WLED RUNS ADDRESSABLE LED STRIPS FROM A CHEAP BOARD WITH NO APP, NO ACCOUNT AND NO CLOUD
A cheap ESP32 board runs LED strips with no app, no account and no cloud service involved.
by Christian Schwinne and the WLED project
HomeAutomation
Built withESP32ESP8266
- difficulty
- ●●○○○
- time
- an evening
- license
- EUPL-1.2
- repo
- repo ACTIVE18,744 stars
●●○○○ · an evening · EUPL-1.2 · 18,744 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
WLED is firmware that turns a cheap ESP32 board into a capable LED controller with no dependencies on anyone's cloud infrastructure. The configuration lives as a file on the device itself, WiFi is optional, and every integration — Home Assistant, Alexa, DMX, Hue sync — is local or uses an open standard. The contrast is with the smart strips sold with phone apps that become unusable when the maker's servers shut down. Two hundred effects and fifty palettes ship out of the box, segments let one physical strip behave as several independent lights, and audio-reactive mode uses a microphone to sync to sound. The single hardest part is not the software — the web installer flashes the board in under a minute — it is sizing the power supply correctly. A long run of WS2812B LEDs at full brightness pulls real current, and an undersized five-volt supply is a fire risk. Current WLED targets ESP32; if you have an old ESP8266 board, it will still work but you are not getting the latest features. For someone who wants under-cabinet lighting or a desk accent strip that will still work in five years, this is the straightforward choice.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Firmware is complete and actively maintained, with frequent releases.
- —Comprehensive online documentation covers wiring, installation, effects and integrations.
- —No physical BOM or PCB design — WLED runs on off-the-shelf ESP32 boards.
- —Current releases target ESP32; older ESP8266 builds exist but are no longer the focus.
- —Licensed EUPL-1.2, which permits commercial use with copyleft requirements.
- —Community has published dozens of third-party PCB designs and controller enclosures, none official.
Parts to buy
4 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
WLED wiring and lit LED strip
No official WLED YouTube channel exists; good walkthroughs are community-made.
More builds like this
All projectsGallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the WLED documentation and choose an ESP32 board(The docs list compatible boards and explain the differences; current releases target ESP32 rather than ESP8266.)
- 2.Flash the firmware using the web installer(Browser-based installer takes under a minute; no toolchain setup required.)
- 3.Wire the LED strip and size the power supply(Three wires: 5V, ground, data. Calculate maximum current draw for your strip length and buy a supply that exceeds it.)
- 4.Connect to the WLED access point and configure via the web UI(The board serves its own configuration page; no external service involved.)
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
- Undersizing the power supply is the most common mistake and a real fire risk. Calculate the strip's maximum current draw (all LEDs white at full brightness) and buy a supply rated for at least twenty percent more.
- Current WLED targets ESP32. If you buy an old ESP8266 board because it is cheaper, you will not get the latest features or parallel output support.
- Long strips need power injection at both ends or midway. A data signal that reaches the end of the strip is not useful if the voltage has sagged below operating range.
- Community PCB designs are not official and documentation quality varies. Starting with a bare development board and a strip is more reliable for a first build.
- EUPL-1.2 is copyleft: if you distribute modified WLED, you must release your changes under the same license. Not a trap for personal use, but relevant for commercial products.
Can I use an ESP8266 board instead of ESP32?
Yes, but current WLED development targets ESP32 and you will not get parallel output support or the newest features. If you already own an ESP8266, it will work; if you are buying new, get an ESP32.
How do I know what size power supply I need?
Multiply the number of LEDs by sixty milliamps (the worst-case current for WS2812B at full white). A five-meter strip with 300 LEDs needs eighteen amps at five volts. Buy a supply rated for at least twenty percent more.
Does WLED work without WiFi?
Yes. You can configure it once over WiFi, save presets to the device, then disable WiFi and control it with an infrared remote or a physical button.
What is the difference between segments and outputs?
Segments divide one physical strip into independent zones with different effects. Outputs are separate data lines driving different physical strips. An ESP32 can drive up to seventeen outputs in parallel using I2S and RMT.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
WLED has over 18,700 stars and supports up to seventeen LED outputs from one ESP32. What would you control with yours — under-cabinet lighting, a desk strip, or something larger?
Christian Schwinne and the WLED project
WLED was created by Christian Schwinne (Aircoookie) and is now maintained by a community of contributors, with frequent releases.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: WLED is actively maintained by a community of contributors, with a quick-start wiki, a forum and a Discord for help. It now targets ESP32 boards (original, S2, S3 and C3), and up to 17 LED outputs are possible on ESP32 using parallel I2S and RMT. The single biggest trap is not the software, it is undersizing the power supply: a five-metre WS2812B strip with 60 LEDs per metre can pull around eighteen amps at five volts on full white, and a cheap supply rated for three amps is a fire waiting to happen. WLED's Auto Brightness Limiter helps, but budget for the correct supply and wiring before you buy the strip. 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.