ESP32 BLE Keyboard library
This library allows you to make the ESP32 act as a Bluetooth Keyboard and control what it does.
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Features
- Send key strokes
- Send text
- Press/release individual keys
- Media keys are supported
- Read Numlock/Capslock/Scrolllock state
- Set battery level (basically works, but doesn't show up in Android's status bar)
- Compatible with Android
- Compatible with Windows
- Compatible with Linux
- Compatible with MacOS X (not stable, some people have issues, doesn't work with old devices)
- Compatible with iOS (not stable, some people have issues, doesn't work with old devices)
Installation
- (Make sure you can use the ESP32 with the Arduino IDE. Instructions can be found here.)
- Download the latest release of this library from the release page.
- In the Arduino IDE go to "Sketch" -> "Include Library" -> "Add .ZIP Library..." and select the file you just downloaded.
- You can now go to "File" -> "Examples" -> "ESP32 BLE Keyboard" and select any of the examples to get started.
Example
/**
* This example turns the ESP32 into a Bluetooth LE keyboard that writes the words, presses Enter, presses a media key and then Ctrl+Alt+Delete
*/
#include <BleKeyboard.h>
BleKeyboard bleKeyboard;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
Serial.println("Starting BLE work!");
bleKeyboard.begin();
}
void loop() {
if(bleKeyboard.isConnected()) {
Serial.println("Sending 'Hello world'...");
bleKeyboard.print("Hello world");
delay(1000);
Serial.println("Sending Enter key...");
bleKeyboard.write(KEY_RETURN);
delay(1000);
Serial.println("Sending Play/Pause media key...");
bleKeyboard.write(KEY_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE);
delay(1000);
Serial.println("Sending Ctrl+Alt+Delete...");
bleKeyboard.press(KEY_LEFT_CTRL);
bleKeyboard.press(KEY_LEFT_ALT);
bleKeyboard.press(KEY_DELETE);
delay(100);
bleKeyboard.releaseAll();
}
Serial.println("Waiting 5 seconds...");
delay(5000);
}
API docs
The BleKeyboard interface is almost identical to the Keyboard Interface, so you can use documentation right here: https://www.arduino.cc/reference/en/language/functions/usb/keyboard/
Just remember that you have to use bleKeyboard instead of just Keyboard and you need these two lines at the top of your script:
#include <BleKeyboard.h>
BleKeyboard bleKeyboard;
In addition to that you can send media keys (which is not possible with the USB keyboard library). Supported are the following:
- KEY_MEDIA_NEXT_TRACK
- KEY_MEDIA_PREVIOUS_TRACK
- KEY_MEDIA_STOP
- KEY_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE
- KEY_MEDIA_MUTE
- KEY_MEDIA_VOLUME_UP
- KEY_MEDIA_VOLUME_DOWN
- KEY_MEDIA_WWW_HOME
- KEY_MEDIA_LOCAL_MACHINE_BROWSER // Opens "My Computer" on Windows
- KEY_MEDIA_CALCULATOR
- KEY_MEDIA_WWW_BOOKMARKS
- KEY_MEDIA_WWW_SEARCH
- KEY_MEDIA_WWW_STOP
- KEY_MEDIA_WWW_BACK
- KEY_MEDIA_CONSUMER_CONTROL_CONFIGURATION // Media Selection
- KEY_MEDIA_EMAIL_READER
There is also Bluetooth specific information that you can set (optional):
Instead of BleKeyboard bleKeyboard; you can do BleKeyboard bleKeyboard("Bluetooth Device Name", "Bluetooth Device Manufacturer", 100);.
The third parameter is the initial battery level of your device. To adjust the battery level later on you can simply call e.g. bleKeyboard.setBatteryLevel(50) (set battery level to 50%).
By default the battery level will be set to 100%, the device name will be ESP32 Bluetooth Keyboard and the manufacturer will be Espressif.
NimBLE-Mode
The NimBLE mode enables a significant saving of RAM and FLASH memory.
Comparison (SendKeyStrokes.ino at compile-time)
Standard
RAM: [= ] 9.3% (used 30548 bytes from 327680 bytes)
Flash: [======== ] 75.8% (used 994120 bytes from 1310720 bytes)
NimBLE mode
RAM: [= ] 8.3% (used 27180 bytes from 327680 bytes)
Flash: [==== ] 44.2% (used 579158 bytes from 1310720 bytes)
Comparison (SendKeyStrokes.ino at run-time)
| Standard | NimBLE mode | difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
ESP.getHeapSize() |
296.804 | 321.252 | + 24.448 |
ESP.getFreeHeap() |
143.572 | 260.764 | + 117.192 |
ESP.getSketchSize() |
994.224 | 579.264 | - 414.960 |
How to activate NimBLE mode?
ArduinoIDE: Before including the library, insert the line #define USE_NIMBLE
#define USE_NIMBLE
#include <BleKeyboard.h>
PlatformIO: Change your platformio.ini to the following settings
lib_deps =
NimBLE-Arduino
build-flags =
-D USE_NIMBLE
Credits
Credits to chegewara and the authors of the USB keyboard library as this project is heavily based on their work! Also, credits to duke2421 who helped a lot with testing, debugging and fixing the device descriptor!