Arduino Nano ESP32 - LCD 20x4

In this Arduino Nano ESP32 LCD 20x4 I2C tutorial, we will learn how to connect an LCD 20x4 (Liquid Crystal Display) to the Arduino Nano ESP32 board via I2C Interface.

Hardware Preparation

1	×	Arduino Nano ESP32
1	×	USB Cable Type-C
1	×	LCD 20x4
1	×	Jumper Wires
1	×	Breadboard
1	×	(Optional) DC Power Jack
1	×	(Recommended) Screw Terminal Expansion Board for Arduino Nano
1	×	(Recommended) Breakout Expansion Board for Arduino Nano
1	×	(Recommended) Power Splitter For Arduino Nano ESP32

Or you can buy the following sensor kits:

1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (30 sensors/displays)
1	×	DIYables Sensor Kit (18 sensors/displays)

Disclosure: Some of the links provided in this section are Amazon affiliate links. We may receive a commission for any purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
Additionally, some of these links are for products from our own brand, DIYables .

Overview of LCD I2C 20x4

Pinout

LCD 20x4 I2C uses I2C interface, so it has 4 pins:

GND pin: needs to be connected to GND (0V).
VCC pin: the power supply for the LCD, needs to be connected to VCC (5V).
SDA pin: I2C data signal
SCL pin: I2C clock signal

LCD Coordinate

LCD I2C 20x4 includes 20 columns and 4 rows. the conlums and rows are indexed from 0.

Wiring Diagram

When powering the Arduino Nano ESP32 board via USB port.

This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image

When powering the Arduino Nano ESP32 board via Vin pin.

The wiring diagram between Arduino Nano ESP32 and LCD 20x4 I2C external power source

This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image

※ NOTE THAT:

When powering the Arduino Nano ESP32 through the USB port, it is possible to power the LCD display using the VBUS pin of the Arduino Nano ESP32, eliminating the need for an external power source. However, it is important to note that this approach may not work as the power provided by the VBUS pin might be insufficient for the proper functioning of the LCD display.

LCD I2C	Arduino Nano ESP32
VCC	5V
GND	GND
SDA	A4
SCL	A5

How To Program For LCD I2C

Thanks to the LiquidCrystal_I2C library, the using LCD is a piece of cake.

Include the library:

#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h> // Library for LCD

Declare a LiquidCrystal_I2C object with I2C address, the number of columns, the number of rows:

LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 20, 4); // I2C address 0x27, 20 column and 4 rows

Initialize the LCD.

lcd.init(); //initialize the lcd lcd.backlight(); //open the backlight

Move cursor to the desired position (column_index, row_index)

lcd.setCursor(column_index, row_index);

Print a message to the LCD.

lcd.print("Hello World!");

※ NOTE THAT:

The I2C address of LCD can vary according to the manufacturers. In the code, we used 0x27 that is specified by DIYables manufacturer

Arduino Nano ESP32 Code

/* * This Arduino Nano ESP32 code was developed by newbiely.com * * This Arduino Nano ESP32 code is made available for public use without any restriction * * For comprehensive instructions and wiring diagrams, please visit: * https://newbiely.com/tutorials/arduino-nano-esp32/arduino-nano-esp32-lcd-20x4 */ #include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h> LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 20, 4); // I2C address 0x27, 20 column and 4 rows void setup() { lcd.init(); // Initialize the LCD I2C display lcd.backlight(); lcd.setCursor(0, 0); // move cursor the first row lcd.print("LCD 20x4"); // print message at the first row lcd.setCursor(0, 1); // move cursor to the second row lcd.print("I2C Address: 0x27"); // print message at the second row lcd.setCursor(0, 2); // move cursor to the third row lcd.print("DIYables"); // print message at the third row lcd.setCursor(0, 3); // move cursor to the fourth row lcd.print("www.diyables.io"); // print message the fourth row } void loop() { }

Detailed Instructions

To get started with Arduino Nano ESP32, follow these steps:

If you are new to Arduino Nano ESP32, refer to the tutorial on how to set up the environment for Arduino Nano ESP32 in the Arduino IDE.
Wire the components according to the provided diagram.
Connect the Arduino Nano ESP32 board to your computer using a USB cable.
Launch the Arduino IDE on your computer.
Select the Arduino Nano ESP32 board and its corresponding COM port.
Open the Library Manager by clicking on the Library Manager icon on the left navigation bar of Arduino IDE
Search "LiquidCrystal I2C", then find the LiquidCrystal_I2C library by Frank de Brabander
Click Install button to install LiquidCrystal_I2C library.

Arduino Nano ESP32 LiquidCrystal I2C library

Copy the above code and open with Arduino IDE
Click Upload button on Arduino IDE to upload code to Arduino Nano ESP32
See the result on LCD
Try modifying text and position

Video Tutorial

Learn More

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