To ESPHome with Tasmota ESP32 partition layout?

goonie · May 4, 2025, 11:01am

I’d like to migrate an ESP32-based device from Tasmota 14.6 to ESPHome, preferably without disassembling it.

However, I found this notice:
https://esphome.io/guides/migrate_sonoff_tasmota.html#incompatible-versions

WARNING! Migrating via OTA on ESP32, from Tasmota v12 (with boot partition) and up is currently not possible! Trying it could soft-brick your device!

Is there a way around the limitation? Is it not possible with Tasmota to rewrite the entire flash, not just one partition? Or if just writes one partition, couldn’t it be a small “repartitioner”?

ferbulous · May 4, 2025, 11:15am

Yeah, try this

github.com/esphome/esphome

Read/Write bootloader, partition table and any partition via OTA

dev ← angelnu:extend_ota

opened 02:41AM - 15 Oct 23 UTC

angelnu

+1207 -305

# What does this implement/fix? This adds support to update the bootloader an…d partition tables with OTA. It allows migrating from firmwares with different layouts (new Tasmota versions) or repair botloaders (such as the locked new Shellies). Updating the bootloader and partition tables only works with the esp-idf framework. For arduino [arduino-esp32](https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/releases/tag/3.0.0-alpha3) is needed. This is currently in alpha so no platformio package is available. It is possible to move from esp-idf to arduino OTA so you can migrate Tasmota -> esphome(esp-idf) -> esphome(arduino). ## New CLI commands ```bash # update OTA the bootloader without rebooting python -m esphome -v upload test.yaml --bootloader --no-reboot # update OTA the partition table without rebooting (requires esp32-idf version > 5.1) python -m esphome -v upload test.yaml --partition-table --no-reboot # update OTA partition with type and subtype python -m esphome -v upload --partition-type=0x0 --partition-subtype=0x10 test.yaml # update OTA partition with label python -m esphome -v upload --partition-label=app0 test.yaml # download OTA the bootloader python -m esphome -v download test.yaml --bootloader --file=bootloader.bin # download OTA the partition table without rebooting (requires esp32-idf version > 5.1) python -m esphome -v download test.yaml --partition-table --file=partition_table.bin # download OTA partition with type and subtype python -m esphome -v download --partition-type=0x0 --partition-subtype=0x10 test.yaml --file=firmware.bin # download OTA partition with label python -m esphome -v download --partition-label=app0 test.yaml --file=firmware.bin # update OTA all esphome parts (equivalent to a factory reset) python -m esphome upload-factory-ota test.yaml ``` The `upload-factory-ota` command makes a backup of the partition table before flashing the new one. If any operation fails then the backup is automatically restored. This usually happens when the new firmware would override the running partition. ## Tasmota migration If you are migrating from Tasmota 1.12 or newer using the Safeboot partition you need the following steps. There are 2 options depending on the used esp-idf framework. ### Single command (requires esp-idf>5.1) This is how to do it without custom partition_tables. 1. Build an ESPHome (`test.yaml`) with a minimal configuration (with wifi and OTA) with esp-idf>5.1 ```yaml # Example for esp32-c3 (Shelly Plus 1PM Mini) esphome: name: test platformio_options: board_build.flash_mode: dio esp32: board: esp32-c3-devkitm-1 framework: type: esp-idf platform_version: 6.4.0 version: 5.1.1 variant: esp32c3 wifi: manual_ip: static_ip: 192.168.0.33 gateway: 192.168.2.1 subnet: 255.255.192.0 dns1: 192.168.2.1 networks: - ssid: my_wifi password: my_wifi_password ota: password: my_ota_password unprotected_writes: True # This is mandatory if you want to flash the partition table or bootloader! logger: hardware_uart: USB_SERIAL_JTAG web_server: button: - platform: restart name: Restart ``` 2. Use Tasmota firmware upgrade with the ESPHome legacy firmware binary built in the previous step. ESPHome should boot 3. Upgrade all ESPHome to factory: `python -m esphome -v upload-factory-ota test.yaml`. ESPHome should reboot and use ESPHome partition table and boot loader. Afterwards you might downgrade to the recommend esp-idf framework. ### Using multiple commands If you are using the recommend esp-idf framework you will need to use a custom partition table: 1. Build an ESPHome (`test.yaml`) with a minimal configuration (with wifi and OTA) and the following partition table (this uses the Tasmota OTA data partition and app1 address/size): ```CSV # Name, Type, SubType, Offset, Size, Flags otadata, data, ota, 0x00e000, 0x2000, # phy_init, data, phy, , 0x1000, app0, app, ota_1, 0x010000, 0x0d0000, app1, app, ota_0, 0x0e0000, 0x0d0000, nvs, data, nvs, 0x38C000, 0x6d000, ``` ```yaml # Example for esp32-c3 (Shelly Plus 1PM Mini) esphome: name: test platformio_options: board_build.partitions: "../../../custom_partitions.csv" board_build.flash_mode: dio esp32: board: esp32-c3-devkitm-1 framework: type: esp-idf variant: esp32c3 wifi: manual_ip: static_ip: 192.168.0.33 gateway: 192.168.2.1 subnet: 255.255.192.0 dns1: 192.168.2.1 networks: - ssid: my_wifi password: my_wifi_password ota: password: my_ota_password unprotected_writes: True # This is mandatory if you want to flash the partition table or bootloader! logger: hardware_uart: USB_SERIAL_JTAG web_server: button: - platform: restart name: Restart ``` 2. Use Tasmota firmware upgrade with the ESPHome legacy firmware binary built in the previous step. ESPHome should boot 3. Upgrade the partition table: `python -m esphome -v upload test.yaml --partition-table`. ESPHome should reboot and still run from address 0x0e0000 as in Tasmota 4. Upgrade the ESPHome (either using the dashboard or `python -m esphome -v upload test.yaml`). ESPHome should boot and it will be running out of the 0x010000 address as in regular ESPHome. At this point OTA works but in order to use all available flash we need the following steps. 5. Build ESPHome (`test.yaml`) without the custom partition table from step 1 6. Upgrade the partition table: `python -m esphome -v upload test.yaml --partition-table` ## Types of changes - [ ] Bugfix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue) - [x] New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality) - [ ] Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to not work as expected) - [ ] Other **Related issue or feature (if applicable):** NA **Pull request in [esphome-docs](https://github.com/esphome/esphome-docs) with documentation (if applicable):** esphome/esphome-docs#<esphome-docs PR number goes here> ## Test Environment - [x] ESP32 - [x] ESP32 IDF - [ ] ESP8266 - [ ] RP2040 ## Example entry for `config.yaml`: ```yaml # Example config.yaml ota: unprotected_writes: True # This is mandatory if you want to flash the partition table or bootloader! password: removedPassword ``` ## Checklist: - [x] The code change is tested and works locally. - [ ] Tests have been added to verify that the new code works (under `tests/` folder). If user exposed functionality or configuration variables are added/changed: - [ ] Documentation added/updated in [esphome-docs](https://github.com/esphome/esphome-docs).

splitbrain · September 6, 2025, 4:17pm

I am having the same question. Does anyone have a step-by-step guide on how to use the linked PR (or any other method)?

I am trying to migrate a Nous A6T outdoor plug to ESPHome. It can’t be opened for manual flashing.

splitbrain · September 6, 2025, 9:08pm

I figured it out. For anyone else needing it, I wrote it down in my blog: Flashing ESPHome from Tasmota on ESP32 [splitbrain.org]

mnlietuva · November 10, 2025, 4:10pm

it worked to convert to esphome, it connects and show esphome web, but fails to upload new skech via home asistant esphome bulder:(

nikidimi · December 18, 2025, 12:50pm

I’ve found a workaround the auth error - use an older version of ESPHome: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/unable-to-upload-images-on-shelly-pm-mini-gen3-unexpected-response-from-esp-0x04/957846

After that you can use ESPHome builder in HA without issues.

Thanks to @splitbrain for the blog post, really useful