Start your Arduino instantly - no boot time without bootloader

Every now and then you need your Arduino to boot / start faster. By default your Arduino has a bootloader. This bootloader makes it easy to program. But this bootloader slows down the start time while is it checking for new code on the serial.

When you have you completed project and want to upload it without the bootloader so that it will boot faster you can use a second Arduino to program the first one. We will here use Arduino as ISP (ArduinoISP) to program an Arduino.

And we will burn the booloader back to the chip again, so you can use is as an ordinary Arduino again.

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Arduino Compatible UNO R3 ATmega16U2

UNO R3 ATmega328P Development Board

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[axe.capital]

Very nice simple explanation. Thank you very much, I will be trying this on the weekend.
P.s. I noticed at 3:25 a typo where it displays "5V" to "5V", but what you said is correct "5V" to "VIN". Still understood it.

[ismailtan]

I kept failing uploading my sketch by pressing "Upload" instead of "Upload Using Programmer". Much appreciated! Simple and straight to the point.

[petittoto]

Thank you for the info. I "discovered" that my nano take 1.6s to start and it was a problem so I had to find (and didn't find) an other solution. This may be it.

[tjoho]

Thanks very much. This was exactly what I was looking for! Very good way of explaining 👌

[kralece]

As a newb can somebody help me. It is a very simple kitchen counter. there are 2 buttons. One button counts down from 30 minutes and other one counts down from 10 minutes. How shall i save the battery? shall i put the arduino sleep or shall i turn it off completely and remove the bootloader and if possible turn on the arduino by pressing these buttons? (is second one doable?)

[brahimaljene]

This will always work properly as long as you have a short sketch. If a portion of a long sketch is written where the bootloader was supposed to be located, then you will have some unexpected behavior as the program could start somewhere in the middle of the sketch when rebooting. In the case of a sketch calculated to be too long, some fuses has to be be changed to point to the beginning of the sketch instead of the former bootloader reset/boot point. Thanks for the very clear and practical video btw!

[sameerk]

Thank you very much for this informative tutorial...This method worked for me....My nano board was failed, I was not able to upload any program to it using serial cable....but your method saved my money and now I am able to program that failed nano board through uno board. Only problem is both the chips are getting programmed together with same program. Target board and Master board both are getting programed together with same program.

[bernardbritton]

Hi, I tried your tutorial on a custom board with a virgin atmega328 using 3.3 volts and a 8MHz crystal and I could not get it to work. The only way I was successful was by using Nick Gammon Arduino Board programmer first,
Can you let me know if you way can work on a virgin atmega328 without a boot loader?

[sw]

This looks like a good idea. I have a Nano that takes 5 seconds from when power is applied to the unit doing what it's supposed to do. Way too long. I need it to start immediately. Given that my board already has the bootloader installed, how do I remove it?

[silenthunter]

thanks a lot. I looking for this for a long time

[jheymo]

Hi, Is it possible with this method to upload code to a ATmega328p-AU that has no bootloader on it? i dont want burn a bootloader in it and i only have a icsp pins available, thanks

[rocketfuel-]

Great video. Very usefull for many application when arduino goes to sleep mode and wake up regulary to do something.

[wickedprotos]

Why are you running leds without a dropping resistor?

[tommestommes]

This is great! Perfect tutorial! Thank you very much!!!

[ahmedelwan]

nice video but how to remove bootloader if chip have one !!!

[titi]

good explanation! very pleasant to watch! thank you!

[RadionicaExpress]

Is it possible with this method to upload code to a ATmega328p AU that has no bootloader on it?

[skystudiopl]

If I clear the bootloader, will the sketch be kept on the device? I have a very tightly integrated Arduino Nano that does what it's supposed but I'd like to make it boot quicker. It's glued in and there's no room for soldering or anything and I was wondering if it's possible to remove the bootloader and not have to re-upload the sketch through the (unavailable) ISP.

[lazerbird]

Say you want to permanently program an arduino, is it possible to program it and remove the bootloader without using an Programer-ISP?
(I realise, you will not be able to reprogram it without hooking it upp to a "programer" if it should work.)