Picoware

Open-source custom firmware for PicoCalc, Cardputer ADV, Flipper Zero, and other ESP32/Raspberry Pi Pico devices.

Features

  • Desktop Companion App (USB video stream and app store)
  • Desktop Simulator (runs Picoware on Mac/Linux with SDL2)
  • On-Device Code Editor
  • On-Device REPL
  • File Manager
  • On-Device App Store
  • OTA Updates
  • UF2 Bootloader (PicoCalc only)
  • MP3/WAV Player
  • JPEG/BMP Viewer
  • WiFi (scanning, captive portal, and more)
  • Bluetooth (scanning, BLE operations, and more)
  • Gameboy Emulator (GameBoy and GameBoy Color)
  • Games (2048, Ghouls, Tetris, Pico Bomber, and more)
  • Screensavers (Yin-Yang, Floating Orbs, and more)
  • Social Media Network (FlipSocial)
  • Desktop animations
  • AutoComplete for keyboard input
  • Multi-core support
  • PSRAM support
  • JavaScript support (run JS in MicroPython)

Supported Boards

PicoCalc Kit

Compact calculator kit powered by Raspberry Pi Pico.

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M5Stack Cardputer ADV

ESP32-S3 portable computer with keyboard.

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Flipper Zero

Portable multi-tool for pentesters and tinkerers.

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Waveshare RP2350 1.28" Round Touch LCD

Round touch display development board.

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Waveshare RP2350 1.43" AMOLED Display

AMOLED display development board.

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Waveshare RP2350 3.49" Touch LCD

Large touch display development board.

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Elecrow CrowPanel 10.1"

ESP32-P4 HMI AI display with IPS touch screen.

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Marauder Pancake (ESP32-C5)

ESP32-C5 based Marauder Pancake board.

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Waveshare ESP32 2.06" Touch Watch

ESP32-S3 smartwatch with AMOLED touch display.

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Installation

Follow the instructions in the Installation Guide to install Picoware on your device.

Basics

Understanding the basic structure of Picoware's UI

When you first power on the device, the Desktop view is what you're first presented with. It currently displays a 4-frame animation with your device type in the top-left corner and WiFi status in the top-right corner.

If you click the Left button, the System Info view will be displayed, which shows the core temperature and memory information. You can return to the Desktop by pressing Left or Back.

If you click the Up or Center button on the Desktop view, the Library view will be displayed, which is a menu UI where users can select the Applications, System, WiFi, Bluetooth, Games, or Screensavers view.

As more categories are added, the list will be expanded.

This menu has a list of applications that are ready to use:

  • FlipSocial - A social media application that allows users to post and interact with others
  • GPS - Provides location services
  • Weather - Gives current weather information based on the user's location

This menu includes:

  • About Picoware - Background information about Picoware and how to contact support
  • System Info - Shows the core temperature and memory information
  • Bootloader Mode - Restarts the device into bootloader mode
  • Restart Device - Performs a quick soft-reset and returns you to the Desktop view

This menu includes:

  • Connect - Manage your WiFi networks, connect and disconnect from your saved network
  • Scan - Scan and display nearby WiFi networks
  • Captive Portal - Creates an access point named "Picoware" and handles connections
  • Settings - Type in and save your WiFi credentials to flash storage for later use

This menu includes:

  • Classic Scan - Scan for classic Bluetooth devices
  • BLE Scan - Scan for Bluetooth Low Energy devices
  • BLE Keyboard - Allows your device to act as a peripheral keyboard
  • BLE Mouse - Allows your device to act as a peripheral mouse

This menu has a list of ready-to-play games including:

  • Doom
  • FlappyBird
  • Tetris
  • And more...

This menu has a list of ready-to-see screensavers including:

  • Spiro
  • Starfield
  • And more...

Related Videos

Short Intro

Quick introduction to Picoware

Watch on YouTube
Full Intro

Complete introduction and walkthrough

Watch on YouTube
Review

In-depth review of Picoware features

Watch on YouTube
MicroPython Intro

Getting started with MicroPython

Watch on YouTube
On-Device Editor

Using the built-in code editor

Watch on YouTube
PicoCalc Playlist

Complete playlist of PicoCalc videos

Watch on YouTube
Video Tutorials

A collection of video tutorials for Picoware

View Tutorials

Connect Online

Discord

Join the community

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YouTube

Videos and tutorials

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Instagram

Follow for updates

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Other

More social links

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Explore Picoware Apps

Browse our collection of apps and tools for your Picoware device

View All Apps API Documentation

Contributing

Picoware is open source and open to contributions from developers.

All contributions are welcome, including bug reports, feature requests, documentation improvements, and code contributions. Please follow the guidelines in the Contributing Guide.

Support