diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0a3a9e180..36cec7e3f 100755
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,3 +11,163 @@ include($ENV{IDF_PATH}/tools/cmake/project.cmake)
 
 project(esp-miner)
 
+# Post-build step: automatically create merged binary (esp-miner-merged.bin)
+add_custom_target(
+    merge_bin_target
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "Creating merged binary: esp-miner-merged.bin"
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 merge_bin
+        --flash_mode dio --flash_size 16MB --flash_freq 80m
+        0x0 build/bootloader/bootloader.bin
+        0x8000 build/partition_table/partition-table.bin
+        0x10000 build/esp-miner.bin
+        0xf10000 build/ota_data_initial.bin
+        -o esp-miner-merged.bin
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS app
+    COMMENT "Creating merged binary: esp-miner-merged.bin"
+)
+
+# Config file to merge. Set with: idf.py -DMERGE_CONFIG_CVS=config-401.cvs
+# Default: config-401.cvs (standard Bitaxe config)
+set(MERGE_CONFIG_CVS "config-401.cvs" CACHE STRING "Config CSV file to include in merged binary (e.g. config-401.cvs)")
+
+# Generate config.bin from the selected .cvs file using ESP-IDF's nvs_partition_gen
+set(CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT "${PROJECT_DIR}/config.bin")
+add_custom_command(
+    OUTPUT ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT}
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} "$ENV{IDF_PATH}/components/nvs_flash/tools/nvs_partition_gen.py"
+        generate ${MERGE_CONFIG_CVS} ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT} --size 0x1000
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS ${PROJECT_DIR}/${MERGE_CONFIG_CVS}
+    COMMENT "Generating config.bin from ${MERGE_CONFIG_CVS}"
+)
+
+# Merged binary with config.bin included (for custom boards)
+add_custom_target(
+    merge_bin_target_with_config
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "Creating merged binary with config from: ${MERGE_CONFIG_CVS}"
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 merge_bin
+        --flash_mode dio --flash_size 16MB --flash_freq 80m
+        0x0 build/bootloader/bootloader.bin
+        0x8000 build/partition_table/partition-table.bin
+        0x9000 ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT}
+        0x10000 build/esp-miner.bin
+        0xf10000 build/ota_data_initial.bin
+        -o esp-miner-merged-with-config.bin
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS app ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT}
+    COMMENT "Creating merged binary with config from ${MERGE_CONFIG_CVS}"
+)
+
+# Update-only binary (firmware + OTA in hex format, for OTA updates)
+add_custom_target(
+    merge_bin_target_update
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "Creating update binary: esp-miner-update.bin"
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 merge_bin
+        --flash_mode dio --flash_size 16MB --flash_freq 80m --format hex
+        0x10000 build/esp-miner.bin
+        0xf10000 build/ota_data_initial.bin
+        -o esp-miner-update.bin
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS app
+    COMMENT "Creating update binary: esp-miner-update.bin"
+)
+
+# Flash targets with selective erase ranges
+# NOTE: These write individual components instead of a merged binary so esptool
+# only erases the specific partition areas being updated, not the entire chip.
+
+# Full chip erase + flash (factory reset, first installation)
+# Erases everything: bootloader, partitions, config, firmware, OTA
+add_custom_target(
+    flash_factory
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 erase_flash
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 write_flash
+        0x0 build/bootloader/bootloader.bin
+        0x8000 build/partition_table/partition-table.bin
+        0x10000 build/esp-miner.bin
+        0xf10000 build/ota_data_initial.bin
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS app
+    COMMENT "Factory flash: full erase + write all partitions"
+)
+
+# Update flash: writes bootloader + firmware + OTA, keeps NVS config intact
+# Each write_flash only erases its own partition range.
+add_custom_target(
+    flash_update_keep_config
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 write_flash
+        0x0 build/bootloader/bootloader.bin
+        0x8000 build/partition_table/partition-table.bin
+        0x10000 build/esp-miner.bin
+        0xf10000 build/ota_data_initial.bin
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS app
+    COMMENT "Update flash: writes firmware only, preserves NVS config at 0x9000"
+)
+
+# Flash with config: includes config.bin, keeps other partitions (OTA, www)
+add_custom_target(
+    flash_with_config
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 write_flash
+        0x0 build/bootloader/bootloader.bin
+        0x8000 build/partition_table/partition-table.bin
+        0x9000 ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT}
+        0x10000 build/esp-miner.bin
+        0xf10000 build/ota_data_initial.bin
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS app ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT}
+    COMMENT "Flash with config: writes all including config from ${MERGE_CONFIG_CVS}, preserves OTA/www"
+)
+
+# Erase only NVS config partition (0x9000 - 0x10000, 24KB) then write config
+add_custom_target(
+    flash_config_only
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 erase_region 0x9000 0x7000
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 write_flash 0x9000 ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT}
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS ${CONFIG_BIN_OUTPUT}
+    COMMENT "Config only: erase + write NVS config from ${MERGE_CONFIG_CVS}"
+)
+
+# Erase factory app only (0x10000 - 0x500000) then write firmware
+add_custom_target(
+    flash_app_only
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 erase_region 0x10000 0x400000
+    COMMAND ${PYTHON} -m esptool --chip esp32s3 write_flash 0x10000 build/esp-miner.bin
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+    DEPENDS app
+    COMMENT "App only: erase + write firmware, keeps bootloader, partition, config intact"
+)
+
+# Generate merged binaries for all config-*.bin files (like merge_bin_all.sh -c)
+file(GLOB CONFIG_BINS "${PROJECT_DIR}/config-*.bin")
+if(CONFIG_BINS)
+    add_custom_target(
+        merge_bin_target_all_configs
+        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "Creating merged binaries for all configs..."
+        COMMAND ${PYTHON} -c "
+import glob, subprocess, sys
+configs = glob.glob('config-*.bin')
+for cfg in sorted(configs):
+    out = cfg.replace('.bin', '-merged.bin')
+    cmd = [
+        sys.executable, '-m', 'esptool', '--chip', 'esp32s3', 'merge_bin',
+        '--flash_mode', 'dio', '--flash_size', '16MB', '--flash_freq', '80m',
+        '0x0', 'build/bootloader/bootloader.bin',
+        '0x8000', 'build/partition_table/partition-table.bin',
+        '0x9000', cfg,
+        '0x10000', 'build/esp-miner.bin',
+        '0xf10000', 'build/ota_data_initial.bin',
+        '-o', out
+    ]
+    print(f'Creating {out}')
+    subprocess.run(cmd, check=True)
+print('All merged binaries created.')
+"
+        WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_DIR}
+        DEPENDS app
+        COMMENT "Creating merged binaries for all config-*.bin files"
+    )
+endif()
+
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index e0b98e6f3..bd333a6c3 100755
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ Available API endpoints:
 * `/api/system/scoreboard` Get top 20 highest difficulty shares
 * `/api/system/wifi/scan` Scan for available Wi-Fi networks
 * `/api/system/logs` Download system logs
+* `/api/system/autotune` Get Autotune settings information
 
 **POST**
 
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ Available API endpoints:
 * `/api/system/identify` Identify the device
 * `/api/system/OTA` Update system firmware
 * `/api/system/OTAWWW` Update AxeOS
+* `/api/system/autotune` Update Autotune settings
 
 **PATCH**
 
@@ -314,10 +316,107 @@ git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 At the root of the repository, run:
 ```
-idf.py build && ./merge_bin.sh ./esp-miner-merged.bin
+idf.py build
+```
+
+This automatically builds the Axe-OS frontend, embeds it into the firmware, and produces `build/esp-miner.bin`.
+
+To create a merged flashable binary, use one of these methods:
+
+**CMake targets (recommended):**
+
+```
+# Default merged binary (bootloader + partition + firmware + OTA)
+# Use this when you plan to flash config separately with bitaxetool
+idf.py merge_bin_target
+```
+
+```
+# Merged binary including a config file baked in
+# Generates config.bin from the specified .cvs file automatically.
+# Choose your hardware config with -DMERGE_CONFIG_CVS:
+idf.py -DMERGE_CONFIG_CVS=config-401.cvs merge_bin_target_with_config
+idf.py -DMERGE_CONFIG_CVS=config-402.cvs merge_bin_target_with_config
+idf.py -DMERGE_CONFIG_CVS=config-custom.cvs merge_bin_target_with_config
+# Default is config-401.cvs if not specified.
+```
+
+```
+# Update-only binary (firmware + OTA in hex format)
+# For OTA updates via /api/system/OTA endpoint — does not include bootloader or partitions
+idf.py merge_bin_target_update
+```
+
+```
+# Generate merged binaries for all config-*.bin files in project root
+# Produces one merged binary per config file (e.g. config-401-merged.bin)
+idf.py merge_bin_target_all_configs
+```
+
+Output files:
+- `esp-miner-merged.bin` — no config baked in
+- `esp-miner-merged-with-config.bin` — includes config.bin (generated from selected .cvs) at 0x9000
+- `esp-miner-update.bin` — firmware + OTA only, hex format (for OTA updates)
+- `config-XXX-merged.bin` — one per `config-XXX.bin` found (factory-style images)
+
+**Flash the merged binaries:**
+
+⚠️ **Warning:** Flashing a merged binary at 0x0 with esptool will erase everything up to the end of the binary (~0xf12000), wiping your NVS config and OTA partitions.
+
+```
+# Flash merged binary directly (erases everything up to 0xf12000)
+esptool.py --chip esp32s3 write_flash 0x0 esp-miner-merged.bin
+
+# Or use bitaxetool with a config file (overwrites the baked-in config)
+bitaxetool --config ./config-401.cvs --firmware ./esp-miner-merged.bin
+```
+
+**Flash targets (recommended — preserves config where possible):**
+
+These targets write individual components so each partition only erases its own area.
+
+```
+# Factory flash: full erase + write all partitions (first installation)
+idf.py flash_factory
+```
+
+```
+# Update flash: writes bootloader + firmware + OTA, preserves NVS config at 0x9000
+idf.py flash_update_keep_config
+```
+
+```
+# Flash with config: includes config from selected .cvs, preserves OTA/www partitions
+idf.py -DMERGE_CONFIG_CVS=config-401.cvs flash_with_config
+```
+
+```
+# Config only: erase + write NVS config from selected .cvs
+idf.py -DMERGE_CONFIG_CVS=config-401.cvs flash_config_only
+```
+
+```
+# App only: erase + write firmware, keeps bootloader, partition, config intact
+idf.py flash_app_only
+```
+
+**Erase range summary:**
+
+| Target | Erases | Preserves |
+|--------|--------|-----------|
+| `flash_factory` | Everything | Nothing |
+| `flash_update_keep_config` | Bootloader, firmware, OTA | NVS config |
+| `flash_with_config` | Bootloader, firmware, OTA | OTA/www partitions |
+| `flash_config_only` | NVS config (0x9000-0x10000) | Everything else |
+| `flash_app_only` | Firmware (0x10000-0x500000) | Bootloader, config, OTA |
+
+**Shell script (legacy):**
+```
+./merge_bin.sh ./esp-miner-merged.bin
+./merge_bin.sh -c ./esp-miner-merged.bin  # with config.bin
 ```
 
-Note: the merge_bin.sh script is a custom script that merges the bootloader, partition table, and the application binary into a single file.
+Note: the merge_bin tools combine the bootloader, partition table, application binary, and OTA data into a single file that can be flashed to the device at 0x0.
 
 Note: if using VSCode, you may have to configure the settings.json file to match your esp hardware version. For example, if your bitaxe has something other than an esp32-s3, you will need to change the version in the `.vscode/settings.json` file.