ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Servo & Relay Control Project

How to Build an ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Servo and Relay Controller (No WiFi Needed)

Last Updated on December 1, 2025 by Engr. Shahzada Fahad

Description:

This is Version 6, and yes; this is the final article in our MaTouch 1.28-inch Toolset Timer Switch Relay Kit series.

ESP32 controlling servo and relay wirelessly through ESP-NOW Wireless Control

Imagine controlling your devices wirelessly; not from your phone, not through a Wi-Fi router, and not via any IoT platform; but directly using the ESP32 ESP-NOW wireless control feature.




ESP32 board configured for ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control communication

That’s right; today, we are using ESP-NOW, a power

ful communication protocol from Espressif that allows two or more ESP32 boards to send and receive data instantly without the need for an internet connection or access point.

ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control setup with transmitter and receiver modules

It’s fast, reliable, and perfect for projects like this; where you want real-time control and instant feedback between multiple devices.

I really love this kit because its top part is completely detachable; which means you can use it separately or integrate it into other projects.



ESP32-S3 relay timer kit designed for ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control projects

If you have been following my previous articles, you will remember that in Version 1, I promised that one day we will make this upper part of the kit act as the transmitter and today, in Version 6, we are finally doing it.

Project layout showing ESP32 transmitter–receiver ESP-NOW Wireless Control

On the receiver side, I am using my custom ESP32 development board, which includes a relay connected to GPIO13. And the Servo is connected to GPIO4.

Together, they will create a complete wireless servo and relay control system; fully interactive and responsive.

Before the practical demonstration, let’s first take a look at the UI I created in SquareLine Studio.



UI Design in SquareLine Studio:

SquareLine Studio UI design for relay control in ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control

On Screen 1, we are displaying the date and time; I have used this same background image and labels in all my previous versions.

On Screen 2, we are showing the servo angle, which we will send to the receiver.

And on Screen 3, I have added a switch to control the relay on the receiver side.

Whenever I turn this switch ON or OFF, the “Relayfun” function is called.

I have only added three screens, but you can easily create more if you want.

I didn’t go into too much detail here because I have already explained all the basics of smartwatch programming in my dedicated series; so make sure to read those first for a better understanding.



Programming:

First, you need to download both codes; one for the transmitter side and one for the receiver side.

Transmitter Side Code:




Receiver Side Code:

Start by uploading the receiver code.

Once it’s uploaded, open the Serial Monitor and copy the MAC address shown there.

Receiver MAC address screen for configuring ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control

Then, paste this MAC address into the transmitter code,



Coding view of MAC pairing for ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control transmitter

and finally, upload the transmitter code.

I have already explained in detail how to upload the code and which library versions to use in the earlier videos and articles of this series, so make sure to watch or read those first if you haven’t already.

Practical Demonstration:

Both the transmitter and receiver sides are completely ready; so let’s go ahead and power them up.

The transmitter first sends the servo angle wirelessly; but only when the encoder is active.

Right now, you can see I am rotating the encoder, but nothing is happening. That’s because the encoder is deactivated.

Wireless servo control using an encoder through ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control

To activate it, we simply press the built-in pushbutton.



Once active, every small rotation updates the servo position on the receiver instantly — smooth, precise, and completely lag-free.

ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control system managing a servo with an encoder

When the encoder is deactivated, it doesn’t control the servo in real-time, but you can still use it to set the desired angle. Then, as soon as you press the button, the servo position updates immediately.

If I swipe my finger to the right, you will see screen3; where I have added a switch to control the relay on the receiver side.

Hardware demo of relay activation via ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control

The moment I toggle the switch, the relay responds instantly.

Relay control UI screen created in SquareLine Studio for ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control

It’s incredibly fast!

And you know why?

Because there’s no Wi-Fi setup, no pairing, no cloud delay; just instant, direct communication using ESP-NOW.



ESP32 ESP-NOW Performance:

Now we are going to perform a range test to see how far we can control the servo and relay wirelessly. Watch the video tutorial.

My brother was standing about 20 meters away, and it still worked perfectly.

And then he even moved farther away and as you can see, he is quite far now; but he can still control the relay from that distance without any issues.

Testing long-range communication for ESP32 ESP-NOW Wireless Control

If you want the complete project; including the SquareLine Studio project, UI files, and all source codes; they are available on my Patreon page.

So, that’s all for now.




Watch Video Tutorial:

 


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Engr. Shahzada Fahad

Engr. Shahzada Fahad is an Electrical Engineer with over 15 years of hands-on experience in electronics design, programming, and PCB development. He specializes in microcontrollers (Arduino, ESP32, STM32, Raspberry Pi), robotics, and IoT systems. He is the founder and lead author at Electronic Clinic, dedicated to sharing practical knowledge.

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