ESP32 Troubleshooting Guide

ESP32 Troubleshooting Guide
The ESP32 has a few common problems, specially when you are trying to upload new
sketches or install the ESP32 add-on for the Arduino IDE.
This guide is dedicated to the ESP32 when programmed with Arduino IDE. Here’s a
compilation with some of the most common problems with the ESP32 and how to fix
them.
IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE LATEST ARDUINO IDE INSTALLED. USING A
DIFFERENT ARDUINO IDE VERSION MIGHT CAUSE OTHER UNEXPECTED PROBLEMS AND
ERRORS.
1. How to install the ESP32 add-on for the

Arduino IDE?
There’s an add-on for the Arduino IDE that allows you to program the ESP32 using the
Arduino IDE and its programming language. Follow one of the next Unit to prepare your
Arduino IDE to work with the ESP32 in your operating system:
• Windows, Mac and Linux instructions – ESP32 Board in Arduino IDE
2. I can’t see the ESP32 boards in the Arduino IDE

Tools menu
If you still don’t see the boards in the Arduino IDE, make sure you click on the small arrow
(highlighted in the figure below) to scroll all the way down through the boards:
Other Courses –-Facebook Group 2

If at this moment you can’t find your ESP32 board name, we recommend repeating the
installation process from scratch.
3. C:\\Users\\ User\\Documents \\Arduino\\

hardware\\ espressif\\ esp32/tools /xtensa-esp32-
elf /bin/ xtensa-esp32- elf-g++”: file does not exist
After installing the ESP32 add-on, if you open the Arduino IDE and it fails to compile code
to your ESP32 board, we recommend re-running the Arduino IDE ESP32 add-on
intallation.
Note: Windows PCs often have multiple Arduino IDE versions installed (portable and local
installations). Make sure you are running the Arduino IDE where you installed the ESP32
add-on.
4. A fatal error occurred: “Failed to connect to

ESP32: Timed out… Connecting…”
When you try to upload a new sketch to your ESP32 and it fails to connect to your board,
it means that your ESP32 is not in flashing/uploading mode.
Having the right board name and COM por selected, follow these steps:
• Hold-down the “BOOT” button in your ESP32 board
• Press the “Upload” button in the Arduino IDE to upload a new sketch:

• After you see the “Connecting….” message in your Arduino IDE, release the finger
from the “BOOT” button:
• After that, you should see the “Done uploading” message
That’s it. Your ESP32 should have the new sketch running. With those boards/with that
setup, after uploading a new sketch, press the “ENABLE” button to restart the ESP32 and
run the new uploaded sketch.
You’ll also have to repeat that button sequence every time you want to upload a new
sketch.
To be honest we’re not sure why that happens with the newer boards. We don’t have any
ESP32 board with that behavior. We think it’s something different with in your specific
board or the Arduino IDE fails to send the right command sequence to put the ESP32
automatically in flashing/uploading mode.
5. Error compiling WiFiScan sketch

If you try to upload the ESP32 WiFiScan.ino sketch provided in the course:

And it fails to compile with a similar error message:
In function ‘void setup()’:

ScanNetworks:52: error: ‘class WiFiClass’ has no member named
‘firmwareVersion’
String fv = WiFi.firmwareVersion();
It looks like your Arduino IDE is compiling the WiFi library for the Arduino board (instead
of using the ESP32 WiFi library).
Note: you’ll probably never use any WiFi shield with your Arduino board, right? If you don’t
use it, you need to remove that folder/those folders from your Arduino IDE (move it to
your desktop, for example).
The WiFi library is located, in a similar path:
C:\Users\ruisantos\Downloads\arduino-1.8.7-windows\arduino-1.8.7\libraries\WiFi
And/or at:
C:\Users\ruisantos\Documents\Arduino\libraries\libraries\WiFi
After removing the entire WiFi library folder from one location or both locations, restart
your Arduino IDE and try to compile the code again.
6. COM Port not found/not available

If you plug your ESP32 board to your computer, but you can’t find the ESP32 Port available
in your Arduino IDE (it’s grayed out):

It might be one of these two problems: 1. USB drivers missing or 2. USB cable without
data wires.
1. If you don’t see your ESP’s COM port available, this often means you don’t have the USB
drivers installed. Take a closer look at the chip next to the voltage regulator on board and
check its name.
The ESP32 DEVKIT V1 DOIT board uses the CP2102 chip.
Go to Google and search for your particular chip to find the drivers and install them in
your operating system.
You can download the CP2102 drivers on the Silicon Labs website.

After they are installed, restart the Arduino IDE and you should see the COM port in the
Tools menu.
2. If you have the drivers installed, but you can’t see your device, double-check that you’re
using a USB cable with data wires.
USB cables from powerbanks often don’t have data wires (they are charge only). So, your
computer will never establish a serial communication with your ESP32. Using a a proper
USB cable should solve your problem.
7. Arduino IDE Serial Monitor “doesn’t work”

If the ESP32 is only printing weird text or gibberish messages in your Arduino IDE Serial
Monitor, make sure you have the right COM port selected and set the right baud rate as
shown below. In most examples, we’re using 115200 baud rate.

8. Error: “Brownout detector was triggered”
When you open your Arduino IDE Serial monitor and the error message “Brownout
detector was triggered” is constantly being printed over and over again. It means that
there’s some sort of hardware problem.
It’s often related to one of the following issues:
• Poor quality USB cable;

• USB cable is too long;
• Board with some defect (bad solder joints);
• Bad computer USB port;
• Or not enough power provided by the computer USB port.
Solution: try a different shorter USB cable (with data wires), try a different computer USB
port or use a USB hub with an external power supply.
9. I can’t make the ESP32 add-on work with Arduino

IDE
If you’ve followed all the troubleshooting tips and the ESP32 add-on doesn’t work with the
Arduino IDE, we recommend experimenting programming the ESP32 with Atom text
editor and PlatformIO IDE. Follow this tutorial: Atom text editor with PlatformIO IDE to
program the ESP32 (Module 2).

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1. How to install the ESP32 add-on for the

• Windows, Mac and Linux instructions – ESP32 Board in Arduino IDE

2. I can’t see the ESP32 boards in the Arduino IDE

Other Courses –-Facebook Group 2

3. C:\\Users\\ User\\Documents \\Arduino\\

4. A fatal error occurred: “Failed to connect to

• Hold-down the “BOOT” button in your ESP32 board

Other Courses –-Facebook Group 3

• After that, you should see the “Done uploading” message

5. Error compiling WiFiScan sketch

Other Courses –-Facebook Group 4

In function ‘void setup()’:

The WiFi library is located, in a similar path:

6. COM Port not found/not available

Other Courses –-Facebook Group 5

The ESP32 DEVKIT V1 DOIT board uses the CP2102 chip.

Other Courses –-Facebook Group 6

7. Arduino IDE Serial Monitor “doesn’t work”

Other Courses –-Facebook Group 7

It’s often related to one of the following issues:

• Poor quality USB cable;

9. I can’t make the ESP32 add-on work with Arduino

Other Courses –-Facebook Group 8

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