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ESP32 - Button - Debounce
When a button is pressed/released or when a switch is toggled between ON and OFF, its state is changed from LOW to HIGH ( or HIGH to LOW) once. Is this correct?
⇒ No, it is not. That is because in the physical world. when you do a single press on a button, the state of the button is quickly toggled between LOW and HIGH several times rather than once. This is the mechanical and physical characteristic. This phenomenon is known with a name: chattering. The chattering phenomenon makes MCU (e.g. ESP32) read multiple button presses in response to a single actual press. This results in a malfunction. The process to eliminate this phenomenon is called debounce. This tutorial shows how to do it.
This tutorial provides:
- How to debounce for a button on ESP32 code
- How to debounce for a button on ESP32 code using library
- How to debounce for multiple buttons on ESP32 code using library
Hardware Used In This Tutorial
Or you can buy the following sensor kits:
| 1 | × | DIYables Sensor Kit (30 sensors/displays) | |
| 1 | × | DIYables Sensor Kit (18 sensors/displays) |
Disclosure: Some of the links in this section are Amazon affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through them. Additionally, some links direct you to products from our own brand, DIYables.
Wiring Diagram
This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image
To make it clear, let's run ESP32 code WITHOUT and WITH debounce, and compare their results
If you're unfamiliar with how to supply power to the ESP32 and other components, you can find guidance in the following tutorial: How to Power ESP32.
Reading Button without Debounce
Quick Instructions
- If this is the first time you use ESP32, see how to setup environment for ESP32 on Arduino IDE.
- Do the wiring as above image.
- Connect the ESP32 board to your PC via a micro USB cable
- Open Arduino IDE on your PC.
- Select the right ESP32 board (e.g. ESP32 Dev Module) and COM port.
- Copy the below code and paste it to Arduino IDE.
/*
* This ESP32 code is created by esp32io.com
*
* This ESP32 code is released in the public domain
*
* For more detail (instruction and wiring diagram), visit https://esp32io.com/tutorials/esp32-button-debounce
*/
#define BUTTON_PIN 21 // GIOP21 pin connected to button
// Variables will change:
int lastState = LOW; // the previous state from the input pin
int currentState; // the current reading from the input pin
void setup() {
// initialize serial communication at 9600 bits per second:
Serial.begin(9600);
// initialize the pushbutton pin as an pull-up input
// the pull-up input pin will be HIGH when the switch is open and LOW when the switch is closed.
pinMode(BUTTON_PIN, INPUT_PULLUP);
}
void loop() {
// read the state of the switch/button:
currentState = digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN);
if (lastState == HIGH && currentState == LOW)
Serial.println("The button is pressed");
else if (lastState == LOW && currentState == HIGH)
Serial.println("The button is released");
// save the the last state
lastState = currentState;
}
- Compile and upload code to ESP32 board by clicking Upload button on Arduino IDE
- Open Serial Monitor on Arduino IDE
- Press the button once but keep it several seconds, and then release it.
- See the result on Serial Monitor. It looks like the below:
COM6
The button is pressed
The button is pressed
The button is pressed
The button is released
The button is released
Autoscroll
Clear output
9600 baud
Newline
⇒ As you can see, you did only a single press and release, but ESP32 read multiple presses and releases.
※ NOTE THAT:
The chattering phenomenon does not happen all times. If it does not happen, please try the above test several time.
Reading Button with Debounce
Quick Instructions
- If this is the first time you use ESP32, see how to setup environment for ESP32 on Arduino IDE.
- Copy the below code and paste it to Arduino IDE.
/*
* This ESP32 code is created by esp32io.com
*
* This ESP32 code is released in the public domain
*
* For more detail (instruction and wiring diagram), visit https://esp32io.com/tutorials/esp32-button-debounce
*/
#define BUTTON_PIN 21 // GIOP21 pin connected to button
#define DEBOUNCE_TIME 50 // the debounce time in millisecond, increase this time if it still chatters
// Variables will change:
int lastSteadyState = LOW; // the previous steady state from the input pin
int lastFlickerableState = LOW; // the previous flickerable state from the input pin
int currentState; // the current reading from the input pin
// the following variables are unsigned longs because the time, measured in
// milliseconds, will quickly become a bigger number than can be stored in an int.
unsigned long lastDebounceTime = 0; // the last time the output pin was toggled
void setup() {
// initialize serial communication at 9600 bits per second:
Serial.begin(9600);
// initialize the pushbutton pin as an pull-up input
// the pull-up input pin will be HIGH when the switch is open and LOW when the switch is closed.
pinMode(BUTTON_PIN, INPUT_PULLUP);
}
void loop() {
// read the state of the switch/button:
currentState = digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN);
// check to see if you just pressed the button
// (i.e. the input went from LOW to HIGH), and you've waited long enough
// since the last press to ignore any noise:
// If the switch/button changed, due to noise or pressing:
if (currentState != lastFlickerableState) {
// reset the debouncing timer
lastDebounceTime = millis();
// save the the last flickerable state
lastFlickerableState = currentState;
}
if ((millis() - lastDebounceTime) > DEBOUNCE_TIME) {
// whatever the reading is at, it's been there for longer than the debounce
// delay, so take it as the actual current state:
// if the button state has changed:
if(lastSteadyState == HIGH && currentState == LOW)
Serial.println("The button is pressed");
else if(lastSteadyState == LOW && currentState == HIGH)
Serial.println("The button is released");
// save the the last steady state
lastSteadyState = currentState;
}
}
- Compile and upload code to ESP32 board by clicking Upload button on Arduino IDE
- Open Serial Monitor on Arduino IDE
- Keep pressing the button several seconds and then release it.
- See the result on Serial Monitor. It looks like the below:
COM6
The button is pressed
The button is released
Autoscroll
Clear output
9600 baud
Newline
⇒ As you can see, you did one press and release, and ESP32 read one press and release. The chattering is eliminated.
We Made It Simple - ESP32 Button Debounce Code with Library
To make it easy for newbies, especially when deboucing for multiple buttons, we made a button library, called ezButton. You can learn about ezButton library here.
ESP32 Button Debounce Code for A Single Button
/*
* This ESP32 code is created by esp32io.com
*
* This ESP32 code is released in the public domain
*
* For more detail (instruction and wiring diagram), visit https://esp32io.com/tutorials/esp32-button-debounce
*/
#include <ezButton.h>
#define DEBOUNCE_TIME 50 // the debounce time in millisecond, increase this time if it still chatters
ezButton button(21); // create ezButton object that attach to pin GPIO21
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
button.setDebounceTime(DEBOUNCE_TIME); // set debounce time to 50 milliseconds
}
void loop() {
button.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first
if (button.isPressed())
Serial.println("The button is pressed");
if (button.isReleased())
Serial.println("The button is released");
}
ESP32 Button Debounce Code for A Multiple Buttons
Let's write debounce code for three buttons.
The wiring diagram
This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image
/*
* This ESP32 code is created by esp32io.com
*
* This ESP32 code is released in the public domain
*
* For more detail (instruction and wiring diagram), visit https://esp32io.com/tutorials/esp32-button-debounce
*/
#include <ezButton.h>
#define DEBOUNCE_TIME 50 // the debounce time in millisecond, increase this time if it still chatters
ezButton button1(21); // create ezButton object that attach to pin GPIO21;
ezButton button2(22); // create ezButton object that attach to pin GPIO22;
ezButton button3(23); // create ezButton object that attach to pin GPIO23;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
button1.setDebounceTime(DEBOUNCE_TIME); // set debounce time to 50 milliseconds
button2.setDebounceTime(DEBOUNCE_TIME); // set debounce time to 50 milliseconds
button3.setDebounceTime(DEBOUNCE_TIME); // set debounce time to 50 milliseconds
}
void loop() {
button1.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first
button2.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first
button3.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first
if (button1.isPressed())
Serial.println("The button 1 is pressed");
if (button1.isReleased())
Serial.println("The button 1 is released");
if (button2.isPressed())
Serial.println("The button 2 is pressed");
if (button2.isReleased())
Serial.println("The button 2 is released");
if (button3.isPressed())
Serial.println("The button 3 is pressed");
if (button3.isReleased())
Serial.println("The button 3 is released");
}
Video Tutorial
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Additional Knowledge
- DEBOUNCE_TIME value depends on the hardware. Different hardware may use different values.
- The debounce should also apply for on/off switch, limit switch, reed switch, touch sensor ...