screen by holding P3 while the tablet restarts.

Problems with charging, scanning or Wi-Fi? See ET60/ET65 troubleshooting. Still choosing? Read ET60 vs ET65, or browse all ET60 and ET65 guides.