Cannot connect to vesc tool app

Vesc tool works fine on my computer, but cannot get the app to work. No matter what I do it connects and then says "could not read firmware version, make sure the selected port really belongs to the vesc". I have the correct Bluetooth chip installed in the correct port, uart is enabled at the correct baud rate, I have flipped the rx/tx pins, I'm on vesc firmware version 5.3. What else could be wrong? Would upload pictures of the error but can't figure out how