PICkit™ 3 In-Circuit Debugger Could not Connect to the MCU and Terminated Debug Session

Resetting the debugger usually resolves this condition. To reset the debugger:

  • Right-click on the project name, then go to Properties > Categories: Conf:[default] > PICKit3.
  • On the right of the window, click the Reset button to initiate the debugger reset.

This resets all PICKit™ 3 In-Circuit Debugger options to their default values and resolves the problem.

If the problem persists, please update to the latest version of MPLAB® X IDE. When the IDE first programs the device it will update the PICkit 3 debugger's firmware to the latest version.

If you already use the latest version of MPLAB X IDE, try to manually update the debugger's firmware:

  • Open MPLAB X IDE and make a new project. Select the PICkit 3 as the programmer.
  • From Project Properties, select 'PICkit3' and from Option categories select 'Firmware'.
  • Uncheck the 'Use Latest Firmware' box and click on 'Press to browse for a specific firmware version'.
  • Select the .jam file that appears in Firmware Files and then click Apply. The changes will be activated on the first attempt to either read or program a device.
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