How to View Data from the Pixel using the PurpleAir Utility

Sensors
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The following article provides step-by-step instructions for viewing and saving live data from the PurpleAir Pixel.

For technical users:

The Utility shows data from the Pixel using USB serial. This can be used to directly access the data and process it yourself. Further details can be found in our Accessing Serial Data From PurpleAir Sensors article.

Viewing Data

Note: A web page that shows data from your Pixel is currently planned but not yet available.

  1. Open the PurpleAir Utility on your computer, the software is just called PurpleAir. If you don’t have it already installed, it can be downloaded here: The PurpleAir Utility

  2. Plug your Pixel into an available USB Type A port on your computer. Make sure to insert it the right way around. If no lights turn on, it is inserted the wrong way.

  3. In the top left of the utility, click where is says Select a Serial Port. In the dropdown menu that appears, select the option starting in cu.usbmodem.

select-serial-port

cu.usbmodem
cu.usbmodem230×155 10.6 KB

 
4. Click on Connect in the top left. It’s directly next to the serial port dropdown.

utility-connect

 
5. You will begin to see live data populate in the logs on the Utility. The data will be presented in the following format:

uptime_millis us_epa_aqi pm2.5 pm2.5_raw illuminance_percentage

For more information on what these fields mean, read our Understanding PurpleAir Serial Output article.

 
6. To save the data, you will need to copy the logs and paste them somewhere else. For information on copying logs from the Utility, please refer to our PurpleAir Utility article.