pinstrike

Flash your Arduino from your phone.

Write a sketch and upload it over USB. No laptop needed, and it's free.

Early access coming to Google Play

An Android phone running the Pinstrike code editor, connected by a USB cable to an Arduino Uno whose L LED blinks. 1312~11~10~98 7~6~54~32 L TX RX ON UNO ATMEGA328P 5VGNDA0A1A2

The whole workbench fits in your pocket.

Pinstrike is a free Android app that writes, compiles and uploads Arduino sketches over USB.

From idea to blinking LED

Sketch to running board in seconds.

  1. Pinstrike code editor showing a weather station sketch that compiled to 6.0 KB of 30.0 KB

    Write

    A code editor made for touch screens.

  2. Uploading to an Arduino Nano at 37 percent while writing flash

    Upload

    Plug in the board and tap Upload.

  3. Serial monitor at 9600 baud showing timestamped temperature and humidity readings

    Watch

    See your sketch talk back in the serial monitor.

Built for real boards

Cheap clones included.

Clones welcome

Pinstrike recognises the USB chip on your board and suggests the right settings, old Nano bootloaders included.

  • CH340
  • CH341
  • FTDI FT232R
  • CP2102
  • ATmega16U2

The official compiler

Your sketch builds with the Arduino CLI, exactly like on a laptop.

arduino-cli1.5.1

Errors with answers

When an upload fails, Pinstrike tells you what to change.

The bootloader didn't respond Try the old bootloader option

Every byte checked

After writing, Pinstrike reads the chip back and compares it with your sketch.

Supported boards

Uno and Nano today, with Mega and ESP32 next.

Arduino Uno R3

ATmega328P with ATmega16U2 or CH340 USB

USB-C to USB-B cable

Arduino Nano

ATmega328P or ATmega168 with FTDI or CH340 USB, new and old bootloader

USB-C to Mini-B cable

Works on Android 8 and newer phones with USB OTG.

Guides

Help for the usual snags.

How to upload Arduino code from an Android phone Cables, OTG and your first upload Arduino Nano clone won't upload? The one setting that fixes "not in sync"

Questions

Can I upload Arduino code from an Android phone without a computer?

Yes. Pinstrike writes, compiles and uploads sketches entirely from an Android phone or tablet. You need a phone with USB OTG support and a cable that connects it to the board. Compiling needs an internet connection.

Which boards does Pinstrike support?

Arduino Uno R3 and Arduino Nano with ATmega328P or ATmega168, including clones with CH340, FTDI, CP210x or ATmega16U2 USB chips. Nanos with the old bootloader work too. Mega 2560, Leonardo, ESP32 and ESP8266 support is planned.

What cable do I need to connect an Arduino to an Android phone?

A data cable from your phone to the board. That is USB-C to USB-B for an Uno and USB-C to Mini-B for most Nanos. A small USB-C OTG adapter with the board's normal cable also works. Charge-only cables carry no data and won't work.

Is Pinstrike free?

Yes. Pinstrike is free, has no ads and needs no account.

What happens to my code when I compile?

Your sketch travels over HTTPS to the Pinstrike compile server, is compiled with the official Arduino CLI in an isolated container without internet access, and is deleted when the compile finishes. The result may stay in server memory for up to an hour so an identical compile is instant. Your sketches are otherwise stored only on your phone.

Can uploading with Pinstrike damage my Arduino?

No. Pinstrike uploads through the bootloader already on the board, the same way the Arduino IDE does. It never changes fuses, lock bits or the bootloader, checks the chip signature before writing and refuses sketches that would not fit. A failed upload leaves an incomplete sketch that the next upload replaces. Physical damage comes from wiring mistakes.

Is Pinstrike an official Arduino app?

No. Pinstrike is made by Arc Labs AS and works with Arduino-compatible boards. Arduino is a trademark of Arduino S.r.l.