Video walk-through
Recommended assembly procedure
-
1
Main board
Start by picking up the Picopad Pro main board. It comes from the factory fully populated – no soldering required. -
2
Battery
Plug in the battery connector. Peel the protective film from the double-sided tape on the back of the battery and stick the battery firmly to the marked spot. The wires should run alongside the battery, not under it. -
3
A, B, X, Y buttons – optional
If you don't mind the A, B, X, Y buttons rotating freely, skip ahead to step 6. The next two steps describe how to fix them in place. -
4
Fixing sticker
Use the paper template included in the box. Peel off the clear sticker and place it on the template sticky side up. Align the sticker with the outline and the holes. -
5
Sticking the buttons
Stick the A, B, X and Y buttons one by one onto the sticker. Orient each one to match the template – tweezers are recommended. The buttons must sit loosely in the cover; if anything binds, peel the sticker off and try again. -
6
Front cover and screws
Take the front cover and the longer screws and slide the screws into the cover. Flip the cover face-down so the screws don't fall out, then drop the A, B, X, Y buttons and the cross-shaped D-pad into their slots. -
7
Rubber membranes
Place the rubber membrane with the centre hole over the D-pad and the second membrane over the A, B, X, Y buttons. Make sure the membranes line up with the buttons. -
8
Spacers
Slide the small plastic spacers onto the protruding screws. -
9
Main board onto the cover
Peel the protective film off the display on the main board. Place the main board display side down onto the prepared front cover. Make sure the LEDs line up with the rectangular cut-out in the cover. -
10
Brass nuts
Fit the brass double-sided nuts onto the protruding screws and tighten. This locks the main board to the front cover. -
11
Button check
Try the buttons. If anything feels stiff or won't click cleanly, the rubber membrane is probably misaligned or one of the A, B, X, Y buttons isn't stuck on properly – go back to the relevant step. -
12
Back cover
Place the back cover on, oriented by the BOOTSEL button. Drive in the rear (short) screws and re-check that all screws – front and back – are tight. -
13
Done!
Picopad Pro is ready to power on. Switch it on and have fun! If you want to flash firmware or try programming, head over to Basics in CircuitPython or Basics in MicroPython.
Parts list
| Part | Quantity / description |
|---|---|
| Battery | Li-ion 3.7 V (600 mAh) |
| Buttons | A, B, X, Y and D-pad cross |
| Rubber membranes | 2 pcs |
| Button fixing sticker | 1 pc + 1 spare |
| PCB | Front cover, back cover, main board |
| Screws and nuts | 4× long screw, 4× short screw, 4× nut, 4× washer |
| Template | Paper template for placing the buttons |
Tip: For step 4 (button placement) use the paper template included in the box. Printed at 1:1 it gives you the exact spacing – the A, B, X, Y buttons have very little room in the front cover, so the template makes the difference.