XIAO esp32s3 sense (with camera) on ESPhome

Piepsakul · July 27, 2023, 5:13pm

I’m trying to integrate my XIAO esp32s3 camera feed through ESPhome in to Home Assistant.

Based on the pin docs from Seeed pinout sheet

but is doesn’t work.

This is my ESPhome config:

# my camconfig
esp32_camera:
  name: My Camera
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO10
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_pins:
    sda: GPIO40
    scl: GPIO39
  data_pins: [GPIO15, GPIO17, GPIO18, GPIO16, GPIO14, GPIO12, GPIO11, GPIO48]
  vsync_pin: GPIO38
  href_pin: GPIO47
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO13
  # reset_pin: GPIO48
  resolution: 640x480
  jpeg_quality: 10

Any idea how to get this to work?

Miles_Beattie · October 24, 2023, 8:09am

Not sure if you have figured this out yet, but I have it working with esphome with the following yaml:

esphome:
  name: #####
  friendly_name: #####
  platformio_options:
    board_build.flash_mode: dio
    board_build.mcu: esp32s3
    board_build.extra_flags:
    - "-DARDUINO_HW_CDC_ON_BOOT=0"

i2c:
  sda: GPIO40
  scl: GPIO39
  scan: True

esp32:
  board: seeed_xiao_esp32s3
  variant: esp32s3
  framework:
    type: arduino
    version: latest
    platform_version: 6.3.2

esp32_camera_web_server:
  - port: 8080
    mode: stream
  - port: 8081
    mode: snapshot

esp32_camera:
  name: Lounge Camera
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO10
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_pins:
    sda: GPIO40
    scl: GPIO39
  data_pins: [GPIO15, GPIO17, GPIO18, GPIO16, GPIO14, GPIO12, GPIO11, GPIO48]
  vsync_pin: GPIO38
  href_pin: GPIO47
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO13
  resolution: 640x480

Piepsakul · November 2, 2023, 11:30am

install works, but I cant get a picture or video in Home Assistant in the Generic Camera component.
What should the settings look like?
TCP/UDP/Multicast/HTTP?
Basic or Digest authentication?
is SSL needed/supported?

Also rtsp://192.168.178.75:8080 doesn’t work in VLC (rtsp://camtest.local:8080)

MarcusTseng · November 30, 2023, 12:09pm

esp32_camera_web_server:
  - port: 8080
    mode: stream
  - port: 8081
    mode: snapshot

the web server code is included, so you may access through HTTP://IP:8080

BennyBoom · December 11, 2023, 8:26am

Hello !
Do you know if we could configure the microphone with esphome to get sound from Home Assistant interface when we get the video stream ?

Thanks for your help

Regards

Ben

Citric · December 12, 2023, 8:27am

I’d like to know the answer too.

2345vor · March 3, 2024, 12:16pm

You can try this code, just change wifi code .Finally I used Camera and LED successful

esphome:
  name: xiao-cam
  # friendly_name: xiao-cam

esp32:
  board: esp32-s3-devkitc-1
  framework:
    type: arduino


# Enable logging
logger:

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "Fabc3YZ2bYG7x8WhupncrCMPqZuPMwxyeCPsgrbQIAI="

ota:
  password: "412c844a7b10765fcd89954e7587e5af"

wifi:
  ssid: "J09 502"
  password: "qwertyuiop111"
  # use_address: elkontrol1
  # use_address: elkontrol1.local

  # Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
  ap:
    ssid: "Xiao Fallback Hotspot1"
    password: "YpeK5OYS4Xej"



captive_portal:
# Example configuration entry
external_components:
  - source:
      type: git
      url: https://github.com/MichaKersloot/esphome_custom_components
    components: [ esp32_camera ]

esp32_camera:
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO10
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_pins:
    sda: GPIO40
    scl: GPIO39
  data_pins: [GPIO15, GPIO17, GPIO18, GPIO16, GPIO14, GPIO12, GPIO11, GPIO48]
  vsync_pin: GPIO38
  href_pin: GPIO47
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO13

  # Image settings
  name: My Camera
  # ...

switch:
  - platform: gpio
    name: "User_led1"
    pin: 21

josh_dee · June 22, 2025, 3:15am

how are you able to use GPIO40 and GPIO39 twice in this config. doesnt seem like it works.
however below worked for me. a combo of a few of these


esphome:
  name: xiao-cam
  platformio_options:
    board_build.flash_mode: dio
    board_build.mcu: esp32s3
    board_build.extra_flags:
    - "-DARDUINO_HW_CDC_ON_BOOT=0"

esp32:
  board: seeed_xiao_esp32s3
  variant: esp32s3
  framework:
    type: arduino
    version: latest
    platform_version: 6.3.2

# Enable logging
logger:
  level: VERBOSE
  tx_buffer_size: 256

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "="

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password
  power_save_mode: none

  manual_ip:
    static_ip: 
    gateway: 
    subnet: 
    dns1: 
    dns2: 8.8.8.8
ota:
  - platform: esphome
    password: ""

esp32_camera_web_server:
  - port: 8080
    mode: stream
  - port: 8081
    mode: snapshot

esp32_camera:
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO10
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_pins:
    sda: GPIO40
    scl: GPIO39
  data_pins: [GPIO15, GPIO17, GPIO18, GPIO16, GPIO14, GPIO12, GPIO11, GPIO48]
  vsync_pin: GPIO38
  href_pin: GPIO47
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO13

  # Image settings
  name: My Camera
switch:
  - platform: gpio
    name: "User_led1"
    pin: 21

output:
# white LED
  - platform: ledc
    channel: 2
    pin: GPIO4
    id: espcam
# red status light
  - platform: gpio
    pin:
      number: GPIO33
      inverted: True
    id: gpio_33
light:
  - platform: monochromatic
    output: espcam
    name: esp-cam light
  - platform: binary
    output: gpio_33
    name: esp-cam led

drill · September 21, 2025, 7:49am

I just came across the same issue, trying to include the S3 Sense into my home assistant (via ESP Home)
However, none of the above solutions seem to work.
Is there a solution to stream video and sound at the same time when opening the video in home assistant?

ahsrabrifat · September 21, 2025, 3:47pm

The main issue is usually mismatched pin mapping between the OV2640 (camera module) and the ESP32-S3. On the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Sense, the pin mapping is not the same as ESP32-CAM modules, and ESPhome doesn’t auto-detect.
According to Seeed’s documentation and other working configs, the correct mapping should be:

esp32_camera:
  name: my_camera
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO10
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_pins:
    sda: GPIO40
    scl: GPIO39
  data_pins: 
    - GPIO15
    - GPIO17
    - GPIO18
    - GPIO16
    - GPIO14
    - GPIO12
    - GPIO11
    - GPIO48
  vsync_pin: GPIO38
  href_pin: GPIO47
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO13
  power_down_pin: GPIO21
  reset_pin: GPIO1
  resolution: 640x480
  jpeg_quality: 10
  max_framerate: 15 fps

reset_pin should be GPIO1 (you had it commented out / wrong).
power_down_pin required on this board, GPIO21. Without it, the OV2640 often won’t initialize.
The rest of your pins (D0–D7, XCLK, PCLK, VSYNC, HREF, SCCB) look correct from the datasheet.

Try the config above and watch the ESPHome logs (esphome logs my_camera.yaml). You should see lines like I (12345) camera: Detected OV2640 camera.
If you get initialization errors, double-check that your board has the camera firmly clicked into the Sense expansion board. A loose fit can cause weird failures.
Try to lower the resolution to 320x240 at first — some boards brown out at high resolution without enough current.

Here is a XIAO ESP32-S3 sense based project that you may find interesting. VisionFlow: Smart Glasses with Camera, Mic, and Motion Sense - Share Project - PCBWay

Citric · November 3, 2025, 10:45am

Recently, I had some time to research how to use the XIAO ESP32S3 Sense camera with the latest ESPHome. Here’s the complete reference code:

substitutions:
  name: "xiao-esp32-s3-camera"
  friendly_name: "XIAO ESP32-S3 Camera"

esphome:
  name: "${name}"
  friendly_name: "${friendly_name}"
  name_add_mac_suffix: true
  platformio_options:
    board_build.flash_mode: dio
    board_build.mcu: esp32s3
    board_build.extra_flags:
    - "-DARDUINO_HW_CDC_ON_BOOT=0"

esp32:
  board: seeed_xiao_esp32s3
  variant: esp32s3
  framework:
    type: arduino

psram:
  mode: octal
  speed: 80MHz

logger:
  level: VERBOSE
  tx_buffer_size: 256

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "k/QxEx306Vcg1PpiO9VXl+wOBKsVNlXVL/7y5A+FmTU="

ota:
  - platform: esphome
    password: "cfbe34b762b17c1e3e3e669f3a1452fe"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

  # Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
  ap:
    ssid: "Xiao-Esp Fallback Hotspot"
    password: "jIIBvJNnOz1V"

captive_portal:

# Example configuration entry
i2c:
  - id: camera_i2c
    sda: GPIO40
    scl: GPIO39
esp32_camera:
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO10
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_id: camera_i2c
  data_pins: [GPIO15, GPIO17, GPIO18, GPIO16, GPIO14, GPIO12, GPIO11, GPIO48]
  vsync_pin: GPIO38
  href_pin: GPIO47
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO13
  name: My Camera

EnesA20 · November 6, 2025, 8:46am

This works for mee very well, the speed is good and the quality is very stable.

esphome:
  name: esp32s3
  platformio_options:
    build_flags: -DBOARD_HAS_PSRAM
    board_build.arduino.memory_type: qio_opi
    board_build.f_flash: 80000000L
    board_build.flash_mode: qio

esp32:
  board: esp32-s3-devkitc-1
  framework:
    type: arduino

# PSRAM expliciet aanzetten in octal 80 MHz
psram:
  mode: octal
  speed: 80MHz

# Logging inschakelen
logger:

# Home Assistant‑API inschakelen
api:

# Over‑the‑air‑update inschakelen
ota:

# Wi‑Fi‑configuratie
wifi:
  power_save_mode: none
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

  # Fallback hotspot activeren als de wifi‑verbinding faalt
  ap:
    ssid: "Esp32-S3-Cam Fallback Hotspot"
    password: "BfnntuzN9G3t"

# Captive portal configuratie
captive_portal:

i2c:
  - id: camera_i2c
    sda: GPIO40
    scl: GPIO39
    frequency: 400kHz

# Configuratie voor de ESP32‑camera
esp32_camera:
  id: espcam
  name: My Camera
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO10
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_id: camera_i2c
  data_pins: [GPIO15, GPIO17, GPIO18, GPIO16, GPIO14, GPIO12, GPIO11, GPIO48]
  vsync_pin: GPIO38
  href_pin: GPIO47
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO13
  resolution: 800x600   # SVGA
  jpeg_quality: 28
  frame_buffer_count: 2
  # optioneel eerst testen met lagere resolutie:
  # resolution: 640x480  # VGA

  aec_mode: auto
  aec2: true
  ae_level: 2  

  agc_mode: auto
  agc_gain_ceiling: 128x
  wb_mode: auto  

  brightness: 1            # -2..+2
  contrast: 1              # -2..+2
  saturation: -1           # -2..+2, iets lager dempt ruisachtig kleurzwabberen

# Webserver voor de camera
esp32_camera_web_server:
  - port: 8080
    mode: stream
  - port: 8081
    mode: snapshot