Raspberry Pi Pico PWM Frequency Calculator
Results
PWM Frequency:
Period:
Duty Cycle:
Compare / Level Value:
High Time:
Low Time:
Resolution:
Application Guidance:
Warning:
LED Dimming Preview
MicroPython Code
Pico SDK C Code
Understanding PWM on the Raspberry Pi Pico
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) is one of the most useful features of the RP2040 microcontroller. PWM allows a digital pin to simulate analog output by rapidly switching between ON and OFF states.
Common applications include:
LED brightness control
DC motor speed control
Servo positioning
Audio generation
Power regulation
DAC emulation
Fan speed control
The Raspberry Pi Pico’s RP2040 microcontroller includes dedicated hardware PWM peripherals capable of generating highly accurate waveforms without consuming significant CPU resources.
The most important trade-off when configuring PWM is frequency versus resolution. Higher frequencies provide smoother motor control and reduce audible noise, while higher resolution provides finer control over LED brightness and analog-style outputs. Finding the correct balance depends on the application.
For LED dimming, frequencies between 500 Hz and 5 kHz typically work well. For motor control, many projects use frequencies above 20 kHz to move switching noise beyond the range of human hearing. Servo motors generally expect a 50 Hz control signal with pulse widths between 1 ms and 2 ms.
Using the Raspberry Pi Pico PWM Frequency Calculator helps developers quickly determine the optimal settings for frequency, duty cycle, and resolution before writing code.