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TASMOTA: REPLACE THE CLOUD FIRMWARE IN A SMART PLUG SO IT RUNS ENTIRELY ON YOUR OWN NETWORK

Flash open firmware onto the ESP chip inside a cheap smart plug and it stops talking to anyone's cloud but yours.

by Theo Arends and contributors

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

HomeAutomation

Built withESP8266

difficulty
●●●●○
time
an evening plus ordering time
license
GPL-3.0
repo
repo ACTIVE24,796 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
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COMPAREE VERDICT

Tasmota is the proven way to pull a consumer smart plug off the manufacturer's cloud and onto your own network — over MQTT or HTTP, no internet required, and nothing about your usage leaves the house. The appeal is obvious: the plug you already own keeps working, just with a different owner. The obstacle depends on what is inside. If the plug has an ESP8266 or ESP8285, you open it, solder a few wires to the serial pins and flash it with a cheap USB-serial adapter. Many newer Tuya plugs use non-ESP chips instead; for those, the community route is to desolder the Tuya module with a hot air station and transplant a two-dollar ESP module. The wireless route tuya-convert that used to make this trivial no longer works on current firmware. Tasmota's documentation is thorough but device compatibility must be checked per-model in the templates database before you buy. If your plug is supported and you have the tools, this is the cleanest way to take it back. If you are not ready to open and solder mains-connected hardware, buy an open or pre-flashed plug from the start instead.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Tasmota is GPL-3.0 firmware with close to 25,000 GitHub stars and is actively maintained, with commits landing almost daily.
  • —The repository provides firmware, with pre-built binaries and documentation, but no bill of materials: you supply a compatible plug, a USB-serial adapter, and a replacement ESP module only if your plug has a non-ESP chip.
  • —The wireless conversion tool tuya-convert (a separate MIT project, about 5,000 stars) no longer works on current firmware; today you either serial-flash an ESP-based plug with a USB-serial adapter or, if it has a non-ESP Tuya chip, swap in an ESP module.
  • —A hot air rework station is needed only when you replace a non-ESP Tuya module with an ESP module; plugs that already have an ESP8266 or ESP8285 are flashed over serial with an ordinary soldering iron and a USB-serial adapter.
  • —Documentation is comprehensive but device-specific: Tasmota supports thousands of plugs, switches, bulbs and power monitors, and you must verify your exact model is compatible before buying anything.
  • —GPL-3.0 licence permits commercial use but requires derivative work to remain open source.

Parts to buy

3 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Compatible smart plug and a USB-to-serial adapterFind
  • Only for plugs with a non-ESP chipFind
  • Replacement ESP module and a hot air rework stationFind

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Can I build this?

Printnothing required
Buya compatible smart plug (verify the model first) and a USB-to-serial adapter; only for plugs with a non-ESP chip, also a replacement ESP module and a hot air rework station
Toolssoldering iron, USB-to-serial adapter for flashing, the device templates database, and a hot air rework station only for the module-swap route
Skillssoldering wires to small pads on an unplugged mains device (surface-mount rework for the module-swap route), firmware flashing, and basic MQTT or HTTP configuration
Timean evening for the swap and flash once the parts arrive; checking device compatibility and ordering can add days
Cost$$ — the plug and a USB-serial adapter; a hot air station dominates the cost only if you must swap a non-ESP module and do not own one.
SafetyMains electricity: never open or flash the device while connected to AC power. Tasmota's own documentation warns about electrocution risk and recommends an electrician where required. The hot air station can burn skin and boards; use it in a ventilated space.

This build involves mains voltage — for adults comfortable with electrical work only.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

STOP using Tuya! Transplant your ESP8266 100% LOCAL - Tuya-Convert F.0

Community walkthrough by digiblur DIY showing the ESP module transplant on a Tuya plug; Tasmota's own docs cover serial flashing step by step.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Check device compatibility (Search the Tasmota Device Templates Repository (templates.blakadder.com) for your exact plug model before buying anything; not every Tuya plug uses an ESP8266.)
  2. 2.If your plug has a non-ESP chip, order a replacement ESP module; if it already has an ESP8266 or ESP8285, get a USB-serial adapter instead(Pick a replacement ESP module whose footprint matches the module in your plug (check the device template and community notes). Do not buy until you have confirmed your plug is compatible.)
  3. 3.Read the Tasmota getting-started documentation on flashing (Unplug the device from mains before opening it and never connect it to AC while the case is open or the serial wires are attached; power it only from the USB-serial adapter while flashing. If you are not confident doing surface-mount soldering on a mains device, stop here.)
  4. 4.Flash Tasmota onto the new module before soldering it in (The repository includes pre-built binaries and a web-based flasher. Flashing before installation is easier than debugging after.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The mistake everyone makes first: buying a plug without checking the device database. Newer Tuya models often use non-ESP chips or locked firmware, and if yours is one of them the conversion is impossible. Verify support before ordering anything.
  • A hot air station is only needed for the module-swap route. If the plug already has an ESP8266 or ESP8285, you flash it over serial with wires soldered to the pads; if it has a non-ESP Tuya module that you must replace, desoldering a surface-mount module without hot air risks lifting pads.
  • Do not count on tuya-convert. Tuya has patched the over-the-air exploit since 2019 and devices with the newer firmware cannot be converted wirelessly, so a 'no soldering required' guide is probably describing a closed route. Plan for serial flashing, or a module swap if the plug has a non-ESP chip.
  • Mains voltage is present on the board even when the plug is off if it is still connected to AC. Never work on it while plugged in; never assume it is safe because it looks dead.
  • Device configuration is not automatic. After flashing, you must configure GPIO pins for your specific plug model using the Tasmota template. If you configure the wrong pins, the relay will not switch or the power monitoring will read nonsense.
  • Not every feature of the original plug will survive. If your plug had a physical button or an LED, those may not work after conversion unless you configure them manually in the Tasmota template.

Can I do this without the hot air station?

Yes, if your plug already has an ESP8266/ESP8285: you flash it in place over serial with a USB-serial adapter and an ordinary soldering iron. You only need hot air if the plug has a non-ESP Tuya module that you want to replace.

Will this work on any smart plug?

No. Tasmota runs only on plugs built around an ESP8266, ESP8285 or ESP32 chip, Tuya-based or not. Many newer Tuya plugs use other chipsets that cannot run it unless you physically replace the Wi-Fi module. Check the device templates database before buying.

What happened to tuya-convert?

tuya-convert flashed Tuya devices over the air by exploiting their update process. Tuya began patching it in January 2019 and released further patches; devices shipping with the newer firmware have no workaround, and many manufacturers switched to non-ESP chips. Today you serial-flash an ESP-based plug, or replace a non-ESP module with an ESP one.

Does Tasmota work with Home Assistant or other systems?

Yes. Tasmota speaks MQTT and HTTP natively, so it integrates with Home Assistant, openHAB, Node-RED, and anything else that understands those protocols.

Will I lose the energy monitoring features?

Not if you configure them. Many Tuya plugs include a power monitor chip, and Tasmota supports the common ones, but you must configure the GPIO pins correctly using the device template or it will not read anything.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

Close to 25,000 GitHub stars, actively maintained, and it has been the standard way to reclaim Tuya hardware for years. If you have converted a plug, what was the hardest part: finding a compatible device, flashing or swapping the chip, or getting the GPIO template right?

CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the firmware repository is actively maintained, with commits landing almost daily. Compatibility lives in a separate device templates database (templates.blakadder.com) linked from the README; not every model there has photos, so you may need to cross-reference community posts. The single biggest mistake is buying a plug before checking it: many newer Tuya devices use non-ESP chips that cannot run Tasmota unless you physically replace the Wi-Fi module. If the plug already has an ESP8266 or ESP8285, the official route is serial flashing with a USB-to-serial adapter and an ordinary soldering iron for the wires. A hot air station only becomes necessary for the module-swap route, and there it is not optional; a heat gun or soldering iron risks lifted pads. If you would have to buy the station just for one plug, a device that ships with open firmware support can be the simpler path. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.

Theo Arends and contributors

Tasmota began in January 2016 as Theo Arends' Sonoff-MQTT-OTA, alternative firmware for Sonoff devices, continued from January 2017 as Sonoff-Tasmota, and grew into the standard way to reclaim ESP8266 and ESP32 based consumer IoT hardware. The project is GPL-3.0, has close to 25,000 GitHub stars, and its community device database covers thousands of plugs, switches, bulbs and sensors.

GitHub

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