Develop

Install Arduino IDE

Download Arduino IDE for your operating system and install it on your computer. If it is already installed, open it and continue below.

Download Arduino IDE →

Add ESP32 board support

Open the IDE’s preferences and add this address to Additional Boards Manager URLs. Keep any addresses you already have.

Open in Arduino IDEArduino IDE → Settings

Additional Boards Manager URLs

https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.jsonCopy

Save your changes, then open Boards Manager from the IDE’s left sidebar. Search for esp32 and install esp32 by Espressif Systems. If it is already installed, use its version selector to update it.

This package adds the ESP32 compiler, upload tools and board definitions to the Arduino IDE.

Espressif’s installation instructions →

Select your UM board

Open Tools → Board → esp32 and select your board’s definition.

TinyPICO board selection

Your board	Arduino board selection
TinyPICO / TinyPICO Nano	UM TinyPICO

TinyPICO and TinyPICO Nano use the UM TinyPICO definition. It configures the ESP32, flash and PSRAM for these boards.

Select the USB-to-serial port

TinyPICO connects to your computer through its onboard USB-to-serial bridge. Open Tools → Port and select the port that appears when you connect the board.

If no port appears, first check the USB data cable. If your operating system needs a driver, use the driver for the USB-to-serial chip fitted to your board. Set Serial Monitor to the baud rate used by your sketch.

Install Arduino IDE

Download Arduino IDE for your operating system and install it on your computer. If it is already installed, open it and continue below.

Download Arduino IDE →

Add ESP32 board support

Open the IDE’s preferences and add this address to Additional Boards Manager URLs. Keep any addresses you already have.

Open in Arduino IDEArduino IDE → Settings

Additional Boards Manager URLs

https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.jsonCopy

Save your changes, then open Boards Manager from the IDE’s left sidebar. Search for esp32 and install esp32 by Espressif Systems. If it is already installed, use its version selector to update it.

This package adds the ESP32-S2 compiler, upload tools and board definitions to the Arduino IDE.

Espressif’s installation instructions →

Select your UM board

Open Tools → Board → esp32 and select your board’s definition.

ESP32-S2 board selections

Your board	Arduino board selection
TinyS2	UM TinyS2
FeatherS2	UM FeatherS2
FeatherS2 Neo	UM FeatherS2 Neo

Choose FeatherS2 Neo for the Neo board; FeatherS2 has a separate definition.

Enable USB serial

ESP32-S2 uses its USB-OTG peripheral for USB serial. Its UM board definitions configure the USB upload connection; S2 does not have the S3 Hardware CDC and JTAG mode.

If your selected definition exposes Upload Mode, choose Internal USB for the board’s USB connector.

Espressif’s USB setup reference →

Install Arduino IDE

Download Arduino IDE for your operating system and install it on your computer. If it is already installed, open it and continue below.

Download Arduino IDE →

Add ESP32 board support

Open the IDE’s preferences and add this address to Additional Boards Manager URLs. Keep any addresses you already have.

Open in Arduino IDEArduino IDE → Settings

Additional Boards Manager URLs

https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.jsonCopy

Save your changes, then open Boards Manager from the IDE’s left sidebar. Search for esp32 and install esp32 by Espressif Systems. If it is already installed, use its version selector to update it.

This package adds the ESP32-S3 compiler, upload tools and board definitions to the Arduino IDE.

Espressif’s installation instructions →

Select your UM board

Open Tools → Board → esp32 and select your board’s definition.

Original TinyS3, FeatherS3 and ProS3 board names

Your board	Arduino board selection
TinyS3	UM TinyS3
FeatherS3	UM FeatherS3
ProS3	UM ProS3

The board selection configures its flash, PSRAM and pin definitions. These are the names for the three original boards listed above.

Enable USB serial

UM ESP32-S3 boards use the chip’s native USB connection. The settings below enable USB serial using Hardware CDC and JTAG.

USB-OTG (TinyUSB) also supports USB serial, as well as USB functions such as keyboards and mice. Keep USB CDC On Boot enabled when using it for serial communication.

Espressif’s USB setup reference →

Install Arduino IDE

Download Arduino IDE for your operating system and install it on your computer. If it is already installed, open it and continue below.

Download Arduino IDE →

Add ESP32 board support

Open the IDE’s preferences and add this address to Additional Boards Manager URLs. Keep any addresses you already have.

Open in Arduino IDEArduino IDE → Settings

Additional Boards Manager URLs

https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.jsonCopy

Save your changes, then open Boards Manager from the IDE’s left sidebar. Search for esp32 and install esp32 by Espressif Systems. If it is already installed, use its version selector to update it.

This package adds the ESP32-C6 compiler, upload tools and board definitions to the Arduino IDE.

Espressif’s installation instructions →

Select your UM board

Open Tools → Board → esp32 and select your board’s definition.

Original TinyC6 board selection

Your board	Arduino board selection
TinyC6	UM TinyC6

UM TinyC6 configures the ESP32-C6 and the original TinyC6’s 8 MB flash. This table describes the original board.

Enable USB serial

ESP32-C6 uses its built-in USB Serial/JTAG controller. The UM TinyC6 definition configures this connection; C6 does not support USB-OTG (TinyUSB).

There is no USB Mode choice needed for UM TinyC6: USB Serial/JTAG is configured by its board definition.

Espressif’s USB setup reference →

Download CircuitPython for your board

The original ESP32 has no native USB, so it cannot use the UF2 bootloader or show a CIRCUITPY drive. CircuitPython is installed as a .bin file over the board’s USB-to-serial connection.

Open your board’s page on circuitpython.org. The web installer in step 3 downloads the file for you; for esptool, download the latest stable .bin.

Connect the board

Connect your board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. TinyPICO and TinyPICO Nano enter download mode automatically when the flashing tool starts; there are no buttons to press.

Install CircuitPython

Installing erases the board’s flash.

1. In a browser that supports Web Serial, such as Chrome or Edge, click OPEN INSTALLER on your board’s page.
2. Click Connect and select the board’s serial port.
3. Follow the installer’s steps. When it finishes, press RESET.

Install with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port and firmware.bin with the downloaded file. esptool documentation →

1. You must erase the flash first.
2. Write the .bin at address 0x0.

esptool --chip esp32 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32 --port PORT write-flash 0x0 firmware.bin

Connect to CircuitPython

There is no CIRCUITPY drive. Open the board’s serial port at 115200 baud, for example in Thonny, to reach the Python prompt. To edit files over Wi-Fi, set up CircuitPython’s web workflow.

Set up web workflow →

Download CircuitPython for your board

Your board ships with CircuitPython and the UF2 bootloader installed. Follow these steps to update CircuitPython, or to reinstall it after using Arduino, MicroPython or ESP-IDF.

Open your board’s page on circuitpython.org and download the latest CircuitPython version as a .uf2 file.

• .uf2 installs by copying it onto the bootloader drive. Use it to install or update CircuitPython.
• .bin is a complete firmware image, written over USB with the web installer or esptool while the board is in download mode. It doesn’t need the UF2 bootloader; use it if the bootloader isn’t installed.

Whichever file you use, once CircuitPython is running your board appears as a USB drive named CIRCUITPY, which holds your code.

Put your board into UF2 bootloader mode

The UF2 bootloader (TinyUF2) is a small program, separate from CircuitPython. In bootloader mode your board appears as a USB drive named for the board, such as TINYS2BOOT; the table in step 1 lists the name for each board. This bootloader drive is only for installing CircuitPython; it is not where your code lives.

Every new UM board that ships with CircuitPython has the UF2 bootloader installed. If the LED turns purple but no drive appears, BOOT was pressed too late: run the sequence again and press BOOT while the LED is still purple.

LED doesn’t turn purple? Install the UF2 bootloader.

Copy the .uf2 file to the bootloader drive

Drag the .uf2 file onto your board’s bootloader drive, not onto CIRCUITPY. The board installs it and restarts by itself. Your computer may warn that the drive was removed; this is normal.

When the CIRCUITPY drive appears, CircuitPython is running.

Download CircuitPython for your board

Your board ships with CircuitPython and the UF2 bootloader installed. Follow these steps to update CircuitPython, or to reinstall it after using Arduino, MicroPython or ESP-IDF.

Open your board’s page on circuitpython.org and download the latest CircuitPython version as a .uf2 file.

• .uf2 installs by copying it onto the bootloader drive. Use it to install or update CircuitPython.
• .bin is a complete firmware image, written over USB with the web installer or esptool while the board is in download mode. It doesn’t need the UF2 bootloader; use it if the bootloader isn’t installed.

Whichever file you use, once CircuitPython is running your board appears as a USB drive named CIRCUITPY, which holds your code.

Put your board into UF2 bootloader mode

The UF2 bootloader (TinyUF2) is a small program, separate from CircuitPython. In bootloader mode your board appears as a USB drive named for the board, such as TINYS3BOOT; the table in step 1 lists the name for each board. This bootloader drive is only for installing CircuitPython; it is not where your code lives.

Every new UM board that ships with CircuitPython has the UF2 bootloader installed. If the LED turns purple but no drive appears, BOOT was pressed too late: run the sequence again and press BOOT while the LED is still purple.

EdgeS3[D] has no RGB LED, so there is no colour to watch for. Use the bootloader instructions on its CircuitPython download page.

LED doesn’t turn purple? Install the UF2 bootloader.

Copy the .uf2 file to the bootloader drive

Drag the .uf2 file onto your board’s bootloader drive, not onto CIRCUITPY. The board installs it and restarts by itself. Your computer may warn that the drive was removed; this is normal.

When the CIRCUITPY drive appears, CircuitPython is running.

Download CircuitPython for your board

ESP32-C6 has a USB Serial/JTAG connection but not the native USB needed for the UF2 bootloader or a CIRCUITPY drive. CircuitPython is installed as a .bin file over that connection.

Open your board’s page on circuitpython.org. The web installer in step 3 downloads the file for you; for esptool, download the latest stable .bin.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor.

Install CircuitPython

Installing erases the board’s flash.

1. In a browser that supports Web Serial, such as Chrome or Edge, click OPEN INSTALLER on your board’s page.
2. Click Connect and select the board’s USB Serial/JTAG port.
3. Follow the installer’s steps. When it finishes, press RESET.

Install with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port and firmware.bin with the downloaded file. esptool documentation →

1. You must erase the flash first.
2. Write the .bin at address 0x0.

esptool --chip esp32c6 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32c6 --port PORT write-flash 0x0 firmware.bin

Connect to CircuitPython

There is no CIRCUITPY drive. In Thonny, select CircuitPython (generic) and your board’s serial port to reach the Python prompt and the files on the board. To edit files over Wi-Fi, set up CircuitPython’s web workflow.

Set up web workflow →

Download MicroPython for your board

Your board ships with MicroPython installed. Use these steps to update it, or to reinstall it after using another platform.

Open your board’s page on micropython.org and download the latest release as a .bin file.

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Install MicroPython with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port and firmware.bin with the downloaded file. esptool documentation →

1. You must erase the flash first.
2. Write the .bin at address 0x1000.

esptool --chip esp32 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32 --port PORT write-flash 0x1000 firmware.bin

When it finishes, MicroPython starts automatically.

Connect to MicroPython

MicroPython doesn’t show a drive on your computer. You reach the Python prompt and the board’s files over its serial port.

With mpremote, install it once, list the ports, then open the prompt on your board’s port:

pipx install mpremote
mpremote connect list
mpremote connect PORT repl

Or, in Thonny, select MicroPython (ESP32) and your board’s port.

mpremote documentation →

Download MicroPython for your board

Your board ships with CircuitPython. Installing MicroPython replaces it.

Open your board’s page on micropython.org and download the latest release as a .bin file.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor.

Install MicroPython with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port and firmware.bin with the downloaded file. esptool documentation →

1. You must erase the flash first.
2. Write the .bin at address 0x1000.

esptool --chip esp32s2 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32s2 --port PORT write-flash 0x1000 firmware.bin

When it finishes, press RESET to start MicroPython.

Connect to MicroPython

MicroPython doesn’t show a drive on your computer. You reach the Python prompt and the board’s files over its serial port.

With mpremote, install it once, list the ports, then open the prompt on your board’s port:

pipx install mpremote
mpremote connect list
mpremote connect PORT repl

Or, in Thonny, select MicroPython (ESP32) and your board’s port.

mpremote documentation →

Download MicroPython for your board

Your board ships with CircuitPython. Installing MicroPython replaces it.

Open your board’s page on micropython.org and download the latest release as a .bin file.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor.

Install MicroPython with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port and firmware.bin with the downloaded file. esptool documentation →

1. You must erase the flash first.
2. Write the .bin at address 0.

esptool --chip esp32s3 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32s3 --port PORT write-flash 0 firmware.bin

When it finishes, press RESET to start MicroPython.

Connect to MicroPython

MicroPython doesn’t show a drive on your computer. You reach the Python prompt and the board’s files over its serial port.

With mpremote, install it once, list the ports, then open the prompt on your board’s port:

pipx install mpremote
mpremote connect list
mpremote connect PORT repl

Or, in Thonny, select MicroPython (ESP32) and your board’s port.

mpremote documentation →

Download MicroPython for your board

TinyC6[D] ships with MicroPython installed; the original TinyC6 ships with CircuitPython. Installing MicroPython replaces the firmware on your board.

Open your board’s page on micropython.org and download the latest release as a .bin file.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor.

Install MicroPython with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port and firmware.bin with the downloaded file. esptool documentation →

1. You must erase the flash first.
2. Write the .bin at address 0.

esptool --chip esp32c6 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32c6 --port PORT write-flash 0 firmware.bin

When it finishes, press RESET to start MicroPython.

Connect to MicroPython

MicroPython doesn’t show a drive on your computer. You reach the Python prompt and the board’s files over its serial port.

With mpremote, install it once, list the ports, then open the prompt on your board’s port:

pipx install mpremote
mpremote connect list
mpremote connect PORT repl

Or, in Thonny, select MicroPython (ESP32) and your board’s port.

mpremote documentation →

Install ESP-IDF

Install ESP-IDF v6.1, the current stable release, with Espressif’s ESP-IDF Installation Manager (EIM). It installs the compiler, Python tools and example projects together.

When it finishes, open a terminal with the ESP-IDF environment active. On macOS and Linux, run the activation command EIM shows at the end of the installation.

Download EIM →EIM documentation →

Prefer an IDE? The ESP-IDF extension for VS Code installs and runs the same tools. VS Code extension →

Build the hello_world example

Copy the example into a working folder, set the target to esp32 and build it:

cp -r $IDF_PATH/examples/get-started/hello_world .
cd hello_world
idf.py set-target esp32
idf.py build

Console output uses the board’s USB-to-serial connection; no configuration change is needed.

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Flash and open the monitor

Replace PORT with your board’s port, such as /dev/cu.usbmodem01 on macOS or COM4 on Windows.

idf.py -p PORT flash monitor

The program starts automatically after flashing. Exit the monitor with Ctrl+].

ESP-IDF get started for ESP32 →

Install ESP-IDF

Install ESP-IDF v6.1, the current stable release, with Espressif’s ESP-IDF Installation Manager (EIM). It installs the compiler, Python tools and example projects together.

When it finishes, open a terminal with the ESP-IDF environment active. On macOS and Linux, run the activation command EIM shows at the end of the installation.

Download EIM →EIM documentation →

Prefer an IDE? The ESP-IDF extension for VS Code installs and runs the same tools. VS Code extension →

Build the hello_world example

Copy the example into a working folder, set the target to esp32s2 and build it:

cp -r $IDF_PATH/examples/get-started/hello_world .
cd hello_world
idf.py set-target esp32s2
idf.py build

ESP32-S2 sends console output to UART0 by default. To see it over the board’s USB connector, run idf.py menuconfig, set Channel for console output to USB CDC, then build again.

Enter download mode for the first flash

Your board ships running CircuitPython, so enter download mode before the first ESP-IDF flash. Once your program has USB CDC enabled, later flashes work without the buttons.

Flash and open the monitor

Replace PORT with your board’s port, such as /dev/cu.usbmodem01 on macOS or COM4 on Windows.

idf.py -p PORT flash monitor

If you entered download mode manually, press RESET after flashing to start your program, then reopen the monitor on the running board’s port if it changed. Exit the monitor with Ctrl+].

ESP-IDF get started for ESP32-S2 →

Install ESP-IDF

Install ESP-IDF v6.1, the current stable release, with Espressif’s ESP-IDF Installation Manager (EIM). It installs the compiler, Python tools and example projects together.

When it finishes, open a terminal with the ESP-IDF environment active. On macOS and Linux, run the activation command EIM shows at the end of the installation.

Download EIM →EIM documentation →

Prefer an IDE? The ESP-IDF extension for VS Code installs and runs the same tools. VS Code extension →

Build the hello_world example

Copy the example into a working folder, set the target to esp32s3 and build it:

cp -r $IDF_PATH/examples/get-started/hello_world .
cd hello_world
idf.py set-target esp32s3
idf.py build

For console input and output over the board’s USB connector, run idf.py menuconfig and set Channel for console output to USB Serial/JTAG, then build again.

Enter download mode for the first flash

Your board ships running CircuitPython, so enter download mode before the first ESP-IDF flash. After that, idf.py flash can usually put the board into download mode by itself over USB Serial/JTAG.

Flash and open the monitor

Replace PORT with your board’s port, such as /dev/cu.usbmodem01 on macOS or COM4 on Windows.

idf.py -p PORT flash monitor

If you entered download mode manually, press RESET after flashing to start your program, then reopen the monitor on the running board’s port if it changed. Exit the monitor with Ctrl+].

ESP-IDF get started for ESP32-S3 →

Install ESP-IDF

Install ESP-IDF v6.1, the current stable release, with Espressif’s ESP-IDF Installation Manager (EIM). It installs the compiler, Python tools and example projects together.

When it finishes, open a terminal with the ESP-IDF environment active. On macOS and Linux, run the activation command EIM shows at the end of the installation.

Download EIM →EIM documentation →

Prefer an IDE? The ESP-IDF extension for VS Code installs and runs the same tools. VS Code extension →

Build the hello_world example

Copy the example into a working folder, set the target to esp32c6 and build it:

cp -r $IDF_PATH/examples/get-started/hello_world .
cd hello_world
idf.py set-target esp32c6
idf.py build

For console input and output over the board’s USB connector, run idf.py menuconfig and set Channel for console output to USB Serial/JTAG, then build again.

Enter download mode for the first flash

Enter download mode before the first ESP-IDF flash. After that, idf.py flash can usually put the board into download mode by itself over USB Serial/JTAG.

Flash and open the monitor

Replace PORT with your board’s port, such as /dev/cu.usbmodem01 on macOS or COM4 on Windows.

idf.py -p PORT flash monitor

If you entered download mode manually, press RESET after flashing to start your program, then reopen the monitor on the running board’s port if it changed. Exit the monitor with Ctrl+].

ESP-IDF get started for ESP32-C6 →

Install PlatformIO IDE

Install Visual Studio Code, then install the PlatformIO IDE extension from the VS Code Extensions view.

Install PlatformIO IDE →

Use pioarduino for Arduino ESP32 core 3.x

pioarduino on GitHub →

Configure your board manually

Create a new PlatformIO project, then replace the contents of platformio.ini with the configuration below. Change the board line to your board’s ID from the table.

[env:tinypico]
platform = https://github.com/pioarduino/platform-espressif32/releases/download/stable/platform-espressif32.zip
board = tinypico
framework = arduino
monitor_speed = 115200

Serial output uses the board’s USB-to-serial connection, so no USB build flags are needed.

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Build and upload

Click Upload in the PlatformIO toolbar. The program starts automatically after the upload. Open the Serial Monitor to see your program’s output.

Install PlatformIO IDE

Install Visual Studio Code, then install the PlatformIO IDE extension from the VS Code Extensions view.

Install PlatformIO IDE →

Use pioarduino for Arduino ESP32 core 3.x

pioarduino on GitHub →

Configure your board manually

Create a new PlatformIO project, then replace the contents of platformio.ini with the configuration below. Change the board line to your board’s ID from the table.

[env:tinys2]
platform = https://github.com/pioarduino/platform-espressif32/releases/download/stable/platform-espressif32.zip
board = um_tinys2
framework = arduino
monitor_speed = 115200

build_flags =
    -D ARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=1

ARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=1 sends Serial output over the board’s USB connection. ESP32-S2 uses its USB-OTG peripheral; don’t copy the S3 Hardware CDC and JTAG setting.

Enter download mode for the first upload

If your board is running firmware from another platform, such as CircuitPython, put it into download mode before your first upload.

Build and upload

Click Upload in the PlatformIO toolbar. If you entered download mode manually, press RESET after the upload finishes to start your program. Open the Serial Monitor to see your program’s output.

Install PlatformIO IDE

Install Visual Studio Code, then install the PlatformIO IDE extension from the VS Code Extensions view.

Install PlatformIO IDE →

Use pioarduino for Arduino ESP32 core 3.x

pioarduino on GitHub →

Configure your board manually

Create a new PlatformIO project, then replace the contents of platformio.ini with the configuration below. Change the board line to your board’s ID from the table.

[env:tinys3]
platform = https://github.com/pioarduino/platform-espressif32/releases/download/stable/platform-espressif32.zip
board = um_tinys3
framework = arduino
monitor_speed = 115200
board_upload.wait_for_upload_port = false

build_flags =
    -D ARDUINO_USB_MODE=1
    -D ARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=1

ARDUINO_USB_MODE=1 and ARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=1 send Serial output over the board’s USB connection using Hardware CDC and JTAG.

For a complete working project, see the UM FeatherS3 PlatformIO example. It uses the same settings; change its board line for other UM S3 boards.

FeatherS3 PlatformIO example →

Enter download mode for the first upload

If your board is running firmware from another platform, such as CircuitPython, put it into download mode before your first upload.

Build and upload

Click Upload in the PlatformIO toolbar. If you entered download mode manually, press RESET after the upload finishes to start your program. Open the Serial Monitor to see your program’s output.

Install PlatformIO IDE

Install Visual Studio Code, then install the PlatformIO IDE extension from the VS Code Extensions view.

Install PlatformIO IDE →

Use pioarduino for Arduino ESP32 core 3.x

pioarduino on GitHub →

Configure your board manually

Create a new PlatformIO project, then replace the contents of platformio.ini with the configuration below. Change the board line to your board’s ID from the table.

[env:tinyc6]
platform = https://github.com/pioarduino/platform-espressif32/releases/download/stable/platform-espressif32.zip
board = um_tinyc6
framework = arduino
monitor_speed = 115200

build_flags =
    -D ARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=1

ARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=1 sends Serial output over the board’s USB Serial/JTAG connection.

Enter download mode for the first upload

If your board is running firmware from another platform, such as CircuitPython, put it into download mode before your first upload.

Build and upload

Click Upload in the PlatformIO toolbar. If you entered download mode manually, press RESET after the upload finishes to start your program. Open the Serial Monitor to see your program’s output.

Install the tools

Install Visual Studio 2022 and the .NET nanoFramework extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace. Then install the .NET 6.0 SDK or later and the nanoff flashing tool:

dotnet tool install -g nanoff

nanoFramework getting started →

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Flash the nanoFramework firmware

With --platform esp32, nanoff detects your board and chooses the matching firmware.

Replace PORT with your board’s port. nanoff --listports lists the available ports.

nanoff --platform esp32 --serialport PORT --update

nanoFramework ESP32 targets →

Create and deploy an app

In Visual Studio, choose File → New → Project and pick Blank Application (nanoFramework). Build it, check your board responds to Ping in Device Explorer, then press F5 to deploy and debug.

Install the tools

Install Visual Studio 2022 and the .NET nanoFramework extension from the Visual Studio Marketplace. Then install the .NET 6.0 SDK or later and the nanoff flashing tool:

dotnet tool install -g nanoff

nanoFramework getting started →

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Flash the nanoFramework firmware

Use the ESP32_S3 target, or ESP32_S3_BLE if you need Bluetooth LE. Both work with UM ESP32-S3 boards through their USB connection.

Replace PORT with your board’s port. nanoff --listports lists the available ports.

nanoff --target ESP32_S3 --serialport PORT --update

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

nanoFramework ESP32-S3 targets →

Create and deploy an app

In Visual Studio, choose File → New → Project and pick Blank Application (nanoFramework). Build it, check your board responds to Ping in Device Explorer, then press F5 to deploy and debug.

Install Rust

Install Rust with rustup. It also installs Cargo, Rust’s build tool and package manager, which the cargo commands in the following steps use.

Install rustup →

Install the Xtensa toolchain

ESP32 uses an Xtensa CPU, which needs Espressif’s Rust toolchain. Install it with espup, then follow espup’s instructions to load its environment:

cargo install espup --locked
espup install

Rust on ESP toolchain guide →

Install esp-generate and espflash

esp-generate creates a project for your chip; espflash flashes it.

cargo install esp-generate --locked
cargo install espflash --locked

Generate a project

Create a project for esp32, or run esp-generate on its own to choose options interactively:

esp-generate --headless -o esp32 my-project
cd my-project

Choose pins from your UM board’s pin reference; the chip support alone doesn’t know your board’s LED, regulator or battery connections.

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Build, flash and run

cargo run builds the project, flashes it with espflash and opens the serial monitor.

cargo run --release

esp-generate on GitHub →

Install Rust

Install Rust with rustup. It also installs Cargo, Rust’s build tool and package manager, which the cargo commands in the following steps use.

Install rustup →

Install the Xtensa toolchain

ESP32-S2 uses an Xtensa CPU, which needs Espressif’s Rust toolchain. Install it with espup, then follow espup’s instructions to load its environment:

cargo install espup --locked
espup install

Rust on ESP toolchain guide →

Install esp-generate and espflash

esp-generate creates a project for your chip; espflash flashes it.

cargo install esp-generate --locked
cargo install espflash --locked

Generate a project

Create a project for esp32s2, or run esp-generate on its own to choose options interactively:

esp-generate --headless -o esp32s2 my-project
cd my-project

Choose pins from your UM board’s pin reference; the chip support alone doesn’t know your board’s LED, regulator or battery connections.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Build, flash and run

cargo run builds the project, flashes it with espflash and opens the serial monitor.

cargo run --release

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

esp-generate on GitHub →

Install Rust

Install Rust with rustup. It also installs Cargo, Rust’s build tool and package manager, which the cargo commands in the following steps use.

Install rustup →

Install the Xtensa toolchain

ESP32-S3 uses an Xtensa CPU, which needs Espressif’s Rust toolchain. Install it with espup, then follow espup’s instructions to load its environment:

cargo install espup --locked
espup install

Rust on ESP toolchain guide →

Install esp-generate and espflash

esp-generate creates a project for your chip; espflash flashes it.

cargo install esp-generate --locked
cargo install espflash --locked

Generate a project

Create a project for esp32s3, or run esp-generate on its own to choose options interactively:

esp-generate --headless -o esp32s3 my-project
cd my-project

Choose pins from your UM board’s pin reference; the chip support alone doesn’t know your board’s LED, regulator or battery connections.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Build, flash and run

cargo run builds the project, flashes it with espflash and opens the serial monitor.

cargo run --release

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

esp-generate on GitHub →

Install Rust

Install Rust with rustup. It also installs Cargo, Rust’s build tool and package manager, which the cargo commands in the following steps use.

Install rustup →

Install the RISC-V toolchain

ESP32-C6 uses a RISC-V CPU, supported by the standard Rust toolchain. Add the source component and the C6 target:

rustup toolchain install stable --component rust-src
rustup target add riscv32imac-unknown-none-elf

Rust on ESP toolchain guide →

Install esp-generate and espflash

esp-generate creates a project for your chip; espflash flashes it.

cargo install esp-generate --locked
cargo install espflash --locked

Generate a project

Create a project for esp32c6, or run esp-generate on its own to choose options interactively:

esp-generate --headless -o esp32c6 my-project
cd my-project

Choose pins from your UM board’s pin reference; the chip support alone doesn’t know your board’s LED, regulator or battery connections.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Build, flash and run

cargo run builds the project, flashes it with espflash and opens the serial monitor.

cargo run --release

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

esp-generate on GitHub →

Install Go and TinyGo

Install Go, then install TinyGo for your computer.

Install Go →Install TinyGo →

Use the generic target

TinyGo has no UM board targets. Use the generic esp32-generic target and take pin numbers from your UM board’s pin reference.

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Flash your program

From your program’s folder, build and flash it. Replace PORT with your board’s port. TinyGo flashes the board itself; no esptool is needed.

tinygo flash -target=esp32-generic -port=PORT .

TinyGo supported microcontrollers →

Install Go and TinyGo

Install Go, then install TinyGo for your computer.

Install Go →Install TinyGo →

Use the generic target

TinyGo has no UM board targets. Use the generic esp32s3-generic target and take pin numbers from your UM board’s pin reference.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Flash your program

From your program’s folder, build and flash it. Replace PORT with your board’s port. TinyGo flashes the board itself; no esptool is needed.

tinygo flash -target=esp32s3-generic -port=PORT .

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

TinyGo supported microcontrollers →

Download Espruino

Espruino runs on the original ESP32. Download the latest ESP32 firmware from the Espruino download page. You need three files from it: bootloader.bin, partitions_espruino.bin and espruino_esp32.bin.

Espruino downloads →

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Install Espruino with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port. esptool documentation →

esptool --chip esp32 --port PORT --baud 921600 write-flash --flash-mode dio --flash-freq 40m --flash-size detect 0x1000 bootloader.bin 0x8000 partitions_espruino.bin 0x10000 espruino_esp32.bin

To update Espruino later, write only espruino_esp32.bin at 0x10000.

Connect to Espruino

Open the Espruino Web IDE, or any serial terminal, and connect to your board’s port at 115200 baud.

Espruino Web IDE →Espruino ESP32 guide →

Download the Whitecat Console

Lua RTOS runs on the original ESP32. Its last update was in December 2022. The Whitecat Console (wcc) flashes the prebuilt firmware.

wcc for macOS →wcc for Windows →wcc for Linux →

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Flash Lua RTOS

List the ports, then flash the latest firmware and filesystem. Replace PORT with your board’s port.

wcc -ports
wcc -p PORT -f -ffs

Connect to the Lua shell

Open your board’s port in a serial terminal at 115200 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit.

Lua RTOS on GitHub →

Download the AtomVM image

Download the latest AtomVM release image for ESP32: AtomVM-esp32-v0.6.6.img for Erlang, or AtomVM-esp32-elixir-v0.6.6.img for Elixir.

AtomVM releases →

Connect the board

Connect TinyPICO with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. It enters download mode automatically through its USB-to-serial bridge; it has no BOOT button.

Install AtomVM with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port. esptool documentation →

1. Erase the flash first.
2. Write the image at address 0x1000.

esptool --chip esp32 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32 --port PORT write-flash 0x1000 AtomVM-esp32-v0.6.6.img

Deploy your application

Package your application and flash it alongside AtomVM. With rebar3 for Erlang:

rebar3 atomvm packbeam
rebar3 atomvm esp32_flash --port PORT

Or with mix for Elixir:

mix atomvm.packbeam
mix atomvm.esp32.flash --port PORT

AtomVM tooling →

Download the AtomVM image

Download the latest AtomVM release image for ESP32-S2: AtomVM-esp32s2-v0.6.6.img for Erlang, or AtomVM-esp32s2-elixir-v0.6.6.img for Elixir.

AtomVM releases →

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Install AtomVM with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port. esptool documentation →

1. Erase the flash first.
2. Write the image at address 0x1000.

esptool --chip esp32s2 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32s2 --port PORT write-flash 0x1000 AtomVM-esp32s2-v0.6.6.img

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

Deploy your application

Package your application and flash it alongside AtomVM. With rebar3 for Erlang:

rebar3 atomvm packbeam
rebar3 atomvm esp32_flash --port PORT

Or with mix for Elixir:

mix atomvm.packbeam
mix atomvm.esp32.flash --port PORT

AtomVM tooling →

Download the AtomVM image

Download the latest AtomVM release image for ESP32-S3: AtomVM-esp32s3-v0.6.6.img for Erlang, or AtomVM-esp32s3-elixir-v0.6.6.img for Elixir.

AtomVM releases →

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Install AtomVM with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port. esptool documentation →

1. Erase the flash first.
2. Write the image at address 0x0.

esptool --chip esp32s3 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32s3 --port PORT write-flash 0x0 AtomVM-esp32s3-v0.6.6.img

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

Deploy your application

Package your application and flash it alongside AtomVM. With rebar3 for Erlang:

rebar3 atomvm packbeam
rebar3 atomvm esp32_flash --port PORT

Or with mix for Elixir:

mix atomvm.packbeam
mix atomvm.esp32.flash --port PORT

AtomVM tooling →

Download the AtomVM image

Download the latest AtomVM release image for ESP32-C6: AtomVM-esp32c6-v0.6.6.img for Erlang, or AtomVM-esp32c6-elixir-v0.6.6.img for Elixir.

AtomVM releases →

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Install AtomVM with esptool

These commands are for esptool 5.4.0, the latest release. Replace PORT with your board’s port. esptool documentation →

1. Erase the flash first.
2. Write the image at address 0x0.

esptool --chip esp32c6 --port PORT erase-flash
esptool --chip esp32c6 --port PORT write-flash 0x0 AtomVM-esp32c6-v0.6.6.img

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

Deploy your application

Package your application and flash it alongside AtomVM. With rebar3 for Erlang:

rebar3 atomvm packbeam
rebar3 atomvm esp32_flash --port PORT

Or with mix for Elixir:

mix atomvm.packbeam
mix atomvm.esp32.flash --port PORT

AtomVM tooling →

Install phpflash

PHP on ESP32 runs the PHP engine on an ESP32-S3 with external PSRAM and 8 MB or more flash. The phpflash tool builds and flashes it. Download the phpflash release for your computer and put it on your path.

phpflash releases →

Set up and create a project

Install the build tools and firmware sources once, then create a project:

phpflash system-setup
phpflash init my-project
cd my-project

Your PHP code goes in project-src/index.php.

Enter download mode

Connect the board with a USB data cable and close any serial monitor. Enter download mode before flashing.

Build, flash and monitor

Build the firmware, flash it and watch the serial output:

phpflash build
phpflash flash
phpflash monitor

When flashing finishes, press RESET to start the new firmware.

php-esp32 on GitHub →