Getting Started: Displaying Text on an OLED Using ESP32

Displaying Text on an OLED Using an ESP32

The ESP32 microcontroller is a powerful and versatile platform for IoT projects, and combining it with an OLED display opens up endless possibilities for creating interactive devices. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to connect an OLED display to your ESP32 and display text using simple code.

What You’ll Need

• ESP32 Board
• OLED Display Module (128×64 pixels)
• Breadboard or Prototyping Board
• Jumper Wires
• Computer with ESP-IDF or Arduino IDE Installed

Setting Up the Connection

First, connect your OLED display to the ESP32 using jumper wires. Typically, you’ll need to use the following pins:

• OLED VCC: Connect to 3.3V ESP32 Pin
• OLED GND: Connect to Ground (GND) Pin
• OLED SCL: Connect to I2C Clock (SCL) Pin (e.g., GPIO18)
• OLED SDA: Connect to I2C Data (SDA) Pin (e.g., GPIO23)

Installing Required Libraries

Before writing code, ensure you have the necessary libraries installed. For ESP-IDF or Arduino IDE, install the following:

• OLED Display Library: Supports SSD1306 OLED displays.
• I2C Master Library: Required for I2C communication with the OLED.

Writing the Code

Here’s a simple code example to display “Hello, World!” on your OLED:

#include 
#include 

#define SCL_GPIO 18
#define SDA_GPIO 23

void setup() {
  oled.begin();
  i2c_init(I2C0, SCL_GPIO, SDA_GPIO);
}

void loop() {
  oled.write("Hello, World!");
  delay(1000);
}

Final Thoughts

Displaying text on an OLED using ESP32 is a great way to add visual feedback to your projects. With minimal hardware and simple code, you can create interactive devices that provide real-time information. Experiment with different fonts, scrolling text, or even animations to enhance your display!