Customer:
I’m unsuccessfully trying to upload sketches to an Inkplate 6 Color.
OS: Ubuntu 22.04
Arduino IDE: 2.3.6
Inkplate library: 10.0.0
The sketch compiles successfully but the upload fails with:
Sketch uses 953145 bytes (30%) of program storage space. Maximum is 3145728 bytes.
Global variables use 86324 bytes (26%) of dynamic memory, leaving 241356 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 327680 bytes.
esptool.py v4.5.1
Serial port /dev/ttyUSB0
Connecting………………………………..
A fatal error occurred: "Failed to connect to ESP32: No serial data received.
For troubleshooting steps visit: https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esptool/en/latest/troubleshooting.html
Failed uploading: uploading error: exit status 2
The device appears in lsusb output.
Originally submitted via email support on 23 May 2025. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.
Customer:
I also tried pressing the I/O button on the side of the enclosure prior to upload, without success.
Soldered Support:
The error “Failed to connect to ESP32: No serial data received” indicates the board is powered off. The I/O button on the side is the power button. When Inkplate is powered on, the blue power LED should light up.
The correct procedure is:
- Plug Inkplate in via USB-C
- Press the Power button - the blue LED should light up
- The display should start refreshing with the default image from factory programming
Try these steps:
- Use a different USB port
- Try a different USB cable
- Check the LED power switch on the board - it should be set to 1 to turn on the power LED (this switch is configurable for low-power purposes)
If that doesn’t resolve it, try lowering the upload speed baud rate in the Arduino Tools menu to 112500.
Attachment omitted in migration: image.png
Customer:
After several button presses, the board powered on, the blue LED lit up, and I was able to upload a sketch successfully.