Source: https://mokxi.com/libraries/adafruit-mpu6050 Updated: 2026-11-02 Libraries / Sensors Arduino library · Sensors # Adafruit MPU6050: motion in real units Adafruit MPU6050 is the friendly route to the GY-521 module. Instead of raw counts it gives you physical units through Adafruit’s Unified Sensor events: acceleration in meters per second squared, rotation in radians per second and the die temperature in degrees Celsius, filled into three sensors_event_t structures by one getEvent() call. Open the example in the editor See the calls Built in on Mokxi: #include and it builds, with nothing to install. Free, and no account needed. ## What Adafruit MPU6050 does Before reading, you set the ranges and the digital low-pass filter with names rather than register values: MPU6050_RANGE_8_G, MPU6050_RANGE_500_DEG, MPU6050_BAND_21_HZ. A narrower filter smooths vibration out of the readings at the cost of response time, which suits a tilt sensor more than a drum pad. Remember the units when you compare with other tutorials. One g is about 9.81 m/s², so a board lying flat reads close to 9.8 on Z, and a rotation of 1 rad/s is about 57 degrees per second. The chip’s motion-detection interrupt can be configured, but in Mokxi it is never raised. Library Manager name | Adafruit MPU6050 Author | Adafruit Include | #include Boards | every board Mokxi compiles for but ATtiny85 In the simulator | Simulated: it runs against the part the way it does on the bench. Parts it drives | Accelerometer and gyroscope, MPU6050 ## Install it It builds on every board Mokxi compiles for but ATtiny85. In Mokxi it is built in: #include and the sketch compiles, with no download, no zip and no Library Manager. On a real board, install "Adafruit MPU6050" by Adafruit from the Arduino IDE’s Library Manager (Sketch, Include Library, Manage Libraries), or add Adafruit MPU6050 to lib_deps in PlatformIO. Mokxi follows the calls of release 2.2.6, so a sketch written here builds there too. What to know in the simulator: The motion-detection interrupt is written to the chip but never raised. ESP32-C3 · Arduino Uno · Arduino Nano · Arduino Mega 2560 · Arduino Leonardo · SparkFun Pro Micro · Arduino Micro · ESP32-C6 · Raspberry Pi Pico · Raspberry Pi Pico W · Seeed XIAO SAMD21 · STM32 · STM32 Nucleo-F411RE · STM32 Blue Pill · micro:bit V2 · Arduino Uno R4 · ESP32 DevKit · ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 · ESP8266 NodeMCU · Arduino Pro Mini 3.3 V · Seeed XIAO ESP32-C3 · ESP32-C3 SuperMini · Seeed XIAO ESP32-C6 · ESP32-DevKitC V4 · LOLIN32 Lite · Wemos D1 R32 · Cheap Yellow Display · TTGO T-Display · Seeed XIAO ESP32-S3 · Arduino Nano ESP32 · Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect · Seeed XIAO RP2040 · Waveshare RP2040-Zero · Arduino Uno R4 WiFi ## The calls you will use In the order a sketch meets them. ### Adafruit_MPU6050 mpu Creates the sensor object. ### mpu.begin() Starts I2C and checks the chip at 0x68. Returns false when it is not found; begin(0x69) for a board with AD0 high. ### mpu.setAccelerometerRange(MPU6050_RANGE_8_G) Plus or minus 2, 4, 8 or 16 g. A wider range reads harder knocks with less resolution. ### mpu.setGyroRange(MPU6050_RANGE_500_DEG) Plus or minus 250, 500, 1000 or 2000 degrees per second. ### mpu.setFilterBandwidth(MPU6050_BAND_21_HZ) The low-pass filter, from 260 Hz down to 5 Hz. ### mpu.getEvent(&a, &g, &temp) Reads the chip once and fills three events. ### temp.temperature The chip’s own temperature in degrees Celsius. It runs a few degrees above the room, so it is not a room thermometer. ## Example: Tilt an MPU6050 On the Arduino Uno R3. It runs in the browser exactly as printed. sketch.ino · Arduino Uno R3 ### Wiring - Arduino Uno R3 A4 to Accelerometer and gyroscope, MPU6050 SDA - Arduino Uno R3 A5 to Accelerometer and gyroscope, MPU6050 SCL - Arduino Uno R3 5V to Accelerometer and gyroscope, MPU6050 VCC - Arduino Uno R3 GND to Accelerometer and gyroscope, MPU6050 GND Open it in the editor, wired and ready to run ## Common errors and how to fix them ### Failed to find MPU6050 chip begin() returned false. Check the I2C wires and the address (0x68, or 0x69 with AD0 high). Some modules sold as MPU6050 carry an MPU6500 or a clone with another ID, which the Adafruit library rejects on a real board. ### Acceleration on Z reads about 9.8 and you expected 1 The library reports meters per second squared, not g. Divide by 9.81 (SENSORS_GRAVITY_STANDARD) if your code or a tutorial expects g. ### fatal error: Adafruit_Sensor.h: No such file or directory The library depends on Adafruit Unified Sensor and Adafruit BusIO. On a real board install both from the Library Manager, then include Adafruit_Sensor.h as the examples do. ## Projects that use Adafruit MPU6050 Built-in projects that include it. Each page has the full sketch and opens in the editor, already wired. MPU6050 servo stabilizer A self-leveling gimbal on an Uno: tilt the MPU6050 and two servos turn the other way to hold a platform level, through a complementary filter. Hand gesture controlled car Tilt an MPU6050 on your hand and a 2WD car follows over nRF24L01 radios: forward, reverse, left, right, and it stops when the signal is lost. ## Keep going ### Learn - Arduino MPU6050: Accelerometer and Tilt ### Parts - Accelerometer and gyroscope, MPU6050 ### More sensors libraries - DHT sensor library - DHT20 - VL53L0X - Adafruit_VL53L0X - HX711 Arduino Library - MPU6050 - BME280 - Adafruit BMP280 Library Every built-in library · Open the editor ## Try Adafruit MPU6050 without installing anything Open the example, change the sketch, and keep your version in a free account. Start building free Open the editor