Raspberry Pi Zero: specs and pinout
Small single-board computer with a 1 GHz single-core processor, 512 MB RAM, mini HDMI, micro USB OTG and micro USB power ports, and a 40-pin GPIO header footprint.
Specs
| Spec | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 1GHz single-core CPU; the schematic labels the SoC BCM2835 | source Product page specifications; schematic U1 label (Rev 1.3, sheet 1) |
| RAM | 512MB | source Product page specifications |
| Video output | Mini HDMI port; composite video header | source Product page specifications |
| USB | Micro USB OTG port; separate micro USB power port | source Product page specifications |
| GPIO header | 40-pin, HAT-compatible footprint; the schematic marks J8 as not installed (DNI) | source Product page; reduced schematic J8 (Rev 1.3) |
| Camera connector | CSI camera connector on v1.3 only | source Product page specifications |
| GPIO logic level | 3.3 V; pins are not 5 V tolerant | source GPIO section |
Power
| Value | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Supply | Micro USB power port; the schematic shows a 5V rail from the USB connector | source Product page lists 'Micro USB power' with no voltage or current rating; schematic 5V net |
Pinout
Pin names and numbers read from header J8 of the official reduced schematic (Rev 1.3). The schematic marks J8 as DNI (not installed); whether the listed unit has a header fitted is not covered by the document. GND pins are inferred from the ground symbols drawn on those pins.
| Pin | Function | Voltage | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3V3 | 3.3 V | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 | |
| 2 | 5V | 5 V | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 | |
| 3 | GPIO2 (SDA1) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 4 | 5V | 5 V | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 | |
| 5 | GPIO3 (SCL1) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 6 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 7 | GPIO4 (GPIO_GCLK) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 8 | GPIO14 (TXD0) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 9 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 10 | GPIO15 (RXD0) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 11 | GPIO17 (GPIO_GEN0) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 12 | GPIO18 (GPIO_GEN1) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 13 | GPIO27 (GPIO_GEN2) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 14 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 15 | GPIO22 (GPIO_GEN3) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 16 | GPIO23 (GPIO_GEN4) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 17 | 3V3 | 3.3 V | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 | |
| 18 | GPIO24 (GPIO_GEN5) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 19 | GPIO10 (SPI_MOSI) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 20 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 21 | GPIO9 (SPI_MISO) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 22 | GPIO25 (GPIO_GEN6) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 23 | GPIO11 (SPI_SCLK) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 24 | GPIO8 (SPI_CE0_N) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 25 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 26 | GPIO7 (SPI_CE1_N) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 27 | ID_SD | 3.3 V | Reserved for the ID EEPROM; the schematic says do not use for anything else | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 28 | ID_SC | 3.3 V | Reserved for the ID EEPROM; the schematic says do not use for anything else | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 29 | GPIO5 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 30 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 31 | GPIO6 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 32 | GPIO12 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 33 | GPIO13 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 34 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 35 | GPIO19 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 36 | GPIO16 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 37 | GPIO26 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 38 | GPIO20 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 39 | GND | 0 V | Shown joined to the ground symbols in the schematic (not text-labelled) | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
| 40 | GPIO21 | 3.3 V | 3.3 V logic; voltage level from the Raspberry Pi documentation, not the schematic | source Reduced schematic Rev 1.3, sheet 1, header J8 |
Build with it
Project ideas for the Raspberry Pi Zero. Each link opens Soldr with the prompt filled in; Soldr assigns the pins, checks power and shows how to wire every part.
- Room temperature logger: The Pi has no analog input, so a digital 1-Wire sensor suits it. Power the sensor from the 3.3 V pin so its signal stays at the Pi's 3.3 V GPIO level.
- Pi status display: Uses the I2C pins (pin 3 SDA1, pin 5 SCL1); power the OLED from the 3.3 V pin 1 so logic stays at 3.3 V.
- Weather logger: I2C sensor on the same two I2C pins, 3.3 V supply; the Zero needs no ADC for this.
- RFID tap counter: SPI pins 19, 21, 23, 24 are on the header. Learning project: tell people their card taps are logged and get their consent.
Common mistakes
- Connecting a 5 V signal to a GPIO pin: the GPIO pins run at 3.3 V and are not 5 V tolerant (source)
- Using pins 27 and 28 as ordinary GPIO: the schematic reserves ID_SD and ID_SC for an ID EEPROM and says not to use them for anything else (source)
- Expecting a fitted header: the schematic marks the 40-pin header J8 as DNI, so pins may need soldering (source)
Not covered by the official source
- No official Zero product brief is available, so supply current and wireless are not stated.
- The Zero W (wireless) is a separate board; the listing title does not mention wireless, so none is stated.
- The per-pin GPIO current limits are not confirmed by an official document and are not stated.