ESP3-C3 Super Mini wiring to ST7789

[Moriyama]

st7789 240x240
BLK --> not connected
DC --> Pin 8
RES --> Pin 10
SDA --> Pin 6
SCL --> Pin 4
VCC --> 3V3
GND --> GND



change fileTFT_eSPI/Processors/TFT_eSPI_ESP32_C3.h

#define SPI_PORT SPI2_HOST


to

#if ESP_ARDUINO_VERSION_MAJOR < 3
#define SPI_PORT SPI2_HOST
#else
#define SPI_PORT 2
#endif

[ScottLininger]

SUPER HUGE THANKS to Moriyama. That change to the fileTFT_eSPI/Processors/TFT_eSPI_ESP32_C3.h was critical. After days of struggling with it, that finally did the trick.

In the hopes that some poor soul runs across this thread like I did, here are the complete steps I used to get the ST7789 240x240 working with my ESP3-C3 Supermini.

1. Install the library in Arduino IDE. Go to Tools > Manage Libraries and search for "TFT_eSPI". Install the TFT_eSPI library by Bodmer. I installed 2.5.43 as of May 2, 2025.


2. Search your hard drive for fileTFT_eSPI/User_Setup.h. Open that file, replace its entire contents with the following, and save it. (You could make a copy of the original file and rename it User_Setup_original.h if copy pasting over all the comments makes you nervous.)

Code: Select all

#define USER_SETUP_INFO "User_Setup"
#define ST7789_DRIVER
#define TFT_RGB_ORDER TFT_BGR
#define TFT_WIDTH 240
#define TFT_HEIGHT 240
#define TFT_MISO 5
#define TFT_MOSI 6
#define TFT_SCLK 4
#define TFT_CS -1 // Chip select control pin
#define TFT_DC 8 // Data Command control pin
#define TFT_RST 10 // Reset pin (could connect to RST pin)
#define TOUCH_CS -1 // Chip select pin (T_CS) of touch screen
#define LOAD_GLCD // Font 1. Original Adafruit 8 pixel font needs ~1820 bytes in FLASH
#define LOAD_FONT2 // Font 2. Small 16 pixel high font, needs ~3534 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT4 // Font 4. Medium 26 pixel high font, needs ~5848 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT6 // Font 6. Large 48 pixel font, needs ~2666 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.apm
#define LOAD_FONT7 // Font 7. 7 segment 48 pixel font, needs ~2438 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.
#define LOAD_FONT8 // Font 8. Large 75 pixel font needs ~3256 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.
#define LOAD_GFXFF // FreeFonts. Include access to the 48 Adafruit_GFX free fonts FF1 to FF48 and custom fonts
#define SPI_FREQUENCY 27000000

3. In that same folder, open the file fileTFT_eSPI/Processors/TFT_eSPI_ESP32_C3.h, and replace this line (line 71)

Code: Select all

#define SPI_PORT SPI2_HOST

...with this code...

Code: Select all

#if ESP_ARDUINO_VERSION_MAJOR < 3
#define SPI_PORT SPI2_HOST
#else
#define SPI_PORT 2
#endif

4. Wire up the thing carefully to match this diagram:

Code: Select all

GND -> GND
VCC -> 3V3
SCL -> 4
SDA -> 6
RST -> 9
DC  -> 8
BLK -> 3v3 to always have the backlight on

5. Make a sketch with this code:

Code: Select all

#include <TFT_eSPI.h>       // Include the graphics library
#include <SPI.h>

TFT_eSPI tft = TFT_eSPI();  // Invoke custom setup from User_Setup.h

void setup() {
  tft.init();
  tft.setRotation(0);
  tft.fillScreen(TFT_RED);
  tft.setTextColor(TFT_WHITE, TFT_RED);
  tft.drawString("Hello ESP32-C3 Super Mini!", 10, 10, 2);
}

void loop() {
}

Hopefully that works for you! The key seemed to be changing the .h code in step 4.