Introduction

The 3.5-inch TFT LCD Shield features a 480×320 high-resolution display with ILI9486 controller and resistive touch overlay. This plug-and-play shield provides a vibrant graphical interface for Arduino projects with built-in touch input capability.

Key Features

Technical Specifications

Pin Configuration

Arduino Pin	TFT Function	Touch Function
D2-D9	LCD Data Bus (D0-D7)	–
D10	LCD CS	–
D11	LCD MOSI	T_CLK
D12	LCD MISO	T_OUT
D13	LCD SCK	T_CS
A0	LCD RS/DC	–
A1	LCD WR	–
A2	LCD RD	–
A3	LCD RESET	–
A4	–	T_DIN
A5	–	T_DO

Library Installation

1. Open Arduino IDE
2. Go to Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries
3. Search for “MCUFRIEND_kbv” and install
4. For touch: search “Adafruit TouchScreen“
5. For graphics: “Adafruit GFX Library“

Basic Display Test

#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <MCUFRIEND_kbv.h>

MCUFRIEND_kbv tft;

void setup() {
  uint16_t ID = tft.readID();
  tft.begin(ID);
  
  tft.fillScreen(TFT_BLACK);
  tft.setRotation(1); // Adjust orientation
  
  tft.setTextColor(TFT_WHITE);  
  tft.setTextSize(2);
  tft.setCursor(50, 100);
  tft.println("Hello World!");
  
  tft.drawRect(50, 150, 100, 50, TFT_RED);
  tft.fillCircle(250, 200, 30, TFT_BLUE);
}

void loop() {}

Touch Screen Example

#include <TouchScreen.h>

// Touchscreen pins (UNO)
#define YP A3  // must be analog
#define XM A2  // must be analog
#define YM 9   // can be digital
#define XP 8   // can be digital

TouchScreen ts = TouchScreen(XP, YP, XM, YM, 300);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  TSPoint p = ts.getPoint();
  
  if (p.z > ts.pressureThreshhold) {
    Serial.print("X = "); Serial.print(p.x);
    Serial.print("\tY = "); Serial.print(p.y);
    Serial.print("\tPressure = "); Serial.println(p.z);
  }
  delay(100);
}

Optimization Tips

tft.setAddrWindow(x, y, w, h);
tft.pushColor(color, count);

tft.startWrite();
// Multiple operations
tft.endWrite();

#include <Fonts/FreeSansBold18pt7b.h>
tft.setFont(&FreeSansBold18pt7b);

Troubleshooting