ESP32 Boards Error in Arduino IDE — Here’s How I Fixed It!

When I first tried to install the ESP32 boards in the Arduino IDE using the standard Boards Manager, I ran into a frustrating error.

ERROR Failed to install platform: 'Arduino ESP32 Boards:2.0.18-arduino.5'. DEADLINE_EXCEEDED: context deadline exceeded (Client.Timeout or context cancellation while reading body)

This timeout error prevented me from completing the installation, and after several attempts, I realized that relying on the automated process wasn’t going to work. That’s when I decided to switch to a manual installation method.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the exact steps I followed to manually install the ESP32 boards in the Arduino IDE.

Download the ESP32 Core Source

To begin, you’ll need to grab the latest source files directly from the Official Espressif GitHub Repository. Simply click the green “Code” button, select “Download ZIP,” and save it to your computer.

Once the download is complete, extract the contents and you’ll be left with a folder typically named arduino-esp32-master. This contains all the core files we’ll be placing into the Arduino directory in the next step.

Locate Your Sketchbook

Think of the Arduino IDE as having two separate sections: one for the main app and one for your personal work. It keeps its own system files in one place and your custom projects and boards in another called the Sketchbook. This setup is great because it means when you update the software, your custom boards and projects won’t get deleted or messed up. Because of this, the IDE will only scan the Sketchbook folder for third-party boards like the ESP32. If the files aren’t in this exact location, the “ESP32” option simply won’t appear in your menu.

To find your specific path:

Open the Arduino IDE.
Go to File > Preferences.
Note the path listed under Sketchbook location (on Windows, this is usually Documents/Arduino).

⚠️ My Personal Mistake I originally thought I should place the files in C:\Users\jawhe\.arduinoIDE, assuming that since it had the IDE name, it was the correct system folder. I was wrong. That folder is only for internal settings, and putting the files there is wrong. Everything looks right, but the boards never show up. Learn from my mistake and focus on the right location of the Sketchbook path you found in your preferences!

Create the Hardware Folder Structure

The Arduino IDE requires a specific “nesting” of folders to recognize the new hardware.

Navigate to your Sketchbook location in File Explorer.
Create a folder named hardware.
Inside hardware, create a folder named espressif.
Inside espressif, paste your downloaded ESP32 core folder and rename it simply to esp32.

Your final path must look like this:
Documents/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/

💡 A Quick Tip for Success When you open your new esp32 folder, you should see a long list of different items (like cores, libraries, and tools) just like in the image below. If you only see one single folder inside named arduino-esp32-master, it means you have a "double folder." You’ll need to open that folder, select everything inside, and move it all out into the main esp32 folder so the Arduino IDE can find it easily.

Run the Tool Compiler

Even with all the folders in the right place, there is one last thing to do. You need to download the “compiler,” which is the engine that actually turns your code into a language the ESP32 chip understands.

To finish the installation:

Find the ‘tools’ folder: It’s right there inside the esp32 folder you just set up.
Run ‘get.exe’: Inside the tools folder, look for a file called get.exe. Right-click it and select Run as Administrator.

Now wait for the magic! A black window will pop up and start downloading files. This procedure can take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes depending on your internet.

After downloading the ESP32 package, the installation window will close automatically, indicating that the process is complete.
To verify that the manual installation was successful, restart the Arduino IDE. Then, navigate to Tools > Board and check the list of available boards. If the installation worked correctly, you should see options such as ESP32 Dev Module, ESP32 Wrover Module, and other ESP32 variants.

⚠️ Note on Installation Issues If get.exe closes instantly, it often means your antivirus or firewall is blocking the download. In most cases, running the script as Administrator is enough to resolve permission problems. However, if the issue persists, you may need to temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall for a few minutes while running the installer. Once the installation is complete, don’t forget to re‑enable your security software to keep your system protected.

That’s it! Once your ESP32 boards are showing up in the Arduino IDE, you’re ready to dive into your projects and start experimenting. For me, this process was a little tricky at first, but it pushed me to search for answers, learn new things, and understand the setup more deeply.

If you’ve faced the same ESP32 error, I hope this post helped you tackle the issue and taught you something new. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next post!
Jawher