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

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!

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