How to Properly Connect a 2.0" SPI TFT LCD to Arduino

The 2.0-inch TFT display with the ILI9341 controller uses the SPI protocol. Unlike basic displays, this one allows for full color and fast refresh rates, making it perfect for your digital thermometer or clock projects.

Wiring Diagram (Arduino Uno)

Connect the display to the following pins. Note that the SPI pins on Arduino Uno (11, 12, 13) are fixed and cannot be changed!

Display (LCD)	Arduino Uno	Description
VCC	5V / 3.3V	Power Supply
GND	GND	Ground
CS	10	Chip Select
RESET	9	Screen Reset
DC / RS	8	Data / Command
SDI (MOSI)	11	SPI Master Out
SCK	13	SPI Clock
LED	3.3V	Backlight
SDO (MISO)	12	SPI Master In (optional)

Required Libraries

To work with this display in the Arduino IDE, install the following libraries:

Adafruit GFX Library (core drawing library)
Adafruit ILI9341 (driver for your specific screen)

Test Code

#include "Adafruit_GFX.h"
#include "Adafruit_ILI9341.h"

#define TFT_DC 8
#define TFT_CS 10
#define TFT_RST 9

Adafruit_ILI9341 tft = Adafruit_ILI9341(TFT_CS, TFT_DC, TFT_RST);

void setup() {
    tft.begin();
    tft.setRotation(3); // Landscape mode
    tft.fillScreen(ILI9341_BLACK);
    tft.setCursor(20, 100);
    tft.setTextColor(ILI9341_YELLOW);
    tft.setTextSize(3);
    tft.print("Hello, Borut!");
}

void loop() {}