# Source: https://learn.adafruit.com/1-8-tft-display/testing-the-shield.md

# 1.8" TFT Display Breakout and Shield

## Testing the Shield

You can test your assembled shield using the example code from the library.

Start by installing a bunch of libraries!

## Open the Arduino Library manager
![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/547/medium800/arduino_compatibles_libmanager.png?1541983232)

Install the **Adafruit GFX Library**

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/548/medium800/arduino_compatibles_image.png?1541983286)

If using an older version of the Arduino IDE (pre-1.8.10), also locate and install the **Adafruit\_BusIO** library (newer versions do this automatically when using the Arduino Library Manager).

 **Adafruit ST7735 Library**

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/549/medium800/arduino_compatibles_image.png?1541983304)

 **Adafruit seesaw Library**

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/555/medium800/arduino_compatibles_image.png?1541983379)

[You can read more about installing libraries in our tutorial](http://learn.adafruit.com/arduino-tips-tricks-and-techniques/arduino-libraries).  
  
Restart the Arduino IDE.

# 1.8" Shield with seesaw
If your shield looks like this, you have the 1.8" seesaw version (the most recent) which will work with just about any/all boards. For this version load up the **seesaw\_shield18\_test example**

![arduino_compatibles_pinouts.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/558/medium640/arduino_compatibles_pinouts.jpg?1541983638)

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/557/medium800/arduino_compatibles_image.png?1541983592)

Upload to your microcontroller, and open the serial port watcher at **9600** baud:

The sketch waits until the serial port is opened (you can make it auto-start once you know things are working by removing the `while (!Serial);` line

&nbsp;

Check that the seesaw chip is detected, you should see text display on the TFT after a quick draw test.

If you don't have an SD card inserted, it will fail to init the SD card, that's ok you can continue with the test

![arduino_compatibles_image.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/572/medium640/arduino_compatibles_image.png?1541984632)

Once you've gotten this far try pressing all the buttons on the board (except for RESET) to activate the invert-blinking loop.

Info: 

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/645/medium800thumb/arduino_compatibles_ezgif-4-430b34d52a3b.jpg?1541985597)

[For more details about seesaw, check out our guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-seesaw-atsamd09-breakout) - we made a nice wrapper for the 1.8" TFT to control the backlight and read buttons but it still might be useful to know the underlying protocol

## Displaying a Bitmap

If you have [parrot.bmp](http://learn.adafruit.com/system/assets/assets/000/010/143/original/parrot.bmp) stored on the SD card you will get a nice parrot display once the buttons have all been pressed

![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/065/623/medium800/arduino_compatibles_image.png?1541985212)

- [Previous Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/1-8-tft-display/1-8-tft-shield.md)
- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/1-8-tft-display/circuitpython-displayio-quickstart.md)

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