XIAO ESP32C6 Development Board
Code name: XIAO_ESP32C6
XIAO ESP32C6 development board is based on esp32c6 microcontroller and uses riscv32 architecture. This board has a maximum CPU frequency of 160 MHz and a flash size of 8MB.
About XIAO ESP32C6
The XIAO ESP32C6 is a powerful RISC-V-based development board featuring the ESP32-C6 chip. With support for WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5 (LE), and Zigbee, it’s perfect for modern IoT applications. 📡
Designed for compact projects, it includes a USB-C port for seamless programming and power, plus an onboard reset button and bootloader mode button for easy debugging. ⚡
The XIAO ESP32C6 supports multiple interfaces like UART, I2C, and SPI, making it an excellent choice for smart home automation, sensor networks, and low-power applications.
Where to Buy
Starting from
10$ per unit
Prices are subject to change. We earn from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate.
Technical Specifications
🔌 USB
🛰️ Connectivity
🧠 Microcontroller
✨ Features
- Supports WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5, and Zigbee
- Ultra-small size (21x17.5 mm)
- Low power consumption with deep sleep support
- 11 digital IO pins
- 11 external interrupt pins
- 7 analog input pins
- 11 PWM pins
XIAO ESP32C6 Pinout
The XIAO ESP32C6 pinout is designed to provide a well-balanced selection of I/O pins in a compact form factor. It includes essential power pins like 5V, 3.3V, and GND.
For communication, it supports UART (RX and TX), I2C (SDA and SCL), and SPI (SCK, MISO, MOSI, and SS), allowing integration with a wide range of peripherals.
Analog input pins labeled A0 to A3 make sensor integration easy, while additional GPIOs provide further flexibility.
✅ Safe Pins to Use
For general GPIO usage, these are the safest and most flexible choices:
Why Are These Pins Safe?
- Not involved in bootstrapping → No impact on device boot mode or system startup
- Not linked to flash memory or PSRAM → Won't interfere with storage or memory access
- Not dedicated to USB or JTAG → Free for general use without affecting debugging
- No special hardware connections → Freely assignable without internal conflicts
⚠️ Pins to Avoid or Use with Caution
Some pins are reserved for critical functions like bootstrapping, JTAG debugging, USB communication, and flash memory operations. Misusing these pins may lead to boot failures, programming issues, USB conflicts, or disruptions in flash storage.
Critical Pin Categories:
- 🛠️ Strapping Pins: Control boot behavior and flash voltage selection
- 🔗 JTAG Debugging Pins: Required for low-level debugging
- 🔌 USB Communication Pins: Used for USB Serial/JTAG communication
- ⚡ Flash Memory & SPI Pins: Connected to SPI flash memory and PSRAM
- 📡 UART Serial Communication Pins: Used for debugging and firmware uploads
| PIN | Label | Reason | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| IO4 | MTMS | Used during boot; required for JTAG debugging; flash data in internal-flash models. | 🛠️ Strapping |
| IO5 | MTDI | Used during boot; required for JTAG debugging; flash data in internal-flash models. | 🛠️ Strapping |
| IO6 | MTCK | Required for JTAG debugging; connected to flash clock in internal-flash models. | 🔗 JTAG |
| IO7 | MTDO | Required for JTAG debugging; connected to flash data in internal-flash models. | 🔗 JTAG |
| IO8 | GPIO8 | Determines boot mode; pulling low at reset can prevent normal boot. | 🛠️ Strapping |
XIAO ESP32C6 Pin Mappings
This development board provides 11 digital IO pins, out of which 11 can be used as external interrupt pins , 7 as analog input pins and 11 pins have Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) .
| Pin | Function | ESP Pin | Input/Output | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5V | 5V | POWER INPUT | 5V power input |
| 2 | GND | GND | GROUND | Ground connection |
| 3 | 3V3 | 3.3V | POWER OUTPUT | 3.3V power output |
| 4 | IO2 | A0 | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, ADC |
| 5 | IO3 | A1 | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, ADC |
| 6 | IO4 | A2 | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, ADC |
| 7 | IO5 | A3 | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, ADC |
| 8 | IO6 | SDA | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, I2C Data |
| 9 | IO7 | SCL | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, I2C Clock |
| 10 | IO8 | SCK | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, SPI Clock |
| 11 | IO9 | MISO | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, SPI Data |
| 12 | IO10 | MOSI | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, SPI Data |
| 13 | IO20 | RX | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, UART Receive |
| 14 | IO21 | TX | BIDIRECTIONAL | GPIO, UART Transmit |
XIAO ESP32C6 Pins Mapping Arduino IDE
Below you can find the XIAO ESP32C6 pinout. This development board provides 11 digital IO pins, out of which 11 can be used as external interrupt pins, 7 as analog input pins and 11 pins have Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM).
| Pin | Analog | Touch | PWM | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | A0 | |||
| 3 | A1 | |||
| 4 | A2 | |||
| 5 | A3 | |||
| 6 | SDA | |||
| 7 | SCL | |||
| 8 | SCK | |||
| 9 | MISO | |||
| 10 | MOSI | |||
| 20 | RX SS | |||
| 21 | TX |
Default Tools
| Bootloader tool | esptool_py |
| Uploader tool | esptool_py |
| Network uploader tool | esp_ota |
| Bootloader address | 0x0 |
| Flash mode | qio |
| Boot mode | qio |
| Maximum upload size | 1920 Kb (1966080 B) |
| Maximum data size | 640 Kb (655360 B) |
The XIAO ESP32C6 development board by default uses esptool_py uploader tool, esp_ota network uploader tool for Over-the-air (OTA) uploads and esptool_py bootloader tool. The bootloader starts at address "0x0". Flash mode and boot mode for XIAO ESP32C6 development board by default is qio and qio respectively.
