1.3″ Inch Blue(Or White) I2C IIC OLED LCD Module 4pin (with VCC GND SCL SDA)

Pinout & Connection Guide

The 4-pin I2C interface is extremely simple – perfect for beginners and rapid prototyping.

I2C Pin Mapping for Common Development Boards

Wiring Diagram (Arduino Uno)

OLED Module          →    Arduino Uno
─────────────────────────────────────
VCC                  →    5V
GND                  →    GND
SCL                  →    A5
SDA                  →    A4

SH1106 vs SSD1306: Important Note

Unlike 0.96″ displays that typically use the SSD1306 driver, 1.3″ OLEDs generally use the SH1106 driver . While both are excellent drivers, they have a key difference:

• SH1106 has internal RAM of 132×64 pixels (display area is 128×64). The extra 4 columns are typically not displayed

• SSD1306 has internal RAM of 128×64 pixels

This means you cannot use an SSD1306 library with an SH1106 display without modifications. Use libraries that explicitly support SH1106, such as:

• Adafruit_SH1106 (esp. for 128×64 displays)

• U8g2 library (supports both SH1106 and SSD1306)

• SparkFun Qwiic OLED Library (for 1.3″ displays)

Usage Guide (Arduino IDE)

Step 1: Install Required Libraries

You need two libraries – one for graphics and one for the SH1106 driver.

Option A: Adafruit SH1106 (Recommended for SH1106)

1. Open Arduino IDE → Sketch → Include Library → Manage Libraries

2. Search for and install:

   • “Adafruit GFX Library” (Core graphics primitives)

   • “Adafruit SH1106” (Hardware driver for SH1106)

Option B: U8g2 (Multi-driver support)

• Search for and install “U8g2” by Oliver Kraus – supports both SSD1306 and SH1106 with many fonts.

Step 2: I2C Address Verification

Most 1.3″ I2C OLED modules use address 0x3C (0x78 write, 0x79 read) . Run this scanner to verify:

#include <Wire.h>

void setup() {
  Wire.begin();
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("I2C Scanner");
}

void loop() {
  byte error, address;
  int nDevices = 0;
  
  for(address = 1; address < 127; address++) {
    Wire.beginTransmission(address);
    error = Wire.endTransmission();
    
    if(error == 0) {
      Serial.print("I2C device found at address 0x");
      if(address < 16) Serial.print("0");
      Serial.println(address, HEX);
      nDevices++;
    }
  }
  
  if(nDevices == 0) Serial.println("No I2C devices found");
  delay(5000);
}

Step 3: Basic Test Sketch (Adafruit SH1106 – Recommended)

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SH1106.h>

// Screen dimensions
#define SCREEN_WIDTH 128
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT 64

// Set OLED_RESET to 4 or -1 (if sharing Arduino reset pin) [citation:3]
#define OLED_RESET 4

// Create display object
Adafruit_SH1106 display(OLED_RESET);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  
  // Initialize display with I2C address 0x3C [citation:5]
  if(!display.begin(SH1106_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C)) {
    Serial.println(F("SH1106 allocation failed"));
    for(;;); // Don't proceed if initialization fails
  }
  
  display.clearDisplay();               // Clear the screen buffer
  display.setTextSize(2);               // Set text size (1 = normal, 2 = double)
  display.setTextColor(WHITE);          // Set text color
  display.setCursor(10, 25);            // Set cursor position (x, y)
  display.println("1.3 OLED");
  display.println("Ready!");
  display.display();                    // Push buffer to screen
}

void loop() {
  // Your code here
}

Step 4: Alternative using U8g2 Library (More Font Options)

#include <Arduino.h>
#include <U8g2lib.h>
#include <Wire.h>

// U8G2_SH1106_128X64_NONAME_1_HW_I2C u8g2(U8G2_R0, /* reset=*/ U8X8_PIN_NONE);
U8G2_SH1106_128X64_NONAME_F_HW_I2C u8g2(U8G2_R0, U8X8_PIN_NONE);

void setup() {
  u8g2.begin();
  u8g2.enableUTF8Print();
}

void loop() {
  u8g2.firstPage();
  do {
    u8g2.setFont(u8g2_font_ncenB08_tr);
    u8g2.drawStr(0, 20, "1.3 OLED!");
    u8g2.drawStr(0, 40, "128x64");
    u8g2.drawStr(0, 60, "SH1106");
  } while ( u8g2.nextPage() );
  delay(1000);
}

Understanding the Display Buffer Workflow

Most OLED libraries use a buffer-based drawing system:

• Drawing functions write to an in-memory buffer (not directly to the screen)

• You must call display.display() (Adafruit) or u8g2.nextPage() (U8g2) to transfer the buffer contents to the actual OLED panel

This double-buffering technique prevents screen flicker and allows you to build complex frames efficiently.

Power Management for Battery-Powered Projects

OLED displays are excellent for low-power applications because only lit pixels consume power .

Power-Saving Tips:

• Update the display only when values change rather than continuously refreshing

• Use display.ssd1306_command(SSD1306_DISPLAYOFF) to turn the display OFF when not actively needed

• Avoid displaying large white or high-density areas continuously to maximize battery life