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SMD-22 Module · ESP-12F
ActiveESP8266 Wi-Fi Module
ESP-12F
Espressif Systems · SMD-22 Module · ESP8266 Wi-Fi Module
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Get a competitive quote within 24 hours. Volume discounts available. Shenzhen stock ships in 1-2 business days.
Overview
The ESP-12F is the small, cheap Wi-Fi module that carried the first generation of connected devices: a 24 x 16 x 3 mm SMD-22 castellated carrier built on the ESP8266EX SoC with 4 MB (32 Mbit) of SPI flash and an on-board PCB antenna. The SoC integrates a 32-bit Tensilica L106 core clocked at 80 MHz and up to 160 MHz with the full Wi-Fi MAC, baseband, RF, PA and LNA chain on one die, supporting IEEE 802.11 b/g/n in the 2400-2483.5 MHz band, station, SoftAP and combined SoftAP+station modes, WEP/WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK security and a complete TCP/IP stack. It is Wi-Fi only - there is no Bluetooth on the ESP8266 family, which is the single most common specification mistake buyers make on this part.
The module exposes nine usable I/O plus a 10-bit ADC input limited to 0-1 V, UART up to 4.6 Mbps (default 115200), SPI, I2C and PWM functions, and GPIO16 is used to wake the chip from deep sleep by tying it to RST. Power is 3.0 V to 3.6 V (2.7 V to 3.6 V absolute per the electrical characteristics) and the supply must be able to deliver 500 mA-class peaks: transmit in 802.11b at +17 dBm draws roughly 170 mA, receive about 50-56 mA, modem sleep about 20 mA, light sleep about 2 mA and deep sleep around 20 microamps. Layout matters - the antenna keepout must be respected, the PCB antenna should sit off the board edge, and bulk plus high-frequency decoupling must be close to the VCC pad or the module will brown out during association.
Counterfeit risk on ESP-12F is high because the module has no brand-locked supply chain. Common problems are 1 MB or 2 MB flash remarked as 4 MB, ESP8266EX dies that are rejects or pulls, and non-Ai-Thinker copies with poor antenna tuning that radiate several dB less. Verify each lot with esptool flash_id and a transmit-power check on a spectrum analyser or a known-good link-margin test, and confirm the module dimensions and pad count against the datasheet drawing. MOQ is typically one tray or reel of 500-1,000 pcs, with 50 pcs loose for prototypes; Shenzhen stock generally ships in 1-2 days.
Key Features
- ESP8266EX SoC with Tensilica L106 core at 80 MHz (up to 160 MHz) and 4 MB SPI flash
- IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, 2400-2483.5 MHz, station / SoftAP / SoftAP+station with full TCP/IP stack
- Nine usable GPIO plus a 10-bit ADC input, UART to 4.6 Mbps, SPI, I2C and PWM
- Deep-sleep current around 20 microamps for battery-friendly duty-cycled sensors
- Compact 24 x 16 x 3 mm SMD-22 module with on-board PCB antenna at 3.0-3.6 V
Typical Applications
- Wi-Fi smart plugs, switches, bulbs and appliance controllers
- Low-cost sensor nodes publishing to MQTT or HTTP endpoints
- UART-to-Wi-Fi bridges that add connectivity to existing MCU firmware via AT commands
- NodeMCU-style development boards and hobbyist prototyping platforms
- Retrofit projects where an ESP8266 firmware base already exists
Specifications
- Wireless Standard
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (STA / SoftAP / STA+SoftAP)
- Frequency Band
- 2400 to 2483.5 MHz
- Core
- Tensilica L106 32-bit (ESP8266EX)
- Max Clock
- 160 MHz
- Flash
- 4 MB
- Antenna
- On-board PCB antenna
- VCC
- 3.0 to 3.6 V
- TX Power (802.11b)
- 16 ±2 dBm
- Pins
- 22
- RoHS
- Compliant
Procurement Tips
Buy the ESP-12F only where an existing ESP8266 firmware investment justifies it; for new designs quote the ESP32-C3-MINI-1 in parallel, since it adds Bluetooth LE 5, RISC-V performance and better security at a similar price point and avoids an end-of-life migration later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the ESP-12F and the ESP-12E?
Both are 22-pad ESP8266EX modules with 4 MB of flash and the same pin functions. The ESP-12F is the later Ai-Thinker revision with a redesigned PCB antenna and improved RF consistency; the ESP-12E is the older version used on many NodeMCU boards. In practice they are interchangeable on the same footprint, but validate antenna performance if you switch vendors.
Does the ESP-12F support Bluetooth?
No. The ESP8266 family is Wi-Fi only. If your product needs BLE alongside Wi-Fi, move to an ESP32-based module such as the ESP32-WROOM-32, or to the ESP32-C3-MINI-1, which Espressif positions as the low-cost ESP8266 successor with Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth LE 5.
Why does my ESP-12F keep resetting when it connects to Wi-Fi?
Almost always a power problem. Transmit bursts draw up to about 170 mA and the supply must not sag below 3.0 V. Use a regulator rated 500 mA or more, put 10-22 microfarads of bulk capacitance plus 100 nF right at the module VCC and GND pads, keep power traces short and wide, and avoid feeding the module from a long, thin AMS1117 trace run. Also check that CH_PD/EN is held high and GPIO15 is low at boot.
How much flash do I really need, and how do I confirm 4 MB is fitted?
The ESP-12F ships with 4 MB (32 Mbit) of SPI flash, which comfortably holds firmware plus an OTA image and a small SPIFFS/LittleFS filesystem. Confirm it with esptool.py flash_id, which reports the manufacturer and density directly from the flash chip - the fastest way to catch a 1 MB or 2 MB counterfeit module before it reaches the line.
How do I detect counterfeit ESP-12F modules?
Check flash density with esptool flash_id, compare physical dimensions (24 x 16 x 3 mm) and the 22-pad pattern to the datasheet drawing, inspect the shield marking and solder quality, and measure conducted or radiated transmit power - clones frequently radiate 3-6 dB less and have detuned antennas. Also verify the deep-sleep current, since fake modules often leak milliamps instead of tens of microamps.
What is the MOQ and lead time?
Prototypes start at 50 pcs loose; production MOQ is typically 500-1,000 pcs on tray or reel. Authorised Ai-Thinker/Espressif channel lead time is usually 3-6 weeks. Our Shenzhen stock generally ships in 1-2 business days and can include a per-lot esptool verification record.
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