How to Restore Missing Apps on the TI-84 Evo

Your TI-84 Evo keeps its built-in apps in the same memory as your programs and data, so a full memory reset takes them with it. Reinstalling the operating system puts every one of them back.

Check which apps are missing

Press on to bring up the app grid. It's the key at the bottom left, and on a calculator that's already running it flips between the grid and whatever screen you were on.

A calculator that's lost its apps has one short page of eight icons, with no arrow in the corner to scroll for more:

The TI-84 Evo app grid after a full memory reset, showing only eight icons and no Python or Polynomial Root Finder

Six apps are gone from that grid: Polynomial Root Finder, System Solver, Transformation Graphing, Inequality Graphing, Lines and Conics and Python. The eight that survive are the calculator, the Y= function editor, the list editor, mode settings, the numeric solver, finance, TI-Basic and help.

If you're not sure what you're looking at, arrow onto any icon and the bar across the top names it.

What you need

  • Your TI-84 Evo and its USB-C cable
  • A computer with a recent browser. TI's tool runs in the browser and talks to the calculator over USB, so there's nothing to download or install.

Before you start: installing the OS clears out the RAM. If a memory reset is what brought you here, there's probably nothing left to lose, but back up anything you care about first.

Reinstall the operating system

  1. Plug the calculator into your computer and make sure it's switched on. Go to connectevo.ti.com and click CONNECT TO CALCULATOR.
    The TI Connect Evo start page with the CONNECT TO CALCULATOR button
  2. Pick your calculator in the pop-up. Your browser asks which device it's allowed to talk to. Click TI-84 Evo in the list, then Connect.
    The browser's device picker listing the TI-84 Evo, with the Connect button highlighted
  3. Choose INSTALL OS from the four options the site offers once it's connected.
    TI Connect Evo's main menu: Capture Screen, Send Files, Install OS, and Exit Test Mode
  4. Click INSTALL OS again on the screen that shows the latest version. This is the step that does the work: the apps are part of the operating system package, so they come across with it.
    The Install OS screen showing the latest OS version available for the TI-84 Evo
  5. Read the warning and click CONTINUE. It's telling you the RAM gets erased, which is the same thing the note above covers.
    Warning dialog explaining that installing the OS erases all data stored in RAM
  6. Leave it alone for a couple of minutes. Keep the tab open and don't unplug anything. Partway through, the calculator's own screen takes over and tells you what's happening, apps included. It restarts by itself when it's done.
    A TI-84 Evo connected by USB-C showing its Installing OS and Apps screen during the reinstall

Check your apps are back

The browser tells you when it's finished, and you can close the tab once it does.

TI Connect Evo confirming the install finished: Your calculator is up to date

Press on and the grid is full again, with the arrow in the corner showing there's a second page below:

The TI-84 Evo app grid with every built-in app present, including Python and the Polynomial Root Finder

Good to know

  • Not every reset costs you your apps. Clearing the RAM leaves them alone. It's clearing all memory that empties the grid, and that's a common thing to do before an exam.
  • Your version number won't match ours. The tool always offers the newest release, so a higher number than the screenshots here is normal and fine.