APDS-9960 — i2c address & wiring
Gesture, proximity, RGB and ambient light in one sensor — the interactive-project favourite.
Key facts
APDS-9960 at a glance
| i2c address | 0x39 fixed address |
|---|---|
| Logic voltage | 2.4–3.6 V |
| Type | sensor |
| Part | Broadcom APDS-9960 |
| Ships with | STEMMA QT |
| Datasheet | Broadcom APDS-9960 — manufacturer documentation ↗ |
The chip
What the Broadcom APDS-9960 actually is
Integrated optical sensor providing ambient light, RGB+clear colour sensing, proximity detection and gesture recognition using an infrared LED and photodiodes. Supports non-contact user interfaces and object detection.
Wiring
How to connect the APDS-9960
The APDS-9960 talks i2c at address 0x39. It runs at 2.4–3.6 V, so match your host's logic level — if your host is 5 V and a board on the bus is 3.3 V-only, add a level shifter. Use the compatibility checker to confirm the exact cable for your setup.
The address is fixed, so two APDS-9960s can't share a bus directly — the address-conflict guide covers the workarounds (multiplexer, second bus).
Wiring is the usual four: power, ground, SDA and SCL, plus pull-up resistors — almost always already fitted on the breakout. Nothing showing up? Run an i2c scan first; if the bus is silent, the 7-step checklist finds it faster than guessing.
Ecosystems
Plug-together options for the APDS-9960
APDS-9960 breakouts ship with STEMMA QT — keyed 4-pin cables carrying power, ground, SDA and SCL, so there's nothing to solder and nothing to wire backwards. Chain it to the next board and keep going.
Running a mixed bench? Those ecosystems interoperate more than their marketing suggests — see every connector pairing for the cable or adapter you need, or the standards overview for how they compare.
Go deeper
Guides covering the APDS-9960
Alternatives
Other i2c sensors
Get one
Questions
APDS-9960 i2c FAQ
What is the APDS-9960's i2c address?
The APDS-9960 sits at a fixed address of 0x39. It can't be changed, so two of them can't share one bus without a multiplexer or a second bus.
What voltage does the APDS-9960 run at?
2.4–3.6 V logic. It's 2.4 V-only — driving it straight from a 5 V Arduino risks damage, so level-shift first.
Can I use two APDS-9960s on one i2c bus?
Not directly — every APDS-9960 answers to 0x39, so two on one bus would collide. Use a TCA9548A multiplexer to give each its own channel, or put the second one on a separate bus.
Does the APDS-9960 work with STEMMA QT?
Yes — APDS-9960 breakouts ship with STEMMA QT, so it plugs straight in with no soldering. Mixing ecosystems? The compatibility checker gives you the exact cable or adapter.