Fix Avrdude: Stk500_recv(): Programmer Is Not Responding | SOLVED

Ever stumbled across this error message when trying to upload a sketch?

avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not respondingavrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x00

Is this some kind of joke? Who is this mysterious AVR Dude, why is he so uncool, and — most importantly — what does he have against you trying to upload a sketch to your Arduino? It’s beyond frustrating.

In this quick lesson, you’ll learn how to banish the mysterious AVR dude to the dusty highways of the nether realms. Or, to be less poetic, you’ll learn how to get rid of this error so you can get back to uploading your sketch.

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So who is this AVR dude, and why does the error happen?

AVRDude stands for AVR Downloader Uploader and is a utility used by the Arduino IDE. The utility’s main job is pretty straightforward — it allows you to load code onto your Arduino board.

So that’s who the dude is, but why does the error happen?

The avrdude: stk500_recv() error message is alerting you to a generic connection error between your computer and the Arduino. I wish I could keep it simple and tell you this error happens because of one single problem, but that would be too easy. This generic error can pop up for a host of reasons.

But don’t worry, I’ve got your back. In this lesson, I’m going to go through a “laundry list” of possible solutions. (Many thanks to “The Guy with The Hat” from the Arduino Stack Exchange for compiling this great list of fixes.) I’ll walk through each in detail, starting at the most common and easiest and moving on to more detailed troubleshooting tasks if those don’t work.

Here goes.

Let’s start with the easy stuff

Before we touch on some of the more elaborate and involved potential solutions, it’s smart to rule out all those obvious and small glitches.

• Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable: I told you we’d start simple.
• Press the reset button: If your Arduino board has a reset button on it, press it and see if you can now upload without the avrdude: stk500_recv() error.
• Close and reopen the Arduino IDE: Giving the Arduino IDE a fresh start can fix a host of problems avrdude stk500_recv errors included.
• Make sure you have the right Arduino board selected: In the Arduino IDE, go to Tools> Board, and select the Arduino board you’re using from the list.

• Make sure you have the correct port selected: In the Arduino IDE, go to Tools>Port and select the port corresponding to your board. On a PC, it will start with COM. On a Mac, it should start with cu.usb.

Useful tip: If you’re unsure of the correct port, take note of all the ports you have listed. Then disconnect your Arduino board from the USB cable and check the port menu again. The port now missing from the list is the port your Arduino was using.

• Remove connections to the RX and TX pins: The Receive (RX) and Transmit (TX) pins (pins 0 and 1) are used when you upload sketches to your Arduino board. Unplugging connections to those pins may banish the avrdude: stk500_recv() upload error.
• Remove any shields: If you have an Arduino shield attached to your Arduino board, remove the shield and try uploading again. The shield may have a circuit interfering with the transmit and receive pins.

Programming Electronics Academy members, check out the Familiarization section of the Arduino Course for Absolute Beginners to learn about all the stuff on an Arduino board.

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Still getting avrdude: stk500_recv() error?

If you’re still getting the avrdude: stk500_recv() error, all is not lost — not by a long shot. It’s time to dig into some real troubleshooting.

So what could be going wrong here? We know the problem could be at three possible locations: the USB cable, the Arduino Board, or your computer. We’ll use a process of elimination to figure out the point of failure.

• Test the USB Cable: USB cables fail, and surprisingly often. Check to see if using a different USB cable gets rid of the avrdude: stk500_recv() error.
• Test another Arduino board: If you have one handy, try uploading to another Arduino board. Did the avrdude: stk500_recv() error suddenly vanish? Your original board is the likely culprit.
• Test a different computer: If you’ve ruled out your USB cable and Arduino board, try uploading your sketch to another computer with the Arduino IDE installed on it. If you can successfully upload a sketch to the other computer, the avrdude: stk500_recv() error probably originates at your computer.

Once you have some hard data on the point of failure, you can read one of the following three sections to hone in on resolving the avrdude: stk500_recv() error.

The USB cable is to blame!

Well, I’ll go right ahead and state the obvious solution. Use a different cable 🙂

My computer is the problem

Here are three fixes you can try.

• Reinstall the Arduino IDE: Just go to the Arduino website, download the most recent version of the IDE and install it again. Don’t worry, this won’t affect your old sketches. They’ll still be stored in your sketchbook folder.
• Reinstall drivers: If you’re still getting the avrdude: stk500_recv() error, you’ll need to check that your drivers are installed correctly. These should be installed automatically when you install the Arduino IDE, but you can always try installing them manually.
• Check to see if you need different drivers: Some Arduino clones require special drivers. You should be able to download these drivers from the website of the company that makes the board. If you can’t, contact the company directly.

Programming Electronics Academy members, learn about the Arduino IDE toolchain in the Familiarization section of the Arduino Course for Absolute Beginners.

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My Arduino board is causing the stk500_recv() error:

This is where things get a little dicey. It may be that your Arduino board is bricked — electronics speak for broken in a manner that does not allow fixing. But try these steps before you throw it out and buy a new board:

• Check that the microcontroller is seated properly: Some Arduino boards have a removable microcontroller chip — the Arduino UNO, for example. Check that it’s seated properly on the circuit board.
• Burn a new bootloader: The bootloader is a program on your microcontroller that allows sketches to run. A corrupt bootloader can cause the stk500_recv() error. Try burning a new bootloader on the microcontroller.
• Swap out a spare microcontroller: Got a spare microcontroller handy? If the kaput Arduino board has a removable microcontroller, you could always replace it with your backup microcontroller. You’ll have to load the microcontroller with the bootloader — as described in the previous step.
• Use old bootloader – If you board is using an Arduino Nano with a ATmega328p processor try using the old bootloader. In the Arduino IDE go to Tools –> Processor –> ATmega328p (Old Bootloader)

Have you banished the dude?

By the time you get here, you’ll hopefully have banished the AVR dude back to the shadowy chaos realm from whence he sprung. With any luck, you’ll never meet him again. But if you do, now you have some tricks up your sleeve to get rid of the avrdude: stk500_recv() error swiftly and efficiently.

If you’re still getting the error, please read the comments below. You may find the hidden clue you’ve been looking for. Drop us a line in the comments if you don’t — someone out there may have faced the same problem.

And, of course, if you found a different solution, please leave a comment — it may help someone else.

Because sometimes evil dude banishment takes a village.