Easy ILI9341 + ESP32 LCD TFT Display Tutorial (SPI/Bodmer)

Here's a quick tutorial that shows you how to get an ILI 9341 TFT LCD display working with an ESP32 using the SPI protocol and the Bodmer graphics library. The display module I'm using here is the Waveshare 2.4 inch LCD module. It features a 240x320 pixel display.

00:00 - Introduction
00:49 - Configuring the TFT_eSPI library
02:37 - Configuring the backlight
03:18 - LCD test #1: Digital Rain
04:18 - LCD test #1: Animated GIF
04:35 - Increase ESP32 memory for large graphics
04:53 - Test LCD backlight
05:59 - 2.4 inch vs 1.5 inch displays

If you're having problems getting your display to work:

(1) Double and then triple check your pin connections.
(2) Check that the screen you're using does actually have an ILI9341 driver. Not all screens from the same supplier use the same drivers. The Waveshare 1.5 inch 128x128 OLED display I feature in many of my other ESP32 videos actually uses the SSD1351 driver instead.
(3) Check you're using the correct setup file in the Bodmer TFT_eSPI library. Ensure your wiring matches the pins in the setup file.
(3) Try uploading some other sketch (like the Hall Sensor) to ensure your ESP32 is actually working properly.
(5) Some LCD screens need the backlight (BL) pin connected otherwise you won't see anything. The Waveshare LCD I'm using in this video has a backlight pin. However the screen works even if it's not connected to the ESP32.

This tutorial should work on other microcontrollers that use the Arduino IDE, including the Arduino Uno and Mega and ESP8266.

Check out my other videos as I have a lot of tutorials on the ESP32, including many that use OLED, TFT and ePaper displays.