I had a problem on my XIAO ESP32 S3, previously it was working fine, I could flash the camera_webserver example and get streaming for a while. At that time I found the board was very hot, then the com port suddenly didn’t appear. Tried connecting and reconnecting, or entering into Bootloader mode, but it still doesn’t work, the com port still doesn’t show up, the red led is flashing, and the board is still hot. After that I checked the 3v3 - GND pin, it turned out to be a short circuit. Does that mean the device is burned? Is it possible to fix it?
Hi there,
Sounds like it is toast, but try this first. unplug for a cooling period.
Hold the reset button down and plug it into the usb port while doing so.
Does it make the windows detected device sound?“ding”
If the camera module is not plugged in all the way it can get very hot. AFAIK.
use a heatsink on the bottom.
HTH
GL PJ
I just want to update for anyone run into the same problem, i am able to make the xiao esp32 s3 working again, by powering 3.3v from the external power supply, i can see the com port detected by my computer and able to flash blink code. When usb cable is disconnected while the external 3.3v remain attached the xiao esp32 s3 remain working as expected. It is confirm that the voltage regulator inside it has broken. Might be caused by the overheat on the board it self, even if you just running simple blink code.
your XIAO ESP32 S3 has experienced a hardware failure, especially with the short circuit between the 3v3 and GND pins, and the device overheating. This often indicates internal damage. Unfortunately, once a microcontroller is shorted in this way, it’s difficult to repair. The best option is to replace the board. If you’re experienced, you could inspect the components for visible damage, but replacing the board is safer.
PJ 
