ESP32-C6 DevKitC 1: high-resolution pinout, datasheet, schema and specs

by Renzo Mischianti · Published 14 November 2025 · Updated 14 November 2025

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The ESP32-C6 represents a significant evolution in the Espressif product line, moving beyond the high-performance focus of the ESP32-S3 and the cost-optimized ESP32-C3. The ESP32-C6 is a purpose-built connectivity powerhouse that uniquely integrates three key wireless technologies simultaneously.

This “tri-protocol” support is the chip’s defining feature, making it Espressif’s premier solution for the new Matter smart home standard, which relies on a combination of these technologies:

2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): This offers higher efficiency, lower latency, and improved performance in congested wireless environments, thanks to features like OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access) and TWT (Target Wake Time).
Bluetooth 5 (LE): The chip supports long-range operation via Coded PHY and 2 Mbps high-throughput PHY.
IEEE 802.15.4 Radio: This is the most significant addition, providing native hardware support for Zigbee and Thread mesh protocols.

The ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1 is the official development board from Espressif designed to showcase this chip. It is built around the ESP32-C6-WROOM-1 module, which packages the ESP32-C6 SoC with a 40 MHz crystal oscillator and, on the common -N8 variant, 8MB of SPI Flash. The board breaks out most of the module’s I/O pins, providing a complete platform for development and prototyping, primarily with the ESP-IDF (Espressif IoT Development Framework).

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ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1: Hardware Overview and Key Components

The ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1 provides a standard, breadboard-friendly form factor with all essential components for power, programming, and user interaction.

Table of Key Board Components

Component	Description
ESP32-C6-WROOM-1	The core module containing the ESP32-C6 SoC, 8MB SPI Flash, and an on-board PCB antenna.
USB-C to UART Port	The primary port for 5V power, firmware flashing, and serial (UART) communication. It connects via an on-board USB-to-UART bridge chip.
ESP32-C6 USB Type-C Port	A native USB port connected directly to the ESP32-C6’s internal USB 2.0 Full Speed (12 Mbps) controller. It is used for native USB applications and JTAG debugging.
5V to 3.3V LDO	A low-dropout power regulator that converts the 5V input from either USB port to the 3.3V operating voltage required by the ESP32-C6 module.
BOOT Button	Connected to GPIO9. This button is held down during reset to initiate the Firmware Download (bootloader) mode.
RST (Reset) Button	Connected to the chip’s Enable (`EN`) pin. Pressing this button restarts the system.
RGB LED	An addressable (WS2812-type) RGB LED provided for user feedback. It is controlled by GPIO8.
J5 Jumper	A two-pin header labeled J5, located above the WROOM-1 module. It is used for precise current measurement. See the detailed section below.
3.3V Power On LED	A static LED (typically red) that illuminates when the board is receiving 3.3V power from the LDO.

The inclusion of two USB-C ports is a significant feature for advanced development. The “USB-to-UART” port provides a classic and reliable method for programming and serial monitoring. The “ESP32-C6 USB” port connects to the chip’s internal USB Serial/JTAG controller. This enables sophisticated, high-speed debugging using JTAG without requiring an external debugger probe, all while the serial log data streams independently from the other port.

The J5 Current Measurement Jumper

A specific component on the board that often causes questions is the J5 jumper, located directly above the ESP32-C6-WROOM-1 module.

Purpose: The J5 header is an ammeter connection point. It is not a configuration jumper but is specifically designed to allow for precise measurement of the current consumed only by the ESP32-C6-WROOM-1 module, isolating it from the rest of the development board’s circuitry.

How it Works:

This header acts as a bridge in the 3.3V power rail that feeds the WROOM-1 module.

Default State (Jumper Applied): From the factory, a shunt jumper is placed on J5. This shorts the two pins, completing the 3.3V circuit and allowing the board to function normally.
Measurement State (Jumper Removed): To measure the module’s precise current consumption (e.g., to verify deep-sleep power figures):
1. Power off the board.
2. Remove the jumper shunt from the J5 header.
3. Connect a multimeter, set to ammeter mode (e.g., mA or uA), in series with the two J5 pins.
4. Power the board back on. The multimeter will now display the exact current being drawn only by the ESP32-C6-WROOM-1 module.

This is essential for low-power application development. Other components on the DevKitC-1, such as the USB-to-UART bridge chip, the LDO, and the power LED, all consume a “quiescent current.” Measuring the board’s total current draw from the 5V USB port would give a highly inaccurate and inflated value, making it impossible to validate the microamp-level currents of the ESP32-C6’s deep-sleep modes. J5 provides the necessary isolation for this critical analysis.

Critical Pin Guide: From DevKit to Custom PCB

This guide highlights critical pins on the ESP32-C6. The DevKit (Development Kit) works easily because it has built-in components (like pull-up resistors) that mask these pin requirements.

If you ignore these pin requirements when designing a custom PCB, your board will likely fail to boot or exhibit erratic behavior.

The Strapping Pins

Strapping pins are read at boot-up to set fundamental chip parameters, like the boot mode.

Key Pins: GPIO 4, 5, 8, 9, 15
The Problem: If an external circuit (like a sensor or button) pulls one of these pins into the “wrong” state (e.g., LOW) during boot, the chip will not boot normally.
The Solution: On a custom PCB, if you must use these pins, add an external 10k pull-up resistor to ensure they are HIGH at boot.

Simplified Boot Mode Logic (GPIO 8 & 9)

GPIO9 (Boot Button)	GPIO8	Boot Mode	Description
HIGH (Released)	HIGH	Normal Flash Boot	(Default) Runs the program from SPI flash.
LOW (Pressed)	HIGH	ROM Serial Bootloader	(Download Mode) Waits for new firmware via UART.
Other combinations		Invalid Mode	Avoid this.

The GPIO8 Conflict

This is the most common trap for developers.

The Problem: GPIO8 has two functions:
1. Strapping Pin: It must be HIGH for a normal boot.
2. DevKit LED: It controls the on-board RGB LED (WS2812).
The Trap:
1. You build a prototype on the DevKit, and your code uses GPIO8 for the LED. It works.
2. You design a custom, cost-optimized PCB and remove the RGB LED.
3. FAILURE: Your custom board fails to boot. By removing the LED, you also removed the circuitry that kept GPIO8 HIGH. The pin is now floating or LOW, and the chip cannot boot.
Recommendation: On any custom PCB, always add an external pull-up resistor to GPIO8 to guarantee a normal boot, even if you are not using it for an LED.

Reserved Pins

These pins are used by the ESP32-C6 module internally.

Pin Group	GPIOs	Function	Why You Must Not Use Them
SPI Flash	GPIO 24-30	Internal 8MB Flash	Used by the WROOM-1 module. Not available on headers.
USB-JTAG	GPIO 12, 13	Native USB-C Port	Reconfiguring them will disable your USB & JTAG debugging.

ADC (Analog) Pins

Pins: GPIO 0-6
The Problem: The ESP32 ADCs are noisy and non-linear.
The Cause: Interference from the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi/BLE radio on the same chip.
Best Practices: Do not expect high precision.

Improvement	How to Do It
Hardware Filter	Add an external 100nF capacitor between the ADC pin and GND.
Software Filter	Take multiple samples in your code and average them.
High Precision	Use an external ADC chip (like an ADS1115) via I2C.

Pins “High on Boot”

The Problem: Some pins (especially strapping pins like GPIO8) are briefly pulled HIGH or output a signal during the chip’s boot-up sequence.
The Impact: This can cause relays, motors, or LEDs to “twitch,” “click,” or flash when you power on the board.
The Solution: If this is a problem, add an external pull-down resistor (e.g., 10k) to the pin to keep it safely LOW during boot.

ESP32 C3/C6/S3 Feature Comparison

Feature	ESP32-C6 (Connectivity)	ESP32-S3 (Performance/AI)	ESP32-C3 (Cost-Optimized)
CPU Core	1x HP RISC-V @ 160 MHz 1x LP RISC-V @ 20 MHz	2x Xtensa LX7 @ 240 MHz	1x RISC-V @ 160 MHz
SRAM	512 KB	512 KB	400 KB
ROM	320 KB	384 KB	384 KB
PSRAM Support	Yes (External SPI RAM)	Yes (Octal/Quad SPI)	No
AI Acceleration	No	Yes (Vector Instructions)	No
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n)	Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n)
Bluetooth	BLE 5.3	BLE 5.0	BLE 5.0
Zigbee / Thread	Yes (IEEE 802.15.4)	No	No
Native USB	Yes (USB 2.0 Full Speed)	Yes (USB 2.0 OTG)	No (Typically not supported)
GPIOs (SoC)	30	45	22

How to

Firmware and OTA update management
1. Firmware management
  1. ESP32: flash compiled firmware (.bin)
  2. ESP32: flash compiled firmware and filesystem (.bin) with GUI tools
2. OTA update with Arduino IDE
  1. ESP32 OTA update with Arduino IDE: filesystem, firmware, and password
3. OTA update with Web Browser
4. Self OTA uptate from HTTP server
5. Non-standard Firmware update
  1. ESP32 firmware and filesystem update from SD card
  2. ESP32 firmware and filesystem update with FTP client

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