XIAO ESP32 - No auto bootloading for sketch downloads?

Was pretty surprised to receive the new XIAO ESP32C3 and find out it has to be put into bootloader mode manually (aka before USB is plugged in) for each sketch download. Surely this should be a thing of the past?

Agreed. It’s annoying.

However…

I note that this is not just a Seeed XIAO ESP32C3 problem. I have the same “issue” with boards from other vendors (Adafruit Qy Py ESP32C3), so I guess it’s something fundamental from the ESP32 guys (Espressif Systems).

Also, after development is complete (no more uploading), the final product works OK with normal power-cycle, so it’s not a complete disaster. Still, it is annoying (but I said that already).

Regards,

Dave

True true… I have many dev board and some are the same. Just feel that by now, this should be a thing of the past. Agree it’s only a real issue during dev, but I figure I must do this 100+ times while in dev mode, which makes it a pain. That said, my tactic is to plug/unplug the USB from the computer rather than the board. Saves risking the on-board connector breaking off.

I am trying to put the XIAO ESP32C3 into BootLoader mode to load CircuitPython. I tried one person’s post, which was Holding Boot until attaching to USB to Windows. I tried several times and it did not work. On all the other XIAO I hold down the BOOT button plug into WIndows USB port and it is now ready to receive my CircuitPython “bin”. Not in this case!?

SEEED posted the tool “espressif” which I thought was only for Arduino IDE? Is the espressif tool for loading the CircuitPython “bin” file as well? Are the same steps used in both cases? If I decided to change my XIAO ESP32C3 back to Arduino I suppose the same method is used. How do I know which is the correct or latest “bin” to load? Is it posted somewhere?

Even though the board is inexpensive, I do not want to brick it. Please help!