Partial Updates

Instead of calling inkplate.update(), you can call inkplate.partialUpdate() for a faster display refresh. This method prevents full-screen flickering by updating only the pixels that have changed in the frame buffer.

---

Partial Update

Partial updates in black-and-white (1-bit) mode offer the fastest e-Paper update available on Inkplate.

⚠️

It is recommended to perform a full update after a certain number of partial updates to maintain both the lifespan and image quality of the e-Paper display. Around 50 partial updates should still look good, depending on the content being displayed. Use inkplate.setFullUpdateTreshold() to automate this process.

ℹ️

Partial updates are also supported in grayscale (3-bit) mode, but they are significantly faster and more effective in black-and-white mode. In grayscale mode, their primary benefit is reducing full-screen flickering.

#include "Inkplate.h"
Inkplate inkplate(INKPLATE_1BIT);
void setup(){
  inkplate.begin();
  inkplate.setTextSize(3);
  inkplate.setTextColor(BLACK);
  inkplate.setFullUpdateThreshold(40);
}
void loop(){
  int x = -500; // Start from the left of the screen border
    while (x < 1024)
    {
        inkplate.clearDisplay();
        inkplate.setCursor(x, 300); // Set cursor position
        inkplate.print("Partial updates!"); // Print scrolling text
        inkplate.partialUpdate(true); // Perform a partial update
        x += 15; // Move 15 pixels to the right
    }
    inkplate.display(); // Perform a full update
    delay(1000); // Pause before next update
}

inkplate.partialUpdate()

Performs a partial (fast) update on Inkplate, refreshing only changed pixels to prevent full-screen flickering.

Returns value: None

Function parameters:

Type	Name	Description
uint8_t	_leaveOn	Optional. If set to 1, the e-Paper power supply remains on after the update. This speeds up consecutive partial updates but requires a full refresh afterward to prevent prolonged power draw.

inkplate.setFullUpdateTreshold()

Sets the number of partial updates after which a full update is automatically performed.

Returns value: None

Function parameters:

Type	Name	Description
uint16_t	_numberOfPartialUpdates	The number of partial updates before a full update (inkplate.display()) is triggered automatically.

---

Full Examples

Inkplate6_Partial_Update.ino

Example demonstrating the use of partialUpdate for fast display refreshes on Inkplate 6.