Hello, I’m Alex Zimmermann, 22 years old and a Blind Rabbit user. I bought the Rabit Air 1 on eBay a few days ago, but it wasn’t reset to factory settings and I don’t know the four-digit PIN. Is there any way to start recovery mode to reset the device or any tips? P.S. it would be cool if the device was still barrier-free.
Hi Alex.
I’ve escalated this to a support ticket for you and you will receive a follow up via email.
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I’m having the same issue and I can’t get the camera to scan the QR code, I’ve tried every suggestion - even printing it out on paper, but it will not work.
Customer service still hasn’t answered me. I even sent them a private YouTube video in which the serial number of the device is visible. I hope customer service can help me somehow to reset the used R 1. Because I can’t order a completely new device on the website because I can’t use the website very well due to my disability, and because I’ve been familiar with eBay for a long time. Secondly, I work in a pharmacy and only earn a little money. I don’t know and I’m afraid that I’ll have to pay customs on delivery to Germany. It would be really nice if customer service could somehow reset my existing device.
Same here! Bought it on eBay, its not resetted and -of course- the seller isnt responding. Maybe i will try to Type the 10.000 combinations over the next half year….. there must be a Solution to Factory reset the device without the passkey, else i cannot use it. Greetings from germany, sorry my noob english skills.
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@Bernhard - Give the seller a 1*-review to help protect others. File a complaint with eBay that the seller sold you defective hardware. Possibly you can get a refund through eBay.
Rabbit policy about resetting hardware is very clear. They don’t. Rabbit is not in a position to determine if you are the rightful owner, and they have made this very clear on their website. They discourage second hand purchases.
If you do manage to get a hold of the previous owner, I can explain exactly what steps (s)he needs to take to transfer ownership (and what you need to verify). Please feel free to send me a DM when you’re ready.
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I’m sorry you fell into this rabbit trap too…
Hello, in my case, I really don’t know if it’s a good idea to order directly from the Rabbit website. I don’t know whether customs will be charged on delivery to Germany and whether the package has to be picked up from customs because that would be really bad. I can only accept packages at my front door. I also have a disability and all workshops for people with disabilities don’t earn that much money. I’m also worried that if I want to order something from the website, I’ll enter the wrong card number. All my data was saved on eBay. The eBay dealer sent me a second device which also has a password and is apparently registered on an account belonging to Andreas Schröter. I downloaded all the updates yesterday, filed a complaint with eBay and received a full refund. However, if it’s possible, I would at least have one of the two devices unlocked. I once heard that the device actually runs Android as its operating system. There must be some way to activate recovery mode, like with every Android smartphone. I read somewhere on Reddit that someone managed to do it, but nobody wants to reveal how it works because everyone is afraid that our devices and make them usable and O K our devices become a brick but you can’t do much wrong anyway I would at least try it if someone can give me tips on how to put my device into recovery mode and whether it is possible to carry out a factory research
Hello Bernhard, unfortunately I don’t know how to send a private message. Either the function is still blocked for me or I can’t find the option. I’m working with the screen back on my smartphone and I hope I haven’t accidentally reported any posts. If so, that’s fine, I’m really sorry. I’m thinking about trying out all 10,000 combinations myself. You could write to me privately and tell me where you bought your device. Perhaps we used the same retailer by chance. By the way, I’m not that good at English either. I found a list on the internet with all the possible ten thousand number combinations, but I can’t try it out because my phone reads out all the numbers as one really long number. If I could see, and if I weren’t blind, I would print out this document and test each code and always cross out all the codes I’ve tried with a pen, but no one in my family is really interested in trying out thousands of numbers with me, which I can understand. If you can find a YouTube video on how someone manages to start the R one with the PC in recovery mode, could you send me the video, the link, and the subtitles. If that’s still possible, Translate German and write down the steps again because I can understand English videos so well. I had a similar problem with the Vector robot where the servers failed. But well, that’s not the topic, it was just an example.
I’ve checked with the team on this.
For security reasons, the device requires the original owner’s PIN in order to perform a factory reset. This is designed to protect against theft—without this safeguard, anyone could reset and use a stolen device with no consequences.
Think of it like an anti-theft lock on a phone or a laptop: even if someone has physical access, they can’t make it theirs without proving ownership.
Since you bought the device second-hand, the original owner should have removed their account or performed a factory reset before transferring it to you. We recommend reaching out to the seller and asking them to either provide the PIN or unlink the device from their account on the web.
Without that step, we legally and technically cannot bypass the PIN, as it would undermine the security architecture for all users.
This is why we published this article here:
I understand that this is frustrating for anyone who has purchased second-hand, but I am sure you can understand why this security measure is necessary.
@Bernhard @Akkualex and Community;
for users in the European Union, if they are able to use the device but unable to reset it or recover access, but can request saved information directly from the rabbit r1 device (that is categorized as IoT device), they may file a complaint or report to the Data Protection Authority in their country…
Since I am pursuing my personal battle and there are other elements here that violate GDPR regulations, Rabbit Tech is starting to hide my posts, further violating the regulations as described in my post, which has been hidden since yesterday. Despite my request to make it public, it is only accessible to those who know the link. I am attaching it below:
Application Scenarios
| Scenario | GDPR Compliance |
|---|---|
| Device without passcode + personal data | Non-compliant (violates Art. 32) |
| Device without passcode + anonymous data only | Compliant if meets GDPR anonymization criteria |
| Optional passcode + active encryption | At risk: violates “protection by default” principle |
Potential Sanctions
In case of a data breach caused by lack of a passcode:
- Fines up to 4% of global turnover (Art. 83 GDPR)
- Collective legal actions by users (Art. 80 GDPR)
Conclusion: Although the GDPR does not explicitly mention display unlock passcodes, Rabbit Inc. must implement them to:
- Respect the “protection by default” principle
- Obtain the necessary EU certifications for commercialization
- Mitigate the risk of sanctions in case of a data breach
The current implementation (non-mandatory passcode) could be challenged by European data protection authorities if the device processes personally identifiable information, so I suggest you if on the European Union to open a segnalation to them.
I suggest to be very careful with these positioning. GDPR is very complex, and there are various exceptions covered by other treaties. Even though I have been educated in GDPR, I still make use of the company Data Protection Officer (DPO) to make such statements - and I know that on occasions he also has to check with specialist legal counsel. What I am saying is that I’m not so sure if this GDPR compliance position is applied correctly.
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I have nothing to lose, look, this is personal now… 
then go and teach it to everyone else…
Then if we also want to talk about this contest that lasted 12 hours, we can evaluate together which laws and regulations are being violated, do you want to help me discover which violate in your and in mine Countries?
Search for GIVEAWAYS laws in European Union and a whole new world will open up to you!
United States (Rabbit Inc. headquarters)
- General Rules:
- Giveaways in the U.S. must avoid being classified as “illegal lotteries” (combination of prize, chance, and payment).
- In this specific case, the contest requires participants to share projects created with rabbitOS intern, categorizing it as a skill-based contest (winners are chosen based on merit), where complex actions can be required as an entry method.
- The published rules (PDF link) should include:
- Clear terms on selection criteria, duration, prizes, and participation methods.
- A “No Purchase Necessary” statement if applicable.
Potential Violations:
- None evident, provided the rules comply with FTC and state requirements (e.g., prohibition of purchase requirements in Colorado, Maryland, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Vermont).
Italy
- Rules for Online Contests:
- If the contest is skill-based (evaluation of projects), it must be registered with the Ministry of Economic Development 15 days before the start, with a deposit guarantee or bond.
- Prizes exceeding €1 require:
- Data servers located in Italy.
- Winner selection conducted in front of a notary.
- The terms must be in Italian and include:
- Detailed description of the prize.
- Method of awarding prizes.
- GDPR-compliant privacy notice.
Potential Violations:
- Failure to register with the Ministry and lack of notarization during winner selection.
- If the forum does not use Italian servers for participant data.
- Absence of terms in Italian within the published rules.
- Social Media vs Forum:
- The contest is hosted also on a social media; however, if aimed at Italian residents, Italian laws still apply.
Netherlands
- Rules for Skill-Based Contests:
- Winners must be selected by an independent jury with transparent criteria.
- The prize cannot exceed €100,000/year per company.
- It is mandatory to specify:
- Name and address of the organizer.
- Prize value.
- Deadline for participation.
Potential Violations:
- Lack of an independent jury or explicit evaluation criteria.
- Failure to disclose prize value in the published rules.
Conclusion
- United States: Likely compliant if the rules include all FTC and state requirements.
- Italy: Likely violations due to failure to register with the Ministry, non-Italian servers for data storage, and lack of notarization during winner selection.
- Netherlands: Possible violations if selection is not based on transparent criteria or if the prize exceeds legal limits.
To ensure full compliance, to the next GIVEAWAYS, a direct review of the PDF rules and Rabbit Inc.'s operational methods would be necessary.