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ESP32-S3 3.5 inch Capacitive Touch IPS Display – Setup

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JC3248W535

The module JC3248W535 ( JC3248W535C_I_Y ) offers a great solution based on a powerful ESP32-S3 microcontroller, a capacitive touch display, an SD card interface and various accessible GPIOs. You can buy it on Aliexpress at a reasonable price.

Main characteristics

  • 3.5-inch LCD-TFT capacitive touch display module with housing
  • Supports WiFi and Bluetooth
  • Support lithium battery power supply
  • Capacitive touch
  • 320 * 480 screen resolution
  • RGB 65K colors
  • IPS glass panel
  • ESP32-S3 N16R8 controller dual core CPU
  • Clock frequency 240MHz
  • 8M PSRAM
  • 16M FLASH
  • I2S Audio
  • Speaker output

Code sample – Display and Touch screen – Arduino IDE

The following code is a simple program to demonstrate how to use the module and compile it on Arduino IDE. ArduinoGFX is the graphic library to be installed. It does not use libraries as LVGL.

/*
* Example provided by F1ATB
*
* See also https://github.com/AudunKodehode/JC3248W535EN-Touch-LCD
*/
#include <Arduino_GFX_Library.h>
#include <Wire.h>

// Pin definitions
#define GFX_BL 1
#define TOUCH_ADDR 0x3B
#define TOUCH_SDA 4
#define TOUCH_SCL 8
#define TOUCH_I2C_CLOCK 400000
#define TOUCH_RST_PIN 12
#define TOUCH_INT_PIN 11
#define AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER 1

Arduino_DataBus *bus = new Arduino_ESP32QSPI(45, 47, 21, 48, 40, 39);
Arduino_GFX *g = new Arduino_AXS15231B(bus, GFX_NOT_DEFINED, 0, false, 320, 480);
Arduino_Canvas *gfx = new Arduino_Canvas(320, 480, g, 0, 0, 0);

uint16_t touchX, touchY;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);

  // Initialize Display
  gfx->begin();

  // Initialize touch
  Wire.begin(TOUCH_SDA, TOUCH_SCL);
  Wire.setClock(TOUCH_I2C_CLOCK);

  // Configure touch pins
  pinMode(TOUCH_INT_PIN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(TOUCH_RST_PIN, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(TOUCH_RST_PIN, LOW);
  delay(200);
  digitalWrite(TOUCH_RST_PIN, HIGH);
  delay(200);

  gfx->setRotation(1);
  gfx->fillScreen(RGB565_BLUE);
  pinMode(GFX_BL, OUTPUT);  //Back Light On
  digitalWrite(GFX_BL, HIGH);
  gfx->setTextSize(2);
  gfx->setTextColor(RGB565_GREEN);
  gfx->setCursor(150, 10);
  gfx->print("Hello from F1ATB");
  gfx->setCursor(180, 100);
  gfx->print("Touch Screen");
  gfx->flush();
}

void loop() {
  if (getTouchPoint(touchX, touchY)){
    Serial.println("Touch Pressed:" + String(touchX) + "," + String(touchY));
    gfx->fillRect(180, 100, 200, 20, RGB565_BLUE);
    gfx->setCursor(200, 100);
    gfx->print(String(touchX) + "," + String(touchY));
    gfx->drawCircle(touchX, touchY, 2, RGB565_WHITE);
    gfx->flush();
  }
  delay(5);
}

bool getTouchPoint(uint16_t &x, uint16_t &y) {
    uint8_t data[AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER * 6 + 2] = {0};
    
    // Define the read command array properly
    const uint8_t read_cmd[11] = {
        0xb5, 0xab, 0xa5, 0x5a, 0x00, 0x00,
        (uint8_t)((AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER * 6 + 2) >> 8),
        (uint8_t)((AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER * 6 + 2) & 0xff),
        0x00, 0x00, 0x00
    };
    
    Wire.beginTransmission(TOUCH_ADDR);
    Wire.write(read_cmd, 11);
    if (Wire.endTransmission() != 0) return false;
    
    if (Wire.requestFrom(TOUCH_ADDR, sizeof(data)) != sizeof(data)) return false;
    
    for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(data); i++) {
        data[i] = Wire.read();
    }
    
    if (data[1] > 0 && data[1] <= AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER) {
        uint16_t rawX = ((data[2] & 0x0F) << 8) | data[3];
        uint16_t rawY = ((data[4] & 0x0F) << 8) | data[5];        
        if (rawX > 500 || rawY > 500) return false;       
        y = map(rawX, 0, 320, 320, 0);
        x = rawY;       
        return true;
    }    
    return false;
}

Before compiling, select the ESP32S3 Dev Module and verify the following parameters. In particular, USB CDC on Boot : Enabled, to allow data published on the serial interface.

LAST MINUTE INFO (august 2025)
The example above runs perfectly with the library in version 1.6.0. With the version 1.6.1 there is some flickering.

Code example – SD card read and write

This module uses the standard interface pinout of an ESP2-S3 :

  • CS : GPIO10
  • MOSI : GPIO11
  • SCLK : GPIO12
  • MISO : GPIO13

The IDE Arduino example called SD_Test.ino is good solution to check the SD card reader. Just compile it, there is no need to adapt something.

Code sample – Display and Touch screen – PlatformIO IDE – Arduino Framework

If you compile on PlatformIO IDE with the Arduino Framwork , the code is very similar. In main.cpp you have :

/*
 * Sample provided by F1ATB
 *
 * See also https://github.com/AudunKodehode/JC3248W535EN-Touch-LCD
 */
#include <Arduino_GFX_Library.h> //Works with Version 1.6.0 and not 1.6.1 (October 2025)
#include <Wire.h>

// Pin definitions
#define GFX_BL 1
#define TOUCH_ADDR 0x3B
#define TOUCH_SDA 4
#define TOUCH_SCL 8
#define TOUCH_I2C_CLOCK 400000
#define TOUCH_RST_PIN 12
#define TOUCH_INT_PIN 11
#define AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER 1

//************Alternative declarations *******************************************
// Arduino_DataBus *bus = new Arduino_ESP32QSPI(45, 47, 21, 48, 40, 39);
// Arduino_GFX *g = new Arduino_AXS15231B(bus, GFX_NOT_DEFINED, 0, false, 320, 480);
// Arduino_Canvas *gfx = new Arduino_Canvas(320, 480, g, 0, 0, 0);
//*******************************************************************************

Arduino_ESP32QSPI *bus = new Arduino_ESP32QSPI(45, 47, 21, 48, 40, 39);
Arduino_AXS15231B *g = new Arduino_AXS15231B(bus, GFX_NOT_DEFINED, 0, false, 320, 480);
Arduino_Canvas *gfx = new Arduino_Canvas(320, 480, g, 0, 0, 0);

uint16_t touchX, touchY;

// Prototypes
bool getTouchPoint(uint16_t &x, uint16_t &y);

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(115200);

  // Initialize Display
  gfx->begin();

  // Initialize touch
  Wire.begin(TOUCH_SDA, TOUCH_SCL);
  Wire.setClock(TOUCH_I2C_CLOCK);

  // Configure touch pins
  pinMode(TOUCH_INT_PIN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(TOUCH_RST_PIN, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(TOUCH_RST_PIN, LOW);
  delay(200);
  digitalWrite(TOUCH_RST_PIN, HIGH);
  delay(200);

  gfx->setRotation(1);
  gfx->fillScreen(RGB565_BLUE);
  pinMode(GFX_BL, OUTPUT); // Back Light On
  digitalWrite(GFX_BL, HIGH);
  gfx->setTextSize(2);
  gfx->setTextColor(RGB565_GREEN);
  gfx->setCursor(150, 10);
  gfx->print("Hello from F1ATB");
  gfx->setCursor(180, 100);
  gfx->print("Touch Screen");
  gfx->flush();
}

void loop()
{
  if (getTouchPoint(touchX, touchY))
  {
    Serial.println("Touch Pressed:" + String(touchX) + "," + String(touchY));
    gfx->fillRect(180, 100, 200, 20, RGB565_BLUE);
    gfx->setCursor(200, 100);
    gfx->print(String(touchX) + "," + String(touchY));
    gfx->drawCircle(touchX, touchY, 2, RGB565_WHITE);
    gfx->flush();
  }
  delay(5);
}

bool getTouchPoint(uint16_t &x, uint16_t &y)
{
  uint8_t data[AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER * 6 + 2] = {0};

  // Define the read command array properly
  const uint8_t read_cmd[11] = {
      0xb5, 0xab, 0xa5, 0x5a, 0x00, 0x00,
      (uint8_t)((AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER * 6 + 2) >> 8),
      (uint8_t)((AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER * 6 + 2) & 0xff),
      0x00, 0x00, 0x00};

  Wire.beginTransmission(TOUCH_ADDR);
  Wire.write(read_cmd, 11);
  if (Wire.endTransmission() != 0)
    return false;

  if (Wire.requestFrom(TOUCH_ADDR, sizeof(data)) != sizeof(data))
    return false;

  for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(data); i++)
  {
    data[i] = Wire.read();
  }

  if (data[1] > 0 && data[1] <= AXS_MAX_TOUCH_NUMBER)
  {
    uint16_t rawX = ((data[2] & 0x0F) << 8) | data[3];
    uint16_t rawY = ((data[4] & 0x0F) << 8) | data[5];
    if (rawX > 500 || rawY > 500)
      return false;
    y = map(rawX, 0, 320, 320, 0);
    x = rawY;
    return true;
  }
  return false;
}

I propose also a partition file which within the 16MB of the Flash offering :
– 6.5MB for app0 ,
– 6.5MB for app1,
– 2MB for spiffs or little FS storage

and an OTA capability.

# Name,   Type, SubType, Offset,  Size,      Flags
nvs,      data, nvs,     0x9000,  0x5000,
otadata,  data, ota,     0xe000,  0x2000,
app0,     app,  ota_0,   0x10000, 0x660000,
app1,     app,  ota_1,   0x670000,0x660000,
spiffs,   data, spiffs,  0xCD0000,0x200000,
corredump,data,coredump,     ,64K,

You can download here the complete directory of the project including the platformio.ini file.

JC3248W535 DemoTélécharger

Hardware

Pinout

Power supply and data/program transfer can be provided via an USB-C or a 4pins (JST1.25) connector .(Gnd,TX,RX,+5V)

One connector JST1.25 provides 8 GPIOs to connect external devices

Two 4 pins connectors (HC1.0 and JST1.25) provide the same signals GND, 3.3V, GPIO17, GPIO18

A speaker can be connected on a 2 pins connector ( JST1.25)

Shopping List

Mainly on Aliexpress

F1ATB André

Ham Radio - Home automation - Photovoltaic

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