Adafruit AS7343 14-Channel Light / Color Sensor Breakout

Detect and measure light in many different wavelengths

by Tim C

published March 16, 2026, last edited March 16, 2026

posted in Adafruit Products Sensors/ Light Arduino Compatibles CircuitPython STEMMA

Beginner

Product guide

Arduino

Using the AS7343 breakout with Arduino involves wiring up the breakout to your Arduino-compatible microcontroller, installing the Adafruit_AS7343 library, and running the provided example code.

Wiring

Wire as shown for a 5V board like an Uno. If you are using a 3V board, like an Adafruit Feather, wire the board's 3V pin to the sensor VIN.

Here is an Adafruit Metro wired up to the sensor using the STEMMA QT connector:

Wiring illustration showing Adafruit Metro wired to the AS7343 breakout via STEMMA QT connector to pins 5V, GND, SCL, and SDA

Board 5V to breakout VIN (red wire)
Board GND to breakout GND (black wire)
Board SCL to breakout SCL (yellow wire)
Board SDA to breakout SDA (blue wire)

Here is an Adafruit Metro wired up using a solderless breadboard:

Wiring illustration showing Adafruit Metro connected to the AS7343 breakout via solderless breadboard connected to pins 5V, GND, SCL, and SDA

Board 5V to breakout VIN (red wire)
Board GND to breakout GND (black wire)
Board SCL to breakout SCL (yellow wire)
Board SDA to breakout SDA (blue wire)

Library Installation

You can install the Adafruit_AS7343 library for Arduino using the Library Manager in the Arduino IDE.

Arduino IDE showing the tools menu open with Manage Libraries highlighted

Click the Manage Libraries ... menu item, search for Adafruit_AS7343, and select the Adafruit_AS7343 library:

Arduino IDE library manager open with "Adafruit_AS7343" in the search box and library in the results list.

If asked about dependencies, click "Install all".

Arduino IDE pop up window asking to install dependencies for the AS7343 driver

If the "Dependencies" window does not come up, then you already have the dependencies installed.

If the dependencies are already installed, you must make sure you update them through the Arduino Library Manager before loading the example!

Example Code

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/*!
 * @file basic_readings.ino
 *
 * Basic example for the Adafruit AS7343 14-Channel Multi-Spectral Sensor
 *
 * Reads all 18 channels (14 spectral + VIS + FD in 3 cycles) and prints
 * the values to Serial.
 */

#include <Adafruit_AS7343.h>

Adafruit_AS7343 as7343;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  while (!Serial) {
    delay(10); // Wait for Serial on native USB boards
  }

  Serial.println("Adafruit AS7343 Basic Readings");

  if (!as7343.begin()) {
    Serial.println("Could not find AS7343 sensor!");
    while (1) {
      delay(10);
    }
  }

  Serial.println("AS7343 found!");

  // Configure sensor
  as7343.setGain(AS7343_GAIN_64X);
  as7343.setATIME(29);  // Integration cycles
  as7343.setASTEP(599); // Step size

  Serial.print("Integration time: ");
  Serial.print(as7343.getIntegrationTime());
  Serial.println(" ms");
}

void loop() {
  uint16_t readings[18];

  // Read all channels (starts measurement, waits, reads internally)
  if (!as7343.readAllChannels(readings)) {
    Serial.println("Read failed!");
    delay(500);
    return;
  }

  // Print spectral channels (wavelength order)
  Serial.println("\n--- Spectral Readings ---");

  Serial.print("F1  (405nm violet):     ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F1]);

  Serial.print("F2  (425nm violet-blue):");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F2]);

  Serial.print("FZ  (450nm blue):       ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_FZ]);

  Serial.print("F3  (475nm blue-cyan):  ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F3]);

  Serial.print("F4  (515nm green):      ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F4]);

  Serial.print("F5  (550nm green-yel):  ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F5]);

  Serial.print("FY  (555nm yellow-grn): ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_FY]);

  Serial.print("FXL (600nm orange):     ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_FXL]);

  Serial.print("F6  (640nm red):        ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F6]);

  Serial.print("F7  (690nm deep red):   ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F7]);

  Serial.print("F8  (745nm near-IR):    ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F8]);

  Serial.print("NIR (855nm near-IR):    ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_NIR]);

  // Print clear/VIS channels (one from each cycle)
  Serial.print("VIS (clear):            ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_VIS_TL_0]);

  delay(500);
}

/*!
 * @file basic_readings.ino
 *
 * Basic example for the Adafruit AS7343 14-Channel Multi-Spectral Sensor
 *
 * Reads all 18 channels (14 spectral + VIS + FD in 3 cycles) and prints
 * the values to Serial.
 */

#include <Adafruit_AS7343.h>

Adafruit_AS7343 as7343;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  while (!Serial) {
    delay(10); // Wait for Serial on native USB boards
  }

  Serial.println("Adafruit AS7343 Basic Readings");

  if (!as7343.begin()) {
    Serial.println("Could not find AS7343 sensor!");
    while (1) {
      delay(10);
    }
  }

  Serial.println("AS7343 found!");

  // Configure sensor
  as7343.setGain(AS7343_GAIN_64X);
  as7343.setATIME(29);  // Integration cycles
  as7343.setASTEP(599); // Step size

  Serial.print("Integration time: ");
  Serial.print(as7343.getIntegrationTime());
  Serial.println(" ms");
}

void loop() {
  uint16_t readings[18];

  // Read all channels (starts measurement, waits, reads internally)
  if (!as7343.readAllChannels(readings)) {
    Serial.println("Read failed!");
    delay(500);
    return;
  }

  // Print spectral channels (wavelength order)
  Serial.println("\n--- Spectral Readings ---");

  Serial.print("F1  (405nm violet):     ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F1]);

  Serial.print("F2  (425nm violet-blue):");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F2]);

  Serial.print("FZ  (450nm blue):       ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_FZ]);

  Serial.print("F3  (475nm blue-cyan):  ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F3]);

  Serial.print("F4  (515nm green):      ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F4]);

  Serial.print("F5  (550nm green-yel):  ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F5]);

  Serial.print("FY  (555nm yellow-grn): ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_FY]);

  Serial.print("FXL (600nm orange):     ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_FXL]);

  Serial.print("F6  (640nm red):        ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F6]);

  Serial.print("F7  (690nm deep red):   ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F7]);

  Serial.print("F8  (745nm near-IR):    ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_F8]);

  Serial.print("NIR (855nm near-IR):    ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_NIR]);

  // Print clear/VIS channels (one from each cycle)
  Serial.print("VIS (clear):            ");
  Serial.println(readings[AS7343_CHANNEL_VIS_TL_0]);

  delay(500);
}

View on GitHub

Upload the sketch to your board and open up the Serial Monitor (Tools -> Serial Monitor) at 115200 baud. You'll see the AS7343 recognized over I2C. Then, the spectral reading values of different channels will be printed out to the Serial Monitor.