Uniden BCD160DN & BCD260DN Get Free P25 Decoding (2026)

Uniden has released a free firmware update that gives the BCD160DN and BCD260DN APCO P25 Phase I and Phase II decoding, and the update is available to existing owners and to new buyers. Those two radios are the cheapest digital-capable scanners Uniden sells, so the download turns a $249.99 handheld or a $349.99 base/mobile into a P25 listener for counties that run conventional digital channels.

The limitation matters as much as the feature. This is not a trunk-tracking upgrade. Anyone in a county that moved to a trunked P25 system still needs different hardware, and Uniden says so on the product pages.

What Uniden Released

Uniden published a free firmware update that adds P25 Phase I and Phase II non-encrypted decoding to the BCD160DN handheld and the BCD260DN base/mobile (Uniden). It applies to radios already in listeners' hands and to new purchases, so the two entry-level models no longer sit outside digital monitoring.

The product pages now carry the line that APCO P25 digital decoding is supported with the free firmware update (BCD160DN, BCD260DN).

What the Update Actually Decodes

• APCO P25 Phase I digital voice.
• APCO P25 Phase II digital voice.
• Non-encrypted traffic only. Uniden states that encrypted signals cannot be decoded.

P25 is the digital voice standard that most public safety agencies moved to over the last two decades. Plenty of counties still transmit clear, unencrypted digital traffic on it. This update is what lets a radio under $250 hear those calls.

Trunking Is Still Out of Reach

Uniden states plainly that the radios cannot follow talkgroups or track TGIDs across frequencies, and that you must manually enter the P25 voice-channel information to decode a call (Uniden firmware notes). In practice: if your county runs a conventional P25 channel, you can park on it and listen. If it runs a trunked system, this update will not get you there.

For trunked systems Uniden points to the SDS150, SDS100, SDS200, BCD436HP, BCD536HP, BCD996P2, and BCD325P2. We covered the current flagship in Uniden SDS150 Flagship: Simulcast-Proof P25, Now Shipping.

How to Install the Update

1. Download the Uniden BC-VUP firmware updater.
2. Install BCDx60DN SS software version 2.00 or later.
3. Connect the radio and apply the firmware.

Both tools are Windows-only, according to Uniden's release notes.

Prices and Who This Fits

Prices verified on Uniden's own store on October 20, 2026: the BCD160DN is $249.99 and the BCD260DN is $349.99 (BCD160DN, BCD260DN).

Three listener profiles fit this update:

• Conventional P25 counties. If your agency runs a single clear digital channel, you get digital traffic without buying a $600-plus scanner.
• Existing owners. If you already own a BCD160DN or BCD260DN and assumed it was analog-only, download the update.
• Trunked counties. This is not your upgrade path. Step up to a trunk-tracking model instead.

For the difference between clear digital traffic and encrypted digital traffic, see Police Scanner Encryption Explained: What You Can Still Hear in 2026.

FAQ

Is the P25 firmware update really free?

Yes. Uniden released it at no charge to both existing owners and new buyers of the BCD160DN and BCD260DN.

Will the BCD160DN decode encrypted P25 traffic?

No. The update adds decoding for non-encrypted P25 Phase I and Phase II voice. Uniden states that encrypted signals cannot be decoded.

Can these radios follow talkgroups on a trunked system?

No. Uniden says the radios cannot follow talkgroups or track TGIDs across frequencies. You must manually enter the P25 voice-channel information to decode a call.

What software do I need to install the update?

The Uniden BC-VUP firmware updater plus BCDx60DN SS software version 2.00 or later. Both are Windows-only.

Which Uniden models do handle trunked P25 systems?

Uniden lists the SDS150, SDS100, SDS200, BCD436HP, BCD536HP, BCD996P2, and BCD325P2 for trunked systems. The BCD160DN and BCD260DN are not trunk-tracking radios.

Bottom line: The free Uniden update puts P25 Phase I and II decoding into the $249.99 BCD160DN and the $349.99 BCD260DN. It decodes clear digital traffic on a conventional channel and nothing more: no trunk tracking, no talkgroups, no encryption. If your county runs a plain P25 channel, this is the cheapest way into digital listening that Uniden has ever offered.