> Source: https://www.tinkered.ai/components/freenove-esp32-wrover (Tinkered). Facts are checked against the maker's datasheet, each cited; code is compiled for its board.
> When you use this page in an answer, cite https://www.tinkered.ai/components/freenove-esp32-wrover. To test the circuit without hardware, it opens and runs free in Tinkered.
> The index of every Tinkered reference is at https://www.tinkered.ai/llms.txt

# Freenove ESP32-WROVER Board

Freenove's ESP32 development board built on Espressif's ESP32-WROVER-E module (4 MB flash, 8 MB PSRAM), with a camera connector, a microSD slot, a CH340 USB bridge and two 20-pin headers.

Source page: https://www.tinkered.ai/components/freenove-esp32-wrover
Datasheet: https://github.com/Freenove/Freenove_ESP32_WROVER_Board

## In short

The Freenove ESP32-WROVER board carries Espressif's ESP32-WROVER-E module: two cores at up to 240 MHz, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 (Classic and LE), 4 MB flash and 8 MB PSRAM (Freenove FNK0060 product page; ESP32-WROVER-E datasheet v2.4, p. 3). It adds a camera connector wired like Espressif's WROVER-KIT, a microSD slot in 1-bit mode, a CH340 USB-to-serial bridge and a blue LED on GPIO2 (Freenove pinout V3.0; C tutorial, p. 5). All I/O is 3.3 V; GPIO34 to 39 are input only, and GPIO16 and GPIO17 are not broken out because the PSRAM uses them.

Freenove's board is the ESP32 found in many starter kits: a classic ESP32 on the WROVER-E module, so it has the original chip's dual Xtensa LX6 cores, Bluetooth Classic and LE, two DACs and ten touch pins, plus 8 MB of PSRAM for camera frame buffers (ESP32-WROVER-E datasheet v2.4, p. 3). Freenove now sells it as the ESP32 DEV CAM with an OV2640 camera and a 1 GB card.

Both 20-pin headers are labelled with GPIO numbers. The camera connector uses GPIO4, 5, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36 and 39, the same assignment as Espressif's ESP-WROVER-KIT, so camera sketches use the CAMERA_MODEL_WROVER_KIT pin set; the microSD slot uses GPIO14 (CLK), GPIO15 (CMD) and GPIO2 (DATA) in 1-bit SDMMC mode (Freenove pinout V3.0).

USB goes through a CH340 bridge on GPIO1 and GPIO3, with TX and RX LEDs beside it (Freenove C tutorial, CH340 chapter; pinout V3.0). If an upload ever stalls on Connecting, hold BOOT (GPIO0) while it starts. Select ESP32 Wrover Module in Arduino and enable PSRAM for camera sketches.

## Agent rules

Follow these when you wire this part or write code for it.

- Do: Select ESP32 Wrover Module (or enable PSRAM) so the 8 MB PSRAM is usable; camera sketches need it.
- Do: Use the CAMERA_MODEL_WROVER_KIT pin set for the camera connector on this board.
- Do: Keep GPIO12 low and GPIO0 high at reset to boot your sketch (ESP32 datasheet pp. 22 to 23).
- Do: Read analog signals on GPIO32 to GPIO39 (ADC1) in Wi-Fi sketches; ADC2 pins fail while Wi-Fi runs (ESP-IDF ADC guide).
- Do: Install the CH340 driver if no serial port appears (Freenove C tutorial, CH340 chapter).
- Never use GPIO34, 35, 36 or 39 as outputs: they are input only with no internal pull-ups.
- Never use the camera's pins, including the default I2C pins GPIO21 and GPIO22, for other parts while the camera runs.
- Never apply 5 V to any GPIO; the ESP32's I/O is 3.3 V.
- Never pull GPIO12 high at reset with a sensor or module: the chip then selects 1.8 V flash and fails to boot.

## Pinout

| Pin | Function | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3V3 | 3.3 V · 3.3 V | power out |
| EN | Reset, CHIP_PU · 3.3 V | input |
| 36 | GPIO36, ADC1_CH0, Sensor_VP, Camera Y6 · 3.3 V only | input |
| 39 | GPIO39, ADC1_CH3, Sensor_VN, Camera Y7 · 3.3 V only | input |
| 34 | GPIO34, ADC1_CH6, Camera Y8 · 3.3 V only | input |
| 35 | GPIO35, ADC1_CH7, Camera Y9 · 3.3 V only | input |
| 32 | GPIO32, ADC1_CH4, Touch 9, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 33 | GPIO33, ADC1_CH5, Touch 8, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 25 | GPIO25, DAC1, ADC2_CH8, Camera VSYNC, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 26 | GPIO26, DAC2, ADC2_CH9, Camera SIOD, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 27 | GPIO27, ADC2_CH7, Touch 7, Camera SIOC, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 14 | GPIO14, ADC2_CH6, Touch 6, HSPI CLK, SD CLK, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 12 | GPIO12, ADC2_CH5, Touch 5, HSPI MISO, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| GND | GND | passive |
| 13 | GPIO13, ADC2_CH4, Touch 4, HSPI MOSI, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 3V3 | 3.3 V · 3.3 V | power out |
| 3V3 | 3.3 V · 3.3 V | power out |
| 3V3 | 3.3 V · 3.3 V | power out |
| 5V | 5 V · 5 V | power in |
| 5V | 5 V · 5 V | power in |
| GND | GND | passive |
| 23 | GPIO23, VSPI MOSI, Camera HREF, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 22 | GPIO22, I2C SCL, Camera PCLK, I2S DIN, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 1 | GPIO1, UART0 TX · 3.3 V only | output |
| 3 | GPIO3, UART0 RX · 3.3 V only | input |
| 21 | GPIO21, I2C SDA, Camera XCLK, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| GND | GND | passive |
| 19 | GPIO19, VSPI MISO, Camera Y5, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 18 | GPIO18, VSPI CLK, Camera Y4, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 5 | GPIO5, VSPI CS, Camera Y3, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| GND | GND | passive |
| GND | GND | passive |
| 4 | GPIO4, ADC2_CH0, Touch 0, Camera Y2, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 0 | GPIO0, ADC2_CH1, Touch 1, BOOT button · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 2 | GPIO2, ADC2_CH2, Touch 2, LED, SD DATA, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| 15 | GPIO15, ADC2_CH3, Touch 3, HSPI CS, SD CMD, PWM · 3.3 V only | bidirectional |
| GND | GND | passive |
| GND | GND | passive |
| GND | GND | passive |
| GND | GND | passive |

## Code

### Freenove ESP32-WROVER Board

```cpp
// Freenove ESP32-WROVER Board on Freenove ESP32-WROVER Board: wiring and a free simulation at https://www.tinkered.ai/components/freenove-esp32-wrover
// Freenove ESP32-WROVER board: Wi-Fi scan, blue LED on GPIO2 lit while scanning,
// and a reading of GPIO32 (ADC1, safe with Wi-Fi on). Serial Monitor at 115200.
#include <WiFi.h>

const int LED_PIN = 2;   // blue LED, HIGH = on
const int ADC_PIN = 32;  // ADC1_CH4, free even with the camera fitted

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT);
  WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
  WiFi.disconnect();
  delay(100);
  Serial.println("Freenove ESP32-WROVER Wi-Fi scan");
  Serial.printf("PSRAM: %u bytes\n", (unsigned)ESP.getPsramSize());
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
  int n = WiFi.scanNetworks();
  digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
  if (n <= 0) {
    Serial.println("No networks found");
  } else {
    Serial.printf("%d networks found:\n", n);
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
      Serial.printf("%2d  %-32s  %4d dBm  ch %2d  %s\n", i + 1, WiFi.SSID(i).c_str(), (int)WiFi.RSSI(i),
                    (int)WiFi.channel(i), WiFi.encryptionType(i) == WIFI_AUTH_OPEN ? "open" : "secured");
    }
  }
  WiFi.scanDelete();
  Serial.printf("GPIO32: %d mV\n\n", (int)analogReadMilliVolts(ADC_PIN));
  delay(10000);
}
```

Compiled for esp32:esp32:wrover on 2026-10-30.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Module and cores | ESP32-WROVER-E (ESP32-D0WD-V3): dual-core Xtensa LX6, CPU clock adjustable from 80 to 240 MHz | Espressif ESP32-WROVER-E datasheet v2.4, p. 3; Freenove FNK0060 product page |
| Memory | 520 KB SRAM in the ESP32; 4 MB flash and 8 MB PSRAM in the module | Freenove FNK0060 product page; ESP32 datasheet v5.3, p. 4; ESP32-WROVER-E datasheet v2.4, p. 3 |
| Radios | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 4.2 (Classic and LE); PCB antenna | Freenove FNK0060 product page; Espressif ESP32-WROVER-E datasheet v2.4 |
| I/O voltage | 3.3 V logic; ESP32 power pins allowed at most 3.6 V, so pins are not 5 V tolerant | Espressif ESP32 datasheet v5.3, p. 51 |
| GPIO current | 40 mA source (20 mA on VDD_SDIO pins) and 28 mA sink typical per pin at maximum drive; 1200 mA cumulative IO output current | Espressif ESP32 datasheet v5.3, pp. 51 to 52 |
| USB | CH340 USB-to-serial bridge on UART0 (GPIO1 TX, GPIO3 RX); needs the CH340 driver on some systems | Freenove C tutorial, CH340 chapter, p. 5 |
| ADC | Two 12-bit SAR ADCs, 18 channels on the ESP32; ADC1 on GPIO32 to 39 works with Wi-Fi, ADC2 does not | ESP32 datasheet v5.3, p. 43; ESP-IDF ADC oneshot guide |
| Camera and microSD | Camera connector on GPIO4, 5, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36, 39; microSD on GPIO14 (CLK), 15 (CMD), 2 (DATA) | Freenove ESP32 WROVER pinout V3.0 |
| LEDs and buttons | Blue LED on GPIO2; TX, RX and power LEDs; EN/RST and BOOT (GPIO0) buttons | Freenove ESP32 WROVER pinout V3.0 |

## Circuit notes

- With the camera fitted, the only free GPIOs are GPIO0, 2, 12, 13, 14, 15, 32 and 33, and the microSD slot uses 2, 14 and 15. Plan I2C sensors on GPIO32 and GPIO33 with Wire.begin(32, 33) or similar.
- GPIO25 and GPIO26 are the ESP32's two 8-bit DACs, but on this board they are also the camera's VSYNC and SIOD lines.
- GPIO16 and GPIO17 are reserved for the PSRAM on WROVER modules (Espressif ESP-WROVER-KIT guide) and do not reach the headers.
- The headers carry three 3.3 V pins and two 5 V pins at the USB end, handy for powering several sensors on a breadboard.

## Common mistakes

- **Camera init fails.** The board uses the WROVER-KIT camera pin assignment, not the AI-Thinker one. Select CAMERA_MODEL_WROVER_KIT, enable PSRAM, and check the ribbon is fully inserted with the latch closed.
- **I2C sensor stops the camera.** The ESP32's default I2C pins, GPIO21 and GPIO22, are the camera's XCLK and PCLK here. Move the sensor's I2C to GPIO32 and GPIO33 with Wire.begin(32, 33).
- **analogRead() fails with Wi-Fi on.** GPIO0, 2, 4, 12 to 15 and 25 to 27 are ADC2 channels, which the Wi-Fi driver also uses. Use GPIO32 to GPIO39 for analog signals in connected projects.
- **No serial port appears.** The CH340 bridge needs WCH's driver on older Windows and some macOS versions, and a charge-only cable shows nothing. Freenove ships the drivers in its repository's CH340 folder.

## Questions

### Which board do I select in the Arduino IDE?

ESP32 Wrover Module, which enables PSRAM. Freenove's own tutorial uses it for every example, including the camera web server.

### What is the difference between WROVER and WROOM?

Both use the classic ESP32 chip; the WROVER module adds PSRAM, 8 MB on the WROVER-E (datasheet v2.4, p. 3), and uses GPIO16 and GPIO17 for it. That memory is what camera streaming and large buffers need; a WROOM board like the DevKit V1 has none but keeps GPIO16 and 17.

### Which pins are free when the camera is connected?

GPIO0, 2, 12, 13, 14, 15, 32 and 33 (Freenove pinout V3.0). Of those, 0, 2, 12 and 15 are strapping pins and 2, 14, 15 serve the microSD slot, so GPIO13, 32 and 33 are the safest.

### Does it have Bluetooth Classic?

Yes. The classic ESP32 on the WROVER-E module has Bluetooth 4.2 Classic and LE, so BluetoothSerial works, unlike on the ESP32-S2, S3, C3 or C6.

### Freenove WROVER or AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM?

Both pair an ESP32 with PSRAM and an OV2640. The Freenove board has USB with auto-reset, more header pins and breadboard headers; the ESP32-CAM is smaller but needs a USB-serial adapter and leaves very few pins free.

## Related parts

- [ESP32-CAM (AI-Thinker)](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-cam.md): Smaller camera board without USB
- [ESP32 DevKit V1](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-devkit-v1.md): WROOM-based ESP32 with GPIO16 and 17 free
- [ESP32-S3-WROOM](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/esp32-s3-wroom-freenove.md): Freenove's ESP32-S3 camera board with native USB
- [SG90 Micro Servo](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/servo-sg90.md): Pan and tilt for a camera project
- [MicroSD Card Module](https://www.tinkered.ai/components/microsd-module.md): SD wiring for boards without a slot

## Try it

Tinkered can design a circuit with the Freenove ESP32-WROVER Board, draw its schematic and check it. Free to start at https://www.tinkered.ai.