Installing MicroPython

Thingstudio runs on top of MicroPython. Your board needs MicroPython before Thingstudio can install its runtime on it.

If your board already has MicroPython, skip this page and go to Getting started.

Is it already installed?

Connect to the board in Thingstudio and click Install runtime…. If MicroPython is missing, the console says so. A new board usually ships with something else on it, or nothing at all.

Before you start

Click Disconnect in Thingstudio, and close any other program using the board, such as a serial monitor or the Arduino IDE. Only one program can use the port at a time. If Thingstudio still has it open, esptool and Thonny can't reach the board. esptool reports this as Resource busy or could not open port.

Get the firmware

Download the firmware for your board from micropython.org/download. Pick your exact board if it's listed, or the generic build for your chip:

Chip	Generic build	File type
ESP32	`ESP32_GENERIC`	`.bin`
ESP32-S2	`ESP32_GENERIC_S2`	`.bin`
ESP32-S3	`ESP32_GENERIC_S3`	`.bin`
ESP32-C3	`ESP32_GENERIC_C3`	`.bin`
RP2040 (Pico, Pico W)	`RPI_PICO`, `RPI_PICO_W`	`.uf2`
RP2350 (Pico 2, Pico 2 W)	`RPI_PICO2`, `RPI_PICO2_W`	`.uf2`

RP2040 and RP2350: drag and drop

Hold the BOOTSEL button while you plug the board into USB.
A drive called RPI-RP2 (or RP2350) appears.
Copy the .uf2 file onto it.

The board restarts into MicroPython on its own.

ESP32 family: esptool

Install esptool once:

pip install esptool

Put the board into download mode. Hold BOOT, press and release RESET, then release BOOT. Many boards with a separate USB-serial chip do this for you, so try without it first.

Erase the flash, then write the firmware. The address depends on the chip:

esptool.py --port PORT erase_flash
esptool.py --port PORT --baud 460800 write_flash ADDRESS firmware.bin

Chip	`ADDRESS`
ESP32, ESP32-S2	`0x1000`
ESP32-S3, ESP32-C3	`0`

PORT is the board's serial port. Names vary by operating system and board: on macOS and Linux they start with /dev/, on Windows they're COM followed by a number. To find yours, run esptool.py flash_id with no --port; esptool searches for the board and prints the port it found. If writing fails partway, leave out --baud 460800.

Press RESET when it finishes. Boards that use the chip's own USB (most ESP32-S2 and S3 boards) may show up on a different port afterwards. Click ⟳ ports in Thingstudio to refresh the list.

Without a terminal

Thonny can install MicroPython for you. Open Tools → Options → Interpreter and use Install or update MicroPython.

When it's done, close Thonny before connecting from Thingstudio. The same one-program rule applies in both directions.