SENSORS/ACTUATORS

ESP32 C3 Super Mini - TM1637 4-Digit 7-Segment Display

Learn how to connect a TM1637 4-digit 7-segment display to your ESP32 C3 Super Mini for displaying numbers, text, temperature, and time. This tutorial shows you how to control brightness, blink patterns, and individual digits using the simple 2-wire interface.

In this tutorial you will learn:

What the TM1637 display module is and how it works with ESP32
How to wire the TM1637 to the ESP32 C3 Super Mini
How to display integers, text, temperature, and time
How to control brightness and individual digits
How to create blinking effects and animations

ESP32 C3 Super Mini TM1637 4-Digit 7-Segment Display

Hardware Preparation

1	×	ESP32 C3 Super Mini
1	×	USB Cable Type-A to Type-C (for USB-A PC)
1	×	USB Cable Type-C to Type-C (for USB-C PC)
1	×	TM1637 4-digit 7-segment Display (colon-separated)
1	×	Jumper Wires

Or you can buy the following kits:

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 the TM1637 Display Module

The TM1637 is an LED driver chip that controls four 7-segment digits using a simple 2-wire interface.

Key features and specifications:

4 digits with 7 segments plus decimal point each
Built-in colon separator (between digits 1 and 2)
8 adjustable brightness levels (0-7)
2-wire serial interface (CLK and DIO)
Works with both 3.3V and 5V logic levels
Displays stay lit without constant refresh from microcontroller
Perfect for clock displays, counters, and temperature readings
Beginner-friendly with only two data pins to connect

TM1637 Pinout

The TM1637 module has four connection pins for power and communication.

CLK: Clock signal input for synchronizing data
DIO: Bidirectional data input/output pin
VCC: Power supply (3.3V or 5V)
GND: Ground connection

Wiring Diagram

Connect the TM1637 4-digit display to your ESP32 C3 Super Mini following this diagram.

Note: Use 3.3V power output to match the ESP32 logic levels

TM1637 Pin	ESP32 C3 Super Mini Pin
CLK	D8
DIO	D9
VCC	3.3V
GND	GND

The wiring diagram between ESP32 C3 Super Mini TM1637 4-Digit 7-Segment Display

This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image

Installing the TM1637 Library

Before uploading code, install the required library for the TM1637 display module.

Open Arduino IDE: Launch the Arduino IDE on your computer
Select Board: Choose ESP32 C3 Super Mini from the board list
Open Library Manager: Click the Libraries icon in the left sidebar
Search Library: Type "DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637" in the search box
Install: Click Install on the DIYables entry
Verify: Library should appear in your installed libraries list
Pro Tip: No additional dependencies needed - this library works standalone

Arduino TM1637 4-Digit 7-Segment Display library

Basic TM1637 Code Structure

Here's the minimum code needed to initialize and use the TM1637 display with your ESP32 C3 Super Mini.

This code demonstrates:

Including the TM1637 library
Defining CLK and DIO pins
Creating a display object
Initializing the display
Showing a simple 4-digit number

#include <DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637.h> #define CLK_PIN D8 #define DIO_PIN D9 DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 display(CLK_PIN, DIO_PIN); void setup() { display.begin(); display.print(1234); } void loop() { }

Tutorial 1: Display Integer Numbers

Learn how to display various integer values on the TM1637, including positive numbers, negative numbers, and zero-padded values.

/* * This ESP32 C3 Super Mini code was developed by newbiely.com * * This ESP32 C3 Super Mini code is made available for public use without any restriction * * For comprehensive instructions and wiring diagrams, please visit: * https://newbiely.com/tutorials/esp32-c3/esp32-c3-super-mini-tm1637-4-digit-7-segment-display */ /* * DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 - Integer Example * * Displays various integer values on a 4-digit 7-segment display * with TM1637 driver, including zero-padded numbers. * * Tutorial: https://diyables.io/products/4-digit-7-segment-display-led-tm1637-with-colon * * TESTED HARDWARE: * - Arduino Uno R3 * - Arduino Uno R4 WiFi * - Arduino Uno R4 Minima * - Arduino Mega * - Arduino Due * - Arduino Giga * - DIYables STEM V3: https://diyables.io/stem-v3 * - DIYables STEM V4 IoT: https://diyables.io/stem-v4-iot * - DIYables STEM V4B IoT: https://diyables.io/stem-v4b-iot * - DIYables STEM V4B Edu: https://diyables.io/stem-v4-edu * - DIYables MEGA2560 R3: https://diyables.io/atmega2560-board * - DIYables Nano R3: https://diyables.io/nano-board * - DIYables ESP32 Board: https://diyables.io/esp32-board * - DIYables ESP32 S3, Uno-form factor: https://diyables.io/esp32-s3-uno * - It is expected to work with other boards */ #include <DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637.h> // Pin configuration - change to match your wiring #define CLK_PIN D8 #define DIO_PIN D9 DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 display(CLK_PIN, DIO_PIN); void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); display.begin(); Serial.println("TM1637 Integer Example"); } void loop() { // Display various integers int numbers[] = {0, 42, 1234, -5, -123, 9999}; int count = sizeof(numbers) / sizeof(numbers[0]); for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) { display.print(numbers[i]); Serial.print("Displaying: "); Serial.println(numbers[i]); delay(2000); } // Display with zero padding display.print(42, true); // Shows "0042" Serial.println("Displaying: 0042 (zero-padded)"); delay(2000); }

Quick Steps to Display Integers

New to ESP32 C3 Mini? Complete our Getting Started with ESP32 C3 Mini tutorial first to set up your development environment.
Wire the Module: Connect TM1637 to ESP32 C3 Super Mini following the wiring diagram above
Connect USB: Plug your ESP32 C3 Super Mini into your computer using USB-C cable
Open Arduino IDE: Launch Arduino IDE and select the correct board and port
Copy Code: Paste the integer display sketch into Arduino IDE
Upload: Click the Upload button to flash the code to your board
Watch Display: Observe the different numbers appearing on the 7-segment display
Open Serial Monitor: Set baud rate to 9600 to see status messages
Pro Tip: Use print(number, true) to display numbers with leading zeros like "0042"

Serial Monitor Output

Newbiely | Arduino IDE 2.3.8

──

☐

Newbiely.ino

···

8 Serial.println("Hello World!");

Output

Serial Monitor

Message (Enter to send message to 'ESP32C3 Dev Module' on 'COM15')

New Line

9600 baud

[2026-04-15 10:23:15] Display initialized [2026-04-15 10:23:16] Showing: 0 [2026-04-15 10:23:17] Showing: 42 [2026-04-15 10:23:18] Showing: 1234 [2026-04-15 10:23:19] Showing: -5 [2026-04-15 10:23:20] Showing: -123 [2026-04-15 10:23:21] Showing: 9999 [2026-04-15 10:23:22] Showing: 0042 (zero-padded)

Ln 11, Col 1

ESP32C3 Dev Module on COM15

Integer Display Methods

Method	Action	Syntax
print(int)	Display an integer (-999 to 9999)	display.print(1234)
print(int, true)	Display with leading zeros	display.print(42, true)
clear()	Clear all digits	display.clear()

Tutorial 2: Display Text and Temperature

Display text strings and temperature values with degree symbols on your ESP32 C3 Super Mini TM1637 display.

/* * This ESP32 C3 Super Mini code was developed by newbiely.com * * This ESP32 C3 Super Mini code is made available for public use without any restriction * * For comprehensive instructions and wiring diagrams, please visit: * https://newbiely.com/tutorials/esp32-c3/esp32-c3-super-mini-tm1637-4-digit-7-segment-display */ /* * DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 - TextAndDegree Example * * Displays text strings, special characters, and temperature * on a 4-digit 7-segment display with TM1637 driver. * * Tutorial: https://diyables.io/products/4-digit-7-segment-display-led-tm1637-with-colon * * TESTED HARDWARE: * - Arduino Uno R3 * - Arduino Uno R4 WiFi * - Arduino Uno R4 Minima * - Arduino Mega * - Arduino Due * - Arduino Giga * - DIYables STEM V3: https://diyables.io/stem-v3 * - DIYables STEM V4 IoT: https://diyables.io/stem-v4-iot * - DIYables STEM V4B IoT: https://diyables.io/stem-v4b-iot * - DIYables STEM V4B Edu: https://diyables.io/stem-v4-edu * - DIYables MEGA2560 R3: https://diyables.io/atmega2560-board * - DIYables Nano R3: https://diyables.io/nano-board * - DIYables ESP32 Board: https://diyables.io/esp32-board * - DIYables ESP32 S3, Uno-form factor: https://diyables.io/esp32-s3-uno * - It is expected to work with other boards */ #include <DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637.h> // Pin configuration - change to match your wiring #define CLK_PIN D8 #define DIO_PIN D9 DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 display(CLK_PIN, DIO_PIN); void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); display.begin(); Serial.println("TM1637 Text and Degree Example"); } void loop() { // Display text strings const char* texts[] = {"HELP", "Hi", "COOL", "done"}; for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) { display.print(texts[i]); Serial.print("Displaying: "); Serial.println(texts[i]); delay(2000); } // Display temperature with degree symbol display.printTemperature(25, 'C'); // Shows "25°C" Serial.println("Displaying: 25 degrees C"); delay(2000); display.printTemperature(72, 'F'); // Shows "72°F" Serial.println("Displaying: 72 degrees F"); delay(2000); // Display string with degree constant char buf[5]; buf[0] = '2'; buf[1] = '5'; buf[2] = DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637::DEGREE; buf[3] = 'C'; buf[4] = '\0'; display.print(buf); // Same as printTemperature(25, 'C') Serial.println("Displaying: 25 degrees C (via print)"); delay(2000); }

Quick Steps to Display Text and Temperature

Wire Module: Ensure TM1637 connections are secure
Upload Sketch: Flash the text and temperature code to ESP32 C3 Super Mini
Open Serial Monitor: Set baud rate to 9600
Watch Messages: The display cycles through text and temperature readings
Try Custom Text: Modify the code to display your own 4-character messages
Pro Tip: The TM1637 can display letters like H, E, L, P, C, o, n, e - experiment with different words

Serial Monitor Output

Newbiely | Arduino IDE 2.3.8

──

☐

Newbiely.ino

···

8 Serial.println("Hello World!");

Output

Serial Monitor

Message (Enter to send message to 'ESP32C3 Dev Module' on 'COM15')

New Line

9600 baud

[2026-04-15 11:05:22] TM1637 Text Demo Started [2026-04-15 11:05:23] Displaying: HELP [2026-04-15 11:05:25] Displaying: Hi [2026-04-15 11:05:27] Displaying: COOL [2026-04-15 11:05:29] Displaying: done [2026-04-15 11:05:31] Temperature: 25°C [2026-04-15 11:05:33] Temperature: 72°F

Ln 11, Col 1

ESP32C3 Dev Module on COM15

Text and Temperature Methods

Method	Action	Syntax
print(const char*)	Display text (up to 4 chars)	display.print("HELP")
printTemperature(int, char)	Display temperature with degree/unit	display.printTemperature(25, 'C')
DEGREE	Degree symbol constant	display.DEGREE

Tutorial 3: Display Time with Blinking Colon

Create a digital clock display on your ESP32 C3 Super Mini with hours, minutes, and a blinking colon separator.

Quick Steps to Display Time

Upload Code: Flash the time display sketch to your ESP32 C3 Super Mini
Watch Display: Observe "12:30" with the colon blinking every 500 milliseconds
Modify Time: Change the hour and minute values in the code
Control Colon: Use the third parameter to manually control colon state
Pro Tip: Use millis() and modulo arithmetic to create smooth 1-second blink intervals

Serial Monitor Output

Newbiely | Arduino IDE 2.3.8

──

☐

Newbiely.ino

···

8 Serial.println("Hello World!");

Output

Serial Monitor

Message (Enter to send message to 'ESP32C3 Dev Module' on 'COM15')

New Line

9600 baud

[2026-04-15 14:20:10] Time Display Demo [2026-04-15 14:20:10] Time: 12:30 (colon ON) [2026-04-15 14:20:11] Time: 12:30 (colon OFF) [2026-04-15 14:20:12] Time: 12:30 (colon ON) [2026-04-15 14:20:13] Time: 12:30 (colon OFF)

Ln 11, Col 1

ESP32C3 Dev Module on COM15

Time Display Methods

Method	Action	Syntax
printTime(int, int)	Display time HH	MM with colon	display.printTime(12, 30)
printTime(int, int, bool)	Display time, control colon state	display.printTime(12, 30, false)

Tutorial 4: Blink the Display

Create attention-grabbing blinking effects by turning the ESP32 C3 Super Mini TM1637 display on and off while preserving the content.

Quick Steps to Blink Display

Upload Sketch: Flash the blink demo code to your board
Watch Pattern: "1234" blinks five times, then "HELP" blinks five times
Adjust Speed: Change the delay values to control blink rate
Try Brightness: Combine blinking with different brightness levels
Pro Tip: The display content stays in memory when you call off() - no need to resend data

Serial Monitor Output

Newbiely | Arduino IDE 2.3.8

──

☐

Newbiely.ino

···

8 Serial.println("Hello World!");

Output

Serial Monitor

Message (Enter to send message to 'ESP32C3 Dev Module' on 'COM15')

New Line

9600 baud

[2026-04-15 15:42:18] Blink Demo Started [2026-04-15 15:42:18] Blinking 1234 - cycle 1/5 [2026-04-15 15:42:19] Blinking 1234 - cycle 2/5 [2026-04-15 15:42:20] Blinking 1234 - cycle 3/5 [2026-04-15 15:42:21] Blinking 1234 - cycle 4/5 [2026-04-15 15:42:22] Blinking 1234 - cycle 5/5 [2026-04-15 15:42:23] Now blinking HELP...

Ln 11, Col 1

ESP32C3 Dev Module on COM15

Blink and Brightness Methods

Method	Action	Syntax
off()	Turn display off (data preserved)	display.off()
on()	Turn display back on	display.on()
setBrightness(int)	Set brightness 0-7	display.setBrightness(4)

Tutorial 5: Individual Digit Control

Control each digit position independently on your ESP32 C3 Super Mini TM1637 display for custom animations and patterns.

/* * This ESP32 C3 Super Mini code was developed by newbiely.com * * This ESP32 C3 Super Mini code is made available for public use without any restriction * * For comprehensive instructions and wiring diagrams, please visit: * https://newbiely.com/tutorials/esp32-c3/esp32-c3-super-mini-tm1637-4-digit-7-segment-display */ /* * DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 - IndividualDigits Example * * Sets individual digits, characters, and colon on a 4-digit * 7-segment display with TM1637 driver. * * Tutorial: https://diyables.io/products/4-digit-7-segment-display-led-tm1637-with-colon * * TESTED HARDWARE: * - Arduino Uno R3 * - Arduino Uno R4 WiFi * - Arduino Uno R4 Minima * - Arduino Mega * - Arduino Due * - Arduino Giga * - DIYables STEM V3: https://diyables.io/stem-v3 * - DIYables STEM V4 IoT: https://diyables.io/stem-v4-iot * - DIYables STEM V4B IoT: https://diyables.io/stem-v4b-iot * - DIYables STEM V4B Edu: https://diyables.io/stem-v4-edu * - DIYables MEGA2560 R3: https://diyables.io/atmega2560-board * - DIYables Nano R3: https://diyables.io/nano-board * - DIYables ESP32 Board: https://diyables.io/esp32-board * - DIYables ESP32 S3, Uno-form factor: https://diyables.io/esp32-s3-uno * - It is expected to work with other boards */ #include <DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637.h> // Pin configuration - change to match your wiring #define CLK_PIN D8 #define DIO_PIN D9 DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 display(CLK_PIN, DIO_PIN); void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); display.begin(); Serial.println("TM1637 Individual Digits Example"); } void loop() { // Set individual numbers on each digit position display.clear(); display.setNumber(0, 1); display.setNumber(1, 2); display.setNumber(2, 3); display.setNumber(3, 4); Serial.println("Displaying: 1234"); delay(2000); // Turn colon on display.setColon(true); Serial.println("Displaying: 12:34"); delay(2000); // Turn colon off display.setColon(false); Serial.println("Displaying: 1234"); delay(2000); // Set individual characters display.clear(); display.setChar(0, 'H'); display.setChar(1, 'E'); display.setChar(2, 'L'); display.setChar(3, 'P'); Serial.println("Displaying: HELP"); delay(2000); // Mix characters and numbers with colon display.clear(); display.setChar(0, 'A'); display.setNumber(1, 3); display.setChar(2, 'b'); display.setNumber(3, 7); display.setColon(true); Serial.println("Displaying: A3:b7"); delay(2000); // Blinking colon effect display.clear(); display.setNumber(0, 1); display.setNumber(1, 2); display.setNumber(2, 3); display.setNumber(3, 0); Serial.println("Blinking colon: 12:30"); for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) { display.setColon(true); delay(500); display.setColon(false); delay(500); } delay(1000); }

Quick Steps for Individual Digit Control

Upload Code: Flash the individual digit control sketch
Watch Patterns: Observe different combinations appearing on each digit
Try Custom Patterns: Use setSegments() for complete control over each segment
Create Animations: Update individual digits in sequence for scrolling effects
Pro Tip: Digit positions are 0-3 from left to right - use loops to create smooth animations

Serial Monitor Output

Newbiely | Arduino IDE 2.3.8

──

☐

Newbiely.ino

···

8 Serial.println("Hello World!");

Output

Serial Monitor

Message (Enter to send message to 'ESP32C3 Dev Module' on 'COM15')

New Line

9600 baud

[2026-04-15 16:30:44] Individual Digit Control Demo [2026-04-15 16:30:44] Setting digit 0 = 1 [2026-04-15 16:30:45] Setting digit 1 = 2 [2026-04-15 16:30:46] Setting digit 2 = 3 [2026-04-15 16:30:47] Setting digit 3 = 4 [2026-04-15 16:30:48] Displaying HELP with individual characters

Ln 11, Col 1

ESP32C3 Dev Module on COM15

Individual Digit Control Methods

Method	Action	Syntax
setNumber(int, int)	Set digit 0-9 at position 0-3	display.setNumber(0, 1)
setChar(int, char)	Set character at position 0-3	display.setChar(0, 'H')
setColon(bool)	Control colon on/off	display.setColon(true)
setSegments(int, uint8_t)	Set raw segments at position 0-3	display.setSegments(0, 0x76)

Troubleshooting TM1637 Display Issues

Common problems when using the TM1637 4-digit display with ESP32 C3 Super Mini and their solutions.

Issue	Possible Cause	Resolution
Display is blank	Wrong wiring or pin numbers	Verify CLK/DIO connections match code and VCC goes to 3.3V
Wrong characters	CLK and DIO swapped	Switch the two signal wires
Display too dim	Low brightness setting	Call setBrightness(7) for maximum
Library not found	Not installed	Install DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 from Library Manager
Upload fails	Board in wrong mode	Hold the BOOT button while pressing RESET, then retry upload
Flickering display	Loose connections	Check all wire connections and reseat jumper wires
Random characters	Electrical noise	Add 100nF capacitor between VCC and GND near module

Real-World Applications

Use your ESP32 C3 Super Mini TM1637 display project in these practical applications.

Build a digital countdown timer for cooking or workouts
Create a temperature monitor that displays current room temperature
Make a lap timer for races or gaming sessions
Design a visitor counter for your home or office
Build a voltage/current display for power monitoring projects
Create a score keeper for games and competitions
Make a real-time clock with WiFi time synchronization using ESP32

Video Tutorial

Watch the video below for a visual walkthrough of this project.

...VIDEO ...VIDEO

Challenge Yourself

Take your ESP32 C3 Super Mini TM1637 skills to the next level with these project challenges.

Easy: Add a button to cycle through different display modes (time, temperature, counter)
Easy: Create a stopwatch with start/stop button control
Medium: Build a countdown timer that beeps when reaching zero using a buzzer
Medium: Display WiFi signal strength as a number using ESP32 wireless capabilities
Advanced: Create a scrolling text display that shows messages longer than 4 characters
Advanced: Build a thermometer using DHT22 sensor with ESP32 C3 Super Mini and TM1637 display
Advanced: Make a real-time clock that syncs with NTP servers over WiFi

Platform Compatibility

The DIYables_4Digit7Segment_TM1637 library works across all Arduino-compatible platforms including ESP32, ESP8266, Arduino Uno, Nano, Mega, and more (architectures=*).

Learn More

ESP32 C3 Super Mini - 74HC595 4-Digit 7-Segment Display

※ OUR MESSAGES

As freelancers, We are AVAILABLE for HIRE. See how to outsource your project to us
Please feel free to share the link of this tutorial. However, Please do not use our content on any other websites. We invested a lot of effort and time to create the content, please respect our work!