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Reference > Language > Functions > Time > Delay

delay()

[Time]

Description

Pauses the program for the amount of time (in milliseconds) specified as parameter. (There are 1000 milliseconds in a second.)

Syntax

delay(ms)

Parameters

ms: the number of milliseconds to pause (unsigned long)

Returns

Nothing

Example Code

The code pauses the program for one second before toggling the output pin.

int ledPin = 13;              // LED connected to digital pin 13

void setup() {
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);    // sets the digital pin as output
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); // sets the LED on
  delay(1000);                // waits for a second
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);  // sets the LED off
  delay(1000);                // waits for a second
}

Notes and Warnings

While it is easy to create a blinking LED with the delay() function, and many sketches use short delays for such tasks as switch debouncing, the use of delay() in a sketch has significant drawbacks. No other reading of sensors, mathematical calculations, or pin manipulation can go on during the delay function, so in effect, it brings most other activity to a halt. For alternative approaches to controlling timing see the millis() function and the sketch sited below. More knowledgeable programmers usually avoid the use of delay() for timing of events longer than 10’s of milliseconds unless the Arduino sketch is very simple.

Certain things do go on while the delay() function is controlling the Atmega chip however, because the delay function does not disable interrupts. Serial communication that appears at the RX pin is recorded, PWM (analogWrite) values and pin states are maintained, and interrupts will work as they should.

See also