WLED Setup
Walkthrough
Everything you need to get your new LED strip and Gledopto WLED controller up and running. Follow along step by step — you'll be glowing in minutes.
What You'll Need
Make sure you have all of these on hand before starting:
- Gledopto GL-C-016WL-D WLED Controller
- WS2811 LED Strip (addressable, 12V)
- 12V DC Power Supply rated for your strip's total wattage
- Smartphone (iPhone or Android)
- WiFi Network (2.4 GHz — WLED does not support 5 GHz)
Wire Your LED Strip
The Gledopto controller has two LED outputs. GPIO16 is the default and should be used first. GPIO2 is a secondary output you can enable later in the app.
| Wire | Controller Terminal | Description |
|---|---|---|
| VCC (Red) | VCC | +12V Power |
| DATA (Green) | DATA (GPIO16) | Signal wire to LED strip DIN |
| GND (Black/White) | GND | Ground — must be shared between controller & strip |
Power On & Connect to WLED-AP
- Power on the controller by connecting your 12V power supply. The first 30 LEDs should light up orange — that means WLED is running.
- On your phone, open WiFi Settings and look for a network called WLED-AP
- Connect to it using the password wled1234
- Your phone should automatically open the WLED welcome page. If it doesn't, open a browser and go to 4.3.2.1
Configure Your Home WiFi
- On the WLED welcome page, tap "WIFI SETTINGS".
- Enter your home WiFi network name (SSID) and password.
- Tap "Save & Connect" at the top of the page.
- The controller will disconnect from WLED-AP and join your home WiFi. Reconnect your phone to your home WiFi.
- The controller now has a local IP address on your network. You can find it in your router's admin page or through the WLED app (next step).
Download the WLED App
The WLED app gives you full control of your LEDs from your phone — colors, effects, presets, and more.
Once installed:
- Open the WLED app and tap the "+" button in the upper right corner.
- Tap "Discover Lights" — the app will scan your network.
- When you see "Found WLED!", tap the checkmark to add it.
- Your controller will now appear in the app's device list. Tap it to open the control panel.
Configure Your LED Strip
Now tell WLED what type of LEDs you have and how many.
- In the WLED control page, tap "Config" (top-right corner).
- Select "LED Preferences".
- Under Hardware Setup, set the following:
Setting Value LED Type WS2811 Color Order RGB GPIO Pin 16 (default) Length (LED Count) Your strip's LED count - Tap "Save" at the top of the page. The controller will reboot with your settings.
Explore Effects & Presets
This is the fun part! WLED comes loaded with 186+ lighting effects right out of the box.
Color Picker — Tap the color wheel to choose any color. You can also set a specific brightness using the slider.
Effects — Scroll through the effects list to try them out. Popular ones include:
- Rainbow — Classic flowing rainbow cycle
- Twinkle — Random sparkling LEDs
- Fire — Realistic fire simulation
- Chase — Moving dot patterns
- Audio Reactive — Effects that respond to sound (requires mic setup)
Presets — Found a combo you love? Save it as a preset so you can recall it instantly. WLED supports up to 250 presets.
Segments — Split your strip into separate zones, each running different effects and colors independently. Great for creating custom lighting scenes.
🎤 Bonus: Microphone Setup (Audio-Reactive Effects) ▶
The Gledopto controller has a built-in microphone for sound-reactive lighting effects. Here's how to enable it:
- In the WLED control page, tap "Config" → "Usermods".
- Find "Digital Mic" and set these values:
Setting Value Microphone Type Generic I2S I2S SD Pin 26 I2S WS Pin 5 I2S SCK Pin 21 - Tap "Save", then power cycle the controller (unplug and replug power). The mic only activates after a full reboot.
- Back on the control page, tap "Info" at the top, then toggle the button next to "Audio Reactive" to enable it.
- Browse effects marked with a ♫ symbol — these respond to sound!
⚡ Bonus: Relay Configuration (Power Saving) ▶
The controller has a built-in relay on GPIO 12 that can completely cut output power when LEDs are off, saving energy.
- Go to Config → "LED Preferences".
- Scroll down to find "Relay GPIO".
- Set the GPIO to 12 and make sure "Invert" is unchecked.
- Tap "Save" to apply.
Troubleshooting & Reset
Physical Button Functions:
Common Issues:
App-Based Factory Reset:
- Go to Config → "Security & Updates" (at the bottom).
- Scroll down to "Factory reset" and check the box.
- Tap "Save". The controller will reset and re-enable the WLED-AP hotspot.
Controller Quick Reference
Gledopto GL-C-016WL-D — ESP32 WLED Digital LED Controller with Mic