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Work with Arduino

This page is the reference manual for driving any compatible Seeed ePaper product from the Arduino IDE. It covers the parts that are identical across all hardware:

  1. Setting up the Arduino IDE and ESP32 board support.
  2. Installing the Seeed_GFX library — our maintained fork of TFT_eSPI with first-class support for Seeed ePaper.
  3. Generating a driver.h for your board + screen combination using the Seeed GFX Configuration Tool.
  4. (Optionally) using the third-party GxEPD2 library as an alternative driver.

For the end-to-end "open the box, flash a hello world, light up sensors and buttons" walkthrough, jump to the cookbook for your specific hardware — those pages reuse this reference for the boilerplate and then add product-specific examples (peripherals, code samples, troubleshooting):

  • reTerminal E Series Arduino cookbook — covers reTerminal E1001 / E1002 / E1003 / E1004 with full peripheral examples (LEDs, buzzer, buttons, SHT4x, BMS, microSD, BMP image rendering).
  • More cookbooks (XIAO 7.5" Panel, EE0x driver boards, …) coming as the corresponding products are added to the platform.

If you only need the boilerplate (a Hello World on a brand-new product not yet covered by a cookbook), this page alone is enough.

Compatible Hardware​

Every Seeed ePaper product on the main hub page that has an Arduino column ticked can run through this workflow. At a glance:

Product lineMCUNotes
reTerminal E1001 / E1002 / E1003 / E1004XIAO ESP32-S3 (integrated)Cookbook available — see link above
EE02 / EE03 / EE04 / EE05XIAO ESP32-S3 / ESP32-S3 PlusUse the Configuration Tool with your screen choice
EN04 / EN05XIAO nRF52840 PlusChoose nRF52840 board package; primarily targeted by OpenDisplay (BLE) instead
XIAO 7.5" ePaper PanelXIAO ESP32-C3See the dedicated XIAO 7.5" Panel + Arduino guide
TRMNL 7.5" (OG) DIY KitXIAO ESP32-S3 PlusSee the dedicated TRMNL DIY Kit + Arduino guide
XIAO eInk Expansion Board v2 / ePaper Breakout BoardWhichever XIAO you plug inUse the Configuration Tool with your XIAO + screen choice

Step 1: Set up the Arduino IDE​

To drive any Seeed ePaper product running on an ESP32 / ESP32-S3 / ESP32-C3 from Arduino, you need the Arduino IDE plus ESP32 board support.

tip

If this is your first time using Arduino, see Getting Started with Arduino first.

Step 1. Download and install the Arduino IDE.

Download Arduino IDE

Step 2. Add ESP32 board support. In Arduino IDE go to File → Preferences and add to the Additional Boards Manager URLs field:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json

Step 3. Install the ESP32 board package: Tools → Board → Boards Manager, search for esp32, install the package by Espressif Systems.

Step 4. Pick the right board for your hardware:

  • reTerminal E Series / EE04 with EE04 plus / TRMNL DIY Kit: XIAO_ESP32S3_PLUS
  • EE02 / EE03 / EE04 / EE05 standard / EN04 (Arduino path): XIAO_ESP32S3 (or XIAO_nRF52840 for nRF52840-based boards)
  • XIAO 7.5" ePaper Panel: XIAO_ESP32C3

If you're not sure which to pick, your product's cookbook will tell you.

Step 5. Connect your hardware via USB-C and select the correct port from Tools → Port.

Step 6. For ESP32-S3 boards (most reTerminal E Series and EE0x boards) enable PSRAM:

Tools → PSRAM → OPI PSRAM

Step 2: Install the Seeed_GFX Library​

Seeed_GFX is a fork of TFT_eSPI with first-class support for Seeed displays. It is the recommended library for our entire ePaper line.

Step 1. Download the Seeed_GFX library from GitHub:

Download the Library

Step 2. Sketch → Include Library → Add .ZIP Library and select the downloaded ZIP.

note

If you previously installed TFT_eSPI, temporarily remove or rename it from your Arduino libraries folder to avoid conflicts.

Step 3: Generate driver.h for Your Hardware​

Every example sketch in Seeed_GFX looks for a local driver.h in the sketch folder. That header tells the library which board, screen controller, and pin map to use. The Configuration Tool generates it for you.

Step 1. Pick an example sketch:

  • Monochrome screens: File → Examples → Seeed_GFX → ePaper → Basic → HelloWorld
  • Colour screens: File → Examples → Seeed_GFX → ePaper → Colorful → HelloWorld

Step 2. In the same sketch folder, create a new file named driver.h (use the new-tab arrow in Arduino IDE).

Step 3. Open the Seeed GFX Configuration Tool and pick your hardware. Each pre-canned device produces the right BOARD_SCREEN_COMBO value (and any extra defines, e.g. USE_XIAO_EPAPER_DISPLAY_BOARD_EE04).

Step 4. Copy the generated content and paste it into your driver.h. Common values:

#define BOARD_SCREEN_COMBO 520 // reTerminal E1001 (UC8179)

For any other combination, always trust the Configuration Tool output — pick your XIAO board (or None if it's a reTerminal/EN04/integrated kit) plus the screen you have plugged in.

Step 5. Upload the sketch to your hardware. The first power-on may show a partial refresh; subsequent refreshes display the full Hello World example.

Step 4 (optional): Use GxEPD2 instead​

Seeed_GFX is the recommended library, but if you already have a GxEPD2-based codebase, you can drive Seeed ePaper with it as well. GxEPD2 is a popular community library covering a wide range of e-paper displays.

To install it manually from GitHub for the latest device support:

Download the Library

Sketch → Include Library → Add .ZIP Library and pick the downloaded ZIP. The product cookbooks include concrete GxEPD2 examples where applicable (e.g. the reTerminal E Series cookbook shows full-color rendering on E1002).

Where to go next — Cookbooks​

This page intentionally stops at the boilerplate. The hardware-specific code samples and end-to-end walkthroughs live in each product's cookbook:

  • reTerminal E Series Arduino cookbook — Hello World on E1001/E1002/E1003/E1004, plus the full peripheral suite: LED control, buzzer (passive PWM beeps + melody playback), 3-button input, SHT4x temperature/humidity, battery management, microSD card, BMP image rendering from SD.
  • XIAO 7.5" ePaper Panel + Arduino — XIAO ESP32-C3 walk-through with Seeed_GFX.
  • TRMNL 7.5" DIY Kit + Arduino — using the kit's hardware in custom Arduino sketches (rather than the TRMNL cloud platform).

When new ePaper products ship, the corresponding cookbook is added under each product's folder; this main page is updated to link to it.

Common Issues​

Display shows nothing or doesn't refresh​

  • Most often the ePaper FPC cable is loose or upside-down. Re-seat it with the metal contacts facing up.
  • Check that OPI PSRAM is enabled in Tools → PSRAM for ESP32-S3 boards.
  • Confirm BOARD_SCREEN_COMBO in driver.h matches your hardware. The wrong value silently produces a blank screen.
  • Verify the example sketch you opened matches your screen (Basic vs Colorful).

Cannot upload to the board​

  • Try a different USB-C cable (data cable, not power-only).
  • For ESP32-S3 boards: hold the BOOT button before plugging in the USB cable to enter download mode, then release.
  • Confirm Tools → Port points to the right serial device after re-plugging.

For deeper troubleshooting on a specific product, check the cookbook for that hardware.

Tech Support & Product Discussion​

Thank you for choosing our products! We are here to provide you with different support to ensure that your experience with our products is as smooth as possible. We offer several communication channels to cater to different preferences and needs.

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