# Quickstart using Adafruit eInk/ePaper displays with CircuitPython ## Overview ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/083/246/medium800/feather_bitmap_padded.jpg?1572385300) This guide is intended to get you using the Adafruit 2.13" tri-color e-ink FeatherWing and 2.7" tri-color e-ink shield quickly with CircuitPython. These displays come with headers already soldered on - male headers for the shield version and female headers for the Feather version. This allows them to be plugged in to their respective microcontrollers without soldering. Place on the microcontroller, upload your code and graphics file, and display! ## Refresh Times Most LCD, OLED, and LED displays can be written to quite fast which helps to do moving graphics and colors easily. For eInk displays, this is not the case. Erasing an image involves sending special signals to the display to "undo" the colored pixels from displaying. Adafruit recommends to not refresh these displays more often than every 180 seconds (3 minutes). If they are written to more quickly, the display may be damaged. A damaged display may have pixels permanently on or off or other anomalies and voids the warranty. If you want to know more about time between refreshes, see the datasheet on the display you are using [here](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-2-13-eink-display-breakouts-and-featherwings/downloads) and [here](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-2-7-eink-display-breakouts-and-shields/downloads). eInk displays continue to display an image, even with the power off. If you want a fairly static image, say a picture or a name badge, eInk is wonderful. If you want a crisp, rarely changing display, eInk is great. For fast changing information, please consider a different class of display like TFT or OLED. ## Parts ### Feather Form Factor ### Adafruit Feather M4 Express - Featuring ATSAMD51 [Adafruit Feather M4 Express - Featuring ATSAMD51](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3857) It's what you've been waiting for, the Feather M4 Express featuring ATSAMD51. This Feather is fast like a swift, smart like an owl, strong like a ox-bird (it's half ox, half bird, OK?) This feather is powered by our new favorite chip, the **ATSAMD51J19** -  with... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3857) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3857/guides) ![Angled shot of a Adafruit Feather M4 Express. ](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3857-10.jpg) ### Metro Form Factor ### Adafruit Metro M4 feat. Microchip ATSAMD51 [Adafruit Metro M4 feat. Microchip ATSAMD51](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382) Are you ready? Really ready? Cause here comes the fastest, most powerful Metro ever. The **Adafruit Metro M4** featuring the **Microchip ATSAMD51**. This Metro is like a bullet train, with its 120MHz Cortex M4 with floating point support. Your code will zig and zag... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3382/guides) ![Angled shot of a Adafruit Metro M4 feat. Microchip ATSAMD51. ](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3382-13.jpg) ### Adafruit 2.7" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Shield with SRAM [Adafruit 2.7" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Shield with SRAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4229) Easy e-paper finally comes to microcontrollers, with this breakout that's designed to make it a breeze to add a tri-color eInk display. Chances are you've seen one of those new-fangled 'e-readers' like the Kindle or Nook. They have gigantic electronic paper 'static'... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4229) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4229/guides) ![Top down view of a Adafruit 2.7" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Shield with SRAM - Red Black White. ](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4229-05.jpg) ## Programming Any USB data plus power cable will work if it fits your computer at one end and has a micro B connector on the other end. The one below is a favorite, but pick your own depending on your needs. - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/quickstart-using-adafruit-eink-epaper-displays-with-circuitpython/2-13-inch-tri-color-eink-featherwing.md) ## Featured Products ### Adafruit 2.13" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Display FeatherWing [Adafruit 2.13" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Display FeatherWing](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4128) Easy e-paper finally comes to your Feather, with this breakout that's designed to make it a breeze to add a tri-color eInk display. Chances are you've seen one of those new-fangled 'e-readers' like the Kindle or Nook. They have gigantic electronic paper 'static'... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4128) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4128/guides) ### Adafruit Feather M4 Express - Featuring ATSAMD51 [Adafruit Feather M4 Express - Featuring ATSAMD51](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3857) It's what you've been waiting for, the Feather M4 Express featuring ATSAMD51. This Feather is fast like a swift, smart like an owl, strong like a ox-bird (it's half ox, half bird, OK?) This feather is powered by our new favorite chip, the **ATSAMD51J19** -  with... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3857) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3857/guides) ### Adafruit 2.7" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Shield with SRAM [Adafruit 2.7" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Shield with SRAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4229) Easy e-paper finally comes to microcontrollers, with this breakout that's designed to make it a breeze to add a tri-color eInk display. Chances are you've seen one of those new-fangled 'e-readers' like the Kindle or Nook. They have gigantic electronic paper 'static'... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4229) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4229/guides) ### Adafruit Metro M4 feat. Microchip ATSAMD51 [Adafruit Metro M4 feat. Microchip ATSAMD51](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382) Are you ready? Really ready? Cause here comes the fastest, most powerful Metro ever. The **Adafruit Metro M4** featuring the **Microchip ATSAMD51**. This Metro is like a bullet train, with its 120MHz Cortex M4 with floating point support. Your code will zig and zag... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3382/guides) ### Pink and Purple Braided USB A to Micro B Cable - 2 meter long [Pink and Purple Braided USB A to Micro B Cable - 2 meter long](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4148) This cable is super-fashionable with a woven pink and purple Blinka-like pattern! First let's talk about the cover and over-molding. We got these in custom colors, and if you _have_ to have visible cables, then you might as well have the nicest fabric-bound... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4148) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4148/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit Metro M4 Express featuring ATSAMD51](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-metro-m4-express-featuring-atsamd51.md) - [Adafruit Feather M4 Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-m4-express-atsamd51.md) - [Adafruit 2.7" eInk Display Breakouts and Shields](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-2-7-eink-display-breakouts-and-shields.md) - [CircuitPython displayio Setup for TFT FeatherWings](https://learn.adafruit.com/using-circuitpython-displayio-with-a-tft-featherwing.md) - [CircuitPython 101: Functions](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-101-functions.md) - [Animated NeoPixel Glow Fur Scarf](https://learn.adafruit.com/animated-neopixel-gemma-glow-fur-scarf.md) - [I Vote(d) Pin](https://learn.adafruit.com/i-vote-d-pin.md) - [3D Printed LED Microphone Flag](https://learn.adafruit.com/3d-printed-led-microphone-flag.md) - [Currying in CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/partials-in-circuitpython.md) - [Program CircuitPython USB Devices with iPhone & iPad](https://learn.adafruit.com/use-circuitpython-devices-with-iphone-ipad.md) - [A CLI in CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/a-cli-in-circuitpython.md) - [Party Parrot Zoetrope](https://learn.adafruit.com/party-parrot-zoetrope.md) - [CircuitPython 101: Basic Builtin Data Structures](https://learn.adafruit.com/basic-datastructures-in-circuitpython.md) - [NeoPixel Bike Light](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-headlight.md) - [Make It Glow With Crickit](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-glow-with-crickit.md) - [Sketch Drawing Toy with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/sketch-drawing-toy.md) - [Adafruit eInk Display Breakouts and FeatherWings](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-eink-display-breakouts.md) - [Adding a WiFi Co-Processor to CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/adding-a-wifi-co-processor-to-circuitpython-esp8266-esp32.md)