Download Arduino IDE

Open your sketchbook Libraries folder and drag the master folder from Downloads into it. Give it a Legal Name The IDE will not recognize folders with dashes in the name. So you must rename the Github Master Folder. Arduino libraries are managed in three different places: inside the IDE installation folder, inside the core folder and in the libraries folder inside your sketchbook. The way libraries are chosen during compilation is designed to allow the update of libraries present in the distribution.

Download Arduino IDE from https://www.arduino.cc/en/main/software

It is recommended to use a dedicated standalone version of the IDE allowing easy ESP8266 file manipulation and library management. This can be achieved by downloading the Arduino IDE ZIP file for non admin install.

Install Arduino IDE

• Windows: Unzip the installation file to a known folder.
• Mac: Move the .app file into your Applications folder.

IMPORTANT: For Windows users, before executing arduino.exe add an empty folder called portable in the known folder.

Install ESP8266 Board Definitions

• Open Arduino IDE and select File → Preferences (Arduino → Preferences on Mac) and use the following text for field Additional Boards Manager URLs:https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/releases/download/2.6.1/package_esp8266com_index.json and select OK.
• Open Tools → Boards... → Boards Manager... and scroll down and click on esp8266 by ESP8266 Community. Click the Install button to download and install the latest ESP8266 board software. Select Close.

Copy Files

• Remove default compile options for floating point printf and scanf which are not being used by Tasmota and save 15k code space.
• Replace in Arduino IDE folder portablepackagesesp8266hardwareesp82662.6.1 file platform.txt with the Tasmota Source code file arduinoversion 2.6.1platform.txt.

Download Tasmota

• Download the latest Tasmota release Source code from https://github.com/arendst/Tasmota and unzip to another known folder.
• Copy all files from the Tasmota release Source code folder lib into your sketchbooklibraries folder.
• About the issue of missing header files and/or libraries while compiling that users had, it is possible that the library folder is in the wrong place. That issue can be happen if you installed your Arduino IDE in a virtual environment. This came up after some tests (6) of an installation in VM-Ware Workstation 14 Pro - 14.1.1 build-7528167 with not all current updates from VM-Ware. The library folder was placed in /portable/libraries and not in /portable/sketchbook/libraries. We can't say why that happens but there is the possibilty. So please check it when you get compile errors with missing header files and/or libaries. After updating VM-Ware and a new installation of Arduino IDE 1.8.8 the issue was gone. The installation of Arduino IDE 1.8.8 on windows 7 pro were 100% ok without any issue. Right now the newer version of Arduino IDE is available. Version 1.8.9
• Copy the Tasmota release Source code folder tasmota to your sketchbook.
• Note: your sketchbook location can be found in the Arduino IDE preferences, default on the Mac is ~/Documents/Arduino.

Configure Arduino IDE

Select Tools and verify the following settings for All Tasmota devices.

ESP8266 Board version 2.6.1:

Compile Tasmota

Open Arduino IDE and select file tasmota.ino from your sketchbooktasmota folder.

• Compile Tasmota with Sketch - Verify/Compile.

Upload Tasmota to Device

Arduino IDE uses the serial interface to upload the firmware to your device. On Windows these interfaces are named COM1, COM2 etc. On Linux these interfaces are called /dev/ttyUSB0, /dev/ttyUSB1 etc.

In the following commands I use COM5 as an example.

Before using Arduino IDE upload make sure you know to which serial interface name your device is connected to.

Put device in Firmware Upload Mode

When performing a firmware upload do not connect the device to AC but use the power supply provided by your (FTDI type) serial interface.

• Put the device in firmware upload mode by grounding pin GPIO00 while applying power.

Grounding pin GPIO00 can often be achieved by pressing button 1 on the Sonoff device or using a wire between GPIO00 and Gnd if the button is not available. Deviations may apply.

• Connect the serial interface of your PC to the device while GPIO00 to Gnd.

Perform Serial Upload

Arduino Ide Installation Libraries Folder

• Make the correct serial interface selection in the Arduino IDE via Tools - Port: 'COM5'.
• Upload the compiled firmware with Sketch - Upload.

NOTE: For a proper device initialization after first firmware upload power down and power up the device.

The Library Manager is the simplest and safest way to install libraries. If possible, that is the method you should use.

Add Library To Arduino Ide

If the library you want to use is not available via the library manager, you can get the source code and place it into your machine's local library folder. The location of the folder is rather specific.

See the file hierarchy below:

It is important to install your libraries in the correct location. Otherwise the compiler will not be able to locate them when you try to compile and upload your sketches.

Locate your Sketchbook Folder and the Libraries Folder Inside

Your sketchbook folder is the folder where the Arduino IDE stores your sketches. This folder is automatically created by the IDE when you install it.
On Linux machines, the folder is named 'Sketchbook' and it is typically located in /home/
On Windows and Macintosh machines, the default name of the folder is 'Arduino' and is located in your Documents folder.

Arduino Ide Remove Library

User installed libraries should go in a folder named Libraries, located inside your sketchbook folder. This is where the IDE will look for user installed libraries.

Arduino Ide Library Location

Open the Preferences Dialog Click File -> Preferences in the IDE.

Find the Sketchbook Location Usually a folder named Arduino in your Documents folder. Once you know the location, navigate to this folder in Windows Explorer or mac Finder

Create a Libraries Folder If there is no Libraries folder there, create one. Right click in Windows Explorer and select New -> Folder.

Rename to Libraries Right click on the New Folder and select Rename. Then type in Libraries.

This guide was first published on Feb 16, 2013. It was lastupdated on Feb 16, 2013.This page (Installing Libraries Manually) was last updated on Apr 10, 2020.