Arduino multiple Button

This tutorial teaches you how to program an Arduino to make use multiple buttons simultaneously without using the delay() function. The tutorial provides code in two ways:

We will use five buttons as examples. You can easily modify it to adapt for two buttons, four buttons, or even more.

About Button

We have a detailed button tutorial including hardware pinout, working principle, Arduino wiring, and code instructions. Learn more here:

Wiring Diagram

Arduino multiple button Wiring Diagram

This image is created using Fritzing. Click to enlarge image

Arduino Code - Multiple Buttons with debounce

When using multiple buttons, things can get complicated in certain scenarios:

Thankfully, the ezButton library streamlines this process by internally managing debounce and button events. This relieves users from the task of managing timestamps and variables when utilizing the library. Additionally, employing an array of buttons can enhance code clarity and brevity.

/* * Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com * * This example code is in the public domain * * Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-multiple-button */ #include <ezButton.h> #define BUTTON_NUM 5 // the number of buttons #define BUTTON_PIN_1 2 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 1 #define BUTTON_PIN_2 3 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 2 #define BUTTON_PIN_3 4 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 3 #define BUTTON_PIN_4 5 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 4 #define BUTTON_PIN_5 6 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 5 ezButton button1(BUTTON_PIN_1); // create ezButton object for button 1 ezButton button2(BUTTON_PIN_2); // create ezButton object for button 2 ezButton button3(BUTTON_PIN_3); // create ezButton object for button 3 ezButton button4(BUTTON_PIN_4); // create ezButton object for button 4 ezButton button5(BUTTON_PIN_5); // create ezButton object for button 5 void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); button1.setDebounceTime(100); // set debounce time to 100 milliseconds button2.setDebounceTime(100); // set debounce time to 100 milliseconds button3.setDebounceTime(100); // set debounce time to 100 milliseconds button4.setDebounceTime(100); // set debounce time to 100 milliseconds button5.setDebounceTime(100); // set debounce time to 100 milliseconds } void loop() { button1.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first button2.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first button3.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first button4.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first button5.loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first // get button state after debounce int button1_state = button1.getState(); // the state after debounce int button2_state = button2.getState(); // the state after debounce int button3_state = button3.getState(); // the state after debounce int button4_state = button4.getState(); // the state after debounce int button5_state = button5.getState(); // the state after debounce /* Serial.print("The button 1 state: "); Serial.println(button1_state); Serial.print("The button 2 state: "); Serial.println(button2_state); Serial.print("The button 3 state: "); Serial.println(button3_state); Serial.print("The button 4 state: "); Serial.println(button4_state); Serial.print("The button 5 state: "); Serial.println(button5_state); */ if (button1.isPressed()) Serial.println("The button 1 is pressed"); if (button1.isReleased()) Serial.println("The button 1 is released"); if (button2.isPressed()) Serial.println("The button 2 is pressed"); if (button2.isReleased()) Serial.println("The button 2 is released"); if (button3.isPressed()) Serial.println("The button 3 is pressed"); if (button3.isReleased()) Serial.println("The button 3 is released"); if (button4.isPressed()) Serial.println("The button 4 is pressed"); if (button4.isReleased()) Serial.println("The button 4 is released"); if (button5.isPressed()) Serial.println("The button 5 is pressed"); if (button5.isReleased()) Serial.println("The button 5 is released"); }

Quick Steps

  • Do the wiring as above image.
  • Connect the Arduino board to your PC via a USB cable
  • Open Arduino IDE on your PC.
  • Select the right Arduino board (e.g. Arduino Uno) and COM port.
  • Click to the Libraries icon on the left bar of the Arduino IDE.
  • Search “ezButton”, then find the button library by ArduinoGetStarted
  • Click Install button to install ezButton library.
Arduino button library
  • Copy the above code and paste it to Arduino IDE.
  • Compile and upload code to Arduino board by clicking Upload button on Arduino IDE
How to upload Arduino code on Arduino IDE
  • Open Serial Monitor on Arduino IDE
  • Press and release the button one by one
COM6
Send
The button 1 is pressed The button 1 is released The button 2 is pressed The button 2 is released The button 3 is pressed The button 3 is released The button 4 is pressed The button 4 is released The button 5 is pressed The button 5 is released
Autoscroll Show timestamp
Clear output
9600 baud  
Newline  

Arduino Code - Multiple Buttons using array

We can improve the code above by employing an array of buttons. The following code utilizes this array to handle button objects.

/* * Created by ArduinoGetStarted.com * * This example code is in the public domain * * Tutorial page: https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-multiple-button */ #include <ezButton.h> #define BUTTON_NUM 5 // the number of buttons #define BUTTON_PIN_1 2 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 1 #define BUTTON_PIN_2 3 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 2 #define BUTTON_PIN_3 4 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 3 #define BUTTON_PIN_4 5 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 4 #define BUTTON_PIN_5 6 // The Arduino pin connected to the button 5 ezButton buttonArray[] = { ezButton(BUTTON_PIN_1), ezButton(BUTTON_PIN_2), ezButton(BUTTON_PIN_3), ezButton(BUTTON_PIN_4), ezButton(BUTTON_PIN_5) }; void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); for (byte i = 0; i < BUTTON_NUM; i++) { buttonArray[i].setDebounceTime(100); // set debounce time to 100 milliseconds } } void loop() { for (byte i = 0; i < BUTTON_NUM; i++) buttonArray[i].loop(); // MUST call the loop() function first for (byte i = 0; i < BUTTON_NUM; i++) { // get button state after debounce int button_state = buttonArray[i].getState(); // the state after debounce /* Serial.print("The button "); Serial.print(i + 1); Serial.print(": "); Serial.println(button_state); */ if (buttonArray[i].isPressed()) { Serial.print("The button "); Serial.print(i + 1); Serial.println(" is pressed"); } if (buttonArray[i].isReleased()) { Serial.print("The button "); Serial.print(i + 1); Serial.println(" is released"); } } }

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