It's easy to use the MLX90632 breakout with Python or CircuitPython, and the Adafruit_CircuitPython_MLX90632 module. This module allows you to easily write Python code to read ambient and object temperatures with the sensor.
You can use this driver with any CircuitPython microcontroller board or with a computer that has GPIO and Python thanks to Adafruit_Blinka, our CircuitPython-for-Python compatibility library.
CircuitPython Microcontroller Wiring
First wire up the breakout to your board exactly as follows. The following is the breakout wired to a Feather RP2040 using the STEMMA connector:
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Board STEMMA 3V to breakout STEMMA VIN (red wire)
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Board STEMMA GND to breakout STEMMA GND (black wire)
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Board STEMMA SCL to breakout STEMMA SCL (yellow wire)
- Board STEMMA SDA to breakout STEMMA SDA (blue wire)
The following is the breakout wired to a Feather RP2040 using a solderless breadboard:
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Board 3V to breakout VIN (red wire)
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Board GND to breakout GND (black wire)
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Board SCL to breakout SCL (yellow wire)
- Board SDA to breakout SDA (blue wire)
Python Computer Wiring
Since there are dozens of Linux computers/boards you can use, we will show wiring for Raspberry Pi. For other platforms, please visit the guide for CircuitPython on Linux to see whether your platform is supported.
Here's the Raspberry Pi wired with I2C using the STEMMA connector:
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Pi 3V to breakout STEMMA VIN (red wire)
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Pi GND to breakout STEMMA GND (black wire)
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Pi SCL to breakout STEMMA SCL (yellow wire)
- Pi SDA to breakout STEMMA SDA (blue wire)
Here's the Raspberry Pi wired with I2C using a solderless breadboard:
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Pi 3V to breakout VIN (red wire)
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Pi GND to breakout GND (black wire)
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Pi SCL to breakout SCL (yellow wire)
- Pi SDA to breakout SDA (blue wire)
Python Installation of MLX90632 Library
You'll need to install the Adafruit_Blinka library that provides the CircuitPython support in Python. This may also require enabling I2C on your platform and verifying you are running Python 3. Since each platform is a little different, and Linux changes often, please visit the CircuitPython on Linux guide to get your computer ready!
Once that's done, from your command line run the following command:
pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-mlx90632
If your default Python is version 3 you may need to run 'pip' instead. Just make sure you aren't trying to use CircuitPython on Python 2.x, it isn't supported!
CircuitPython Usage
To use with CircuitPython, you need to first install the Adafruit_CircuitPython_MLX90632 library, and its dependencies, into the lib folder on your CIRCUITPY drive. Then you need to update code.py with the example script.
Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the Download Project Bundle button below to download the necessary libraries and the code.py file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, and copy the entire lib folder and the code.py file to your CIRCUITPY drive.
Your CIRCUITPY/lib folder should contain the following folder and file:
- adafruit_bus_device/
- adafruit_mlx90632.mpy
Python Usage
Once you have the library pip3 installed on your computer, copy or download the following example to your computer, and run the following, replacing code.py with whatever you named the file:
python3 code.py
Example Code
If running CircuitPython: Once everything is saved to the CIRCUITPY drive, connect to the serial console to see the data printed out!
If running Python: The console output will appear wherever you are running Python.
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2025 Liz Clark for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
"""Simple test example for MLX90632 sensor"""
import time
import board
import adafruit_mlx90632
# Create I2C bus
i2c = board.I2C() # uses board.SCL and board.SDA
# Create MLX90632 instance
mlx = adafruit_mlx90632.MLX90632(i2c)
# Print sensor information
print(f"Product ID: 0x{mlx.product_id:012X}")
print(f"Product Code: 0x{mlx.product_code:04X}")
print(f"EEPROM Version: 0x{mlx.eeprom_version:04X}")
# Set measurement mode to continuous
mlx.mode = adafruit_mlx90632.MODE_CONTINUOUS
# Set refresh rate to 2Hz
mlx.refresh_rate = adafruit_mlx90632.REFRESH_2HZ
print("\nReading temperatures...")
while True:
# Check if new data is available
if mlx.data_ready:
# Read temperatures
ambient_temp = mlx.ambient_temperature
object_temp = mlx.object_temperature
print(f"Ambient: {ambient_temp:.2f}°C, Object: {object_temp:.2f}°C")
# Reset new data flag
mlx.reset_data_ready()
time.sleep(0.1)
First, the MLX90632 sensor is recognized over I2C. Then, in the loop, it prints out the ambient temperature and the object temperature readings.
Page last edited September 05, 2025
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