How to Install CH340 Driver on Windows

In this comprehensive tutorial, we will guide you through the process of installing CH340 drivers on Windows, catering to your specific needs. While the driver typically installs automatically on the majority of operating systems, the vast array of available systems means that there might be instances where manual installation becomes necessary. This could be especially relevant during the initial connection of the chip to your computer's USB port or when dealing with operating system updates. Rest assured, by following our step-by-step instructions, you'll successfully install the CH340 drivers and ensure seamless functionality with your system.

Table of Contents

1. What is CH340?
2. Installing CH340 Driver on Windows
3. Step 1: Downloading the driver
4. Step 2: Installing the driver
5. Step 3: Checking Correct Driver Installation in Device Manager
6. Step 4: Checking Correct Driver Installation in Arduino IDE

What is CH340?

CH340 is a TTL (serial) to USB converter and vice versa. This chip has been used in some boards such as Arduino boards (non-original Arduinos), ESP8266, etc. The boards using the CH340 chip, don't need a programmer in order to access the processor or to program them.

But there is a downside. An extra driver must be installed before starting to work with boards having this IC. In this tutorial, you will learn how to install the CH340 driver.

Installing CH340 Driver on Windows

If you connect your board to the computer before installing the driver, your computer will not recognize the board correctly and you will see following image in Device Manager.

To open Device Manager, search for it in the Windows Start menu.

Follow the steps below to install the CH340 driver:

Step 1: Downloading The Driver

First, download the CH340 driver from the links below:

Step 2: Installing The Driver

After downloading the driver, follow these steps:

1. Extract the downloaded ZIP file
2. Run the installer executable (usually named CH341SER.exe)
3. Click "Install" when prompted
4. Wait for the installation to complete

Step 3: Checking Correct Driver Installation in Device Manager

If your driver has been installed correctly, and if you connect your board to a computer, then you can see its name and port number in the Port section. For example, my Arduino board is connected to COM7.

To verify the installation:

1. Open Device Manager
2. Expand "Ports (COM & LPT)"
3. Look for "USB Serial Device (COM#)" or similar
4. The port number (COM#) will be used in Arduino IDE

Step 4: Checking Correct Driver Installation in Arduino IDE

Open the Arduino IDE software. Go to the Tools menu and from the Port section, select the port number appropriate port that your board is connected to. Note that this port number must be the same as the number you saw in the previous step.

To make sure, you can upload a code that you have already written to your board.