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WLED

Free, open-source firmware for controlling individually-addressable LED strips from an ESP8266/ESP32 board, with a huge library of effects, presets, and integrations (including Home Assistant).

Target: ESP8266 / ESP32 microcontroller (flashed from a computer, then runs standalone)LED-stripsESP32firmwareOfficial homepage ↗Official docs ↗
This guide is synthesized from WLED's own official documentation, linked above — always cross-check exact package/version names there before running these commands on a production server, since distro and project versions move over time.

  1. 1Flash WLED to your board

    The official web installer flashes over USB directly from Chrome/Edge -- no separate flashing software needed.

    WLED web installer ↗

  2. 2Connect the board to Wi-Fi

    On first boot, WLED creates its own 'WLED-AP' access point -- connect to it and enter your home Wi-Fi credentials in the captive portal that opens.

    Wire the LED data line to the correct GPIO pin for your board (documented per board on the WLED site) and make sure the LED strip's power supply is rated for its full length -- undersized power is the most common source of flickering or dim LEDs.

  3. 3Open the WLED web UI

    Once on your network, WLED serves its own control interface directly from the board's IP address -- effects, colors, presets, and scheduling, no app or cloud account required.

    WLED + Home Assistant integration ↗