MKL26Z32VLH4 - Kinetis KL26 48MHz Cortex-M0+ MCU, 32KB Flash, USB | NXP
MPN: MKL26Z32VLH4 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.42 | $5.42 |
| 10 | $4.88 | $48.80 |
| 100 | $4.16 | $416.00 |
| 500 | $3.55 | $1,775.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.98 | $2,980.00 |
MKL26Z32VLH4 Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, memory, and programmable peripherals. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, the MKL26Z32VLH4 sits in the hierarchy MCU -> 32-bit MCU -> ARM Cortex-M MCU -> low-power MCU -> Kinetis family. The Cortex-M0+ core is the smallest and most energy-efficient member of the ARM Cortex-M family, designed for cost-sensitive embedded applications where deterministic interrupt response and low active/idle power matter more than raw compute.
Key features include 32 KB flash, 4 KB SRAM, a full-speed USB 2.0 controller with on-chip transceiver, a low-power ARM Cortex-M0+ core, segment LCD controller (SLCD) option on related variants, multiple low-power modes (run, wait, stop, VLPRMPVLLS3), and a flexible low-power peripheral set including 12-bit ADC, 16-bit timers, LPUART, I2C, SPI, and USB. The device also integrates an internal 32 kHz and 8 MHz reference, simplifying BOM and supporting crystal-less USB operation in the KL2x sub-family.
Architecturally, the KL26 leverages Freescale/NXP's low-leakage process and a tightly coupled Cortex-M0+ pipeline with a single-cycle I/O port, achieving CoreMark/mW efficiency that puts it ahead of many 8-bit MCUs while retaining 32-bit throughput. The 48 MHz core mark, combined with hardware multiply/divide, gives roughly 0.93 DMIPS/MHz.
Typical applications include USB HID peripherals (keyboards, mice, remotes), wearable fitness bands, low-cost data loggers, sensor hubs, and battery-powered IoT end nodes. The on-chip USB 2.0 FS controller eliminates external PHY cost, and the 32 KB flash is adequate for HID class drivers, basic USB stacks, and small application logic.
When designing, note that the KL26 requires NXP's Kinetis Design Studio or MCUXpresso toolchain; an external decoupling scheme of 0.1 uF + bulk VHF per VDD/VREF domain is recommended, and the USB DP/DM traces must be 90 ohm differential matched.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible Kinetis alternatives, and practical design notes beyond the manufacturer datasheet to help engineers make faster, more confident sourcing decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for MKL26Z32VLH4 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MKL26Z32VLH4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core, Package, Communication Interfaces, Data Bus Width.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MKL26Z64VLH4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MKL16Z32VLH4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MKL24Z32VLH4
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MKL14Z32VLH4
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MKL26Z32VLH4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ |
| Core Architecture | ARM 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 48 MHz |
| Program Flash Memory | 32 KB (32K x 8) |
| RAM | 4 KB |
| USB Interface | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (OTG or Device, crystal-less option) |
| Package | 64-pin LQFP (10 x 10 mm) |
| Pin/Package Suffix | VLH4 (LQFP-64) |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.71 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +105 C |
| Low-Power Modes | Wait, Stop, VLPR, VLPW, VLPS, LLS, VLLS3 |
| ADC | 16-channel, 12-bit SAR |
| Timers | 2x 16-bit low-power timers; RTC |
| Communication Interfaces | LPUART, UART, SPI, I2C, USB |
| DMA Channels | 4 |
| GPIOs | Up to 51 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
MKL26Z32VLH4 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PTE0 — Port E bit 0; IRQ, ADC, TPM |
| Pin 2 | PTE1 — Port E bit 1; IRQ, ADC, TPM |
| Pin 3 | PTE2 — Port E bit 2; SPI, ADC |
| Pin 4 | PTE3 — Port E bit 3; SPI, ADC |
| Pin 5 | PTE4 — Port E bit 4; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 6 | PTE5 — Port E bit 5; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 7 | PTE6 — Port E bit 6; LPUART, I2C |
| Pin 8 | VDD — Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 9 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 10 | USB_DP — USB D+ data line |
| Pin 11 | USB_DM — USB D- data line |
| Pin 12 | VREGIN — USB voltage regulator input |
| Pin 13 | VOUT33 — USB voltage regulator output (3.3 V) |
| Pin 14 | PTA0 — Port A bit 0; SWD CLK, IRQ |
| Pin 15 | PTA1 — Port A bit 1; SWD DIO, IRQ |
| Pin 16 | PTA2 — Port A bit 2; UART, TPM |
| Pin 17 | PTA3 — Port A bit 3; UART, TPM |
| Pin 18 | PTA4 — Port A bit 4; I2C, IRQ |
| Pin 19 | PTA5 — Port A bit 5; I2C, IRQ |
| Pin 20 | PTA6 — Port A bit 6; LPUART, IRQ |
| Pin 21 | PTA7 — Port A bit 7; LPUART, IRQ |
| Pin 22 | PTB0 — Port B bit 0; ADC, IRQ |
| Pin 23 | PTB1 — Port B bit 1; ADC, IRQ |
| Pin 24 | PTB2 — Port B bit 2; ADC, I2C |
| Pin 25 | PTB3 — Port B bit 3; ADC, I2C |
| Pin 26 | PTB4 — Port B bit 4; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 27 | PTB5 — Port B bit 5; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 28 | PTB6 — Port B bit 6; SPI, TPM |
| Pin 29 | PTB7 — Port B bit 7; SPI, TPM |
| Pin 30 | PTC0 — Port C bit 0; ADC, IRQ |
| Pin 31 | PTC1 — Port C bit 1; ADC, IRQ |
| Pin 32 | PTC2 — Port C bit 2; ADC, TPM |
| Pin 33 | PTC3 — Port C bit 3; ADC, TPM |
| Pin 34 | PTC4 — Port C bit 4; LPUART, IRQ |
| Pin 35 | PTC5 — Port C bit 5; LPUART, IRQ |
| Pin 36 | PTC6 — Port C bit 6; LPUART, TPM |
| Pin 37 | PTC7 — Port C bit 7; LPUART, TPM |
| Pin 38 | PTD0 — Port D bit 0; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 39 | PTD1 — Port D bit 1; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 40 | PTD2 — Port D bit 2; SPI, TPM |
| Pin 41 | PTD3 — Port D bit 3; SPI, TPM |
| Pin 42 | PTD4 — Port D bit 4; I2C, IRQ |
| Pin 43 | PTD5 — Port D bit 5; I2C, IRQ |
| Pin 44 | PTD6 — Port D bit 6; UART, TPM |
| Pin 45 | PTD7 — Port D bit 7; UART, TPM |
| Pin 46 | PTE16 — Port E bit 16; ADC, IRQ |
| Pin 47 | PTE17 — Port E bit 17; ADC, IRQ |
| Pin 48 | PTE18 — Port E bit 18; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 49 | PTE19 — Port E bit 19; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 50 | PTE20 — Port E bit 20; TPM |
| Pin 51 | PTE21 — Port E bit 21; TPM |
| Pin 52 | PTE22 — Port E bit 22; LPUART |
| Pin 53 | PTE23 — Port E bit 23; LPUART |
| Pin 54 | PTA8 — Port A bit 8; IRQ |
| Pin 55 | PTA9 — Port A bit 9; IRQ |
| Pin 56 | PTA10 — Port A bit 10; IRQ |
| Pin 57 | PTA11 — Port A bit 11; IRQ |
| Pin 58 | PTA12 — Port A bit 12; IRQ |
| Pin 59 | PTA13 — Port A bit 13; IRQ |
| Pin 60 | PTA14 — Port A bit 14; IRQ |
| Pin 61 | PTA15 — Port A bit 15; IRQ |
| Pin 62 | PTA16 — Port A bit 16; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 63 | PTA17 — Port A bit 17; SPI, IRQ |
| Pin 64 | PTB8 — Port B bit 8; LPUART, IRQ |
Typical Applications
MKL26Z32VLH4 is suitable for 7 applications: USB HID Peripherals (Keyboard, Mouse, Remote), Wearable Fitness Bands, Low-Cost Sensor Hubs and Data Loggers, USB Charging Cradles and Docks, Industrial HMI Panels, Battery-Powered IoT Edge Nodes, Educational and Maker Electronics.
USB HID Peripherals (Keyboard, Mouse, Remote)
The MKL26Z32VLH4's integrated USB 2.0 full-speed controller with on-chip PHY makes it a direct fit for USB HID class devices such as keyboards, mice, game controllers, and IR remotes. The 32 KB flash is sufficient to run the USB HID stack plus basic HID report descriptors and keymaps; the Cortex-M0+ at 48 MHz easily handles HID polling at 1 kHz with room for debounce and LED handling. Compared with MCUs that need an external USB PHY, the KL26 saves roughly $0.30-0.50 BOM and 4-6 mm board area. Designers typically route USB DP/DM as a 90 ohm differential pair and place a 0.1 uF + 4.7 uF decoupling network within 5 mm of VDD/VREF.
Recommended
Wearable Fitness Bands
For wearable fitness bands, the MKL26Z32VLH4's low-power modes (VLPR at <100 uA/MHz, VLLS3 standby sub-uA) and 1.71-3.6 V operation allow direct Li-ion or coin-cell powering. The Cortex-M0+ core at 48 MHz can sample a 3-axis accelerometer via I2C, drive an SPI OLED, and run step-count algorithms within tight power budgets. The 4 KB RAM is adequate for short sensor FIFO buffering, and the USB interface doubles as a charging and data-sync port, eliminating a separate charging IC. Trade-off: at 32 KB flash, designers must use lightweight RTOS or bare-metal; the MKL26Z64VLH4 drop-in upgrade doubles flash with no PCB rework if more headroom is needed.
Recommended
Low-Cost Sensor Hubs and Data Loggers
The MKL26Z32VLH4 serves well as a USB-tethered sensor hub, aggregating data from SPI/I2C sensors and streaming over USB CDC or HID to a host PC. Its 4-channel DMA offloads repetitive byte transfers, freeing the Cortex-M0+ core for time-stamping and threshold events. The 12-bit SAR ADC with up to 16 single-ended channels supports analog front-ends such as thermistors or load cells. A typical design reads sensors at 100 Hz, batches into 1 KB packets, and pushes over USB at FS rates - within both flash and MIPS budgets. Compared with 8-bit MCUs, the KL26 cuts code size 30-40% and adds deterministic 32-bit math for kalm filtering.
Recommended
USB Charging Cradles and Docks
In USB charging cradles and dock accessories, the MKL26Z32VLH4 acts as a USB device that negotiates charge current via USB BC 1.2 or proprietary protocols. The crystal-less USB option removes an external 12 MHz or 48 MHz crystal, reducing BOM and PCB area. The 32 KB flash supports USB stack plus application logic for battery authentication or LED status. The 51 GPIO lines can drive indicator LEDs, button input, and a charging FET. Trade-off: a charging cradle may not need the full Cortex-M0+ compute; a smaller MKL04Z can suffice, but the MKL26 is preferred when future firmware growth is anticipated.
Recommended
Industrial HMI Panels
For low-cost industrial HMI panels and operator interfaces, the MKL26Z32VLH4 drives character or segment LCDs, reads keypad matrices, and communicates to a master controller via RS-485 or CAN-isolated UART. The wide operating temperature range (-40 C to +105 C) is suitable for factory environments, and the 64-pin LQFP exposes enough GPIO to drive a 4x4 keypad plus 8 LEDs plus LCD. Designers typically pair the KL26 with an external RS-485 transceiver and a 5 V tolerant isolator. Compared with discrete logic designs, the KL26 cuts part count by 60% and adds firmware-driven diagnostics.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Edge Nodes
In battery-powered IoT edge nodes (BLE/Wi-Fi sensor endpoints), the MKL26Z32VLH4 functions as the host MCU that drives a wireless co-processor via SPI/UART and manages sensors, power gating, and housekeeping. Its low-power modes (VLPS, LLS, VLLS3) extend coin-cell life to multi-year timeframes; the 32 KB flash fits BLE peripheral stacks or light Wi-Fi AT command logic. Compared with 8-bit MCUs at the same MIPS, the KL26 typically saves 20-40% energy per task due to single-cycle I/O and hardware multiply. Trade-off: very low duty-cycle nodes (<0.1%) may benefit from smaller MCUs, but the KL26's USB-charging option remains attractive for rechargeable nodes.
Recommended
Educational and Maker Electronics
The MKL26Z32VLH4, paired with the FRDM-KL26Z development board, is widely adopted in university embedded courses and maker projects because of its low cost, USB debugging, Arduino-friendly headers, and the free MCUXpresso IDE. The Cortex-M0+ introduces students to 32-bit ARM architectures without overwhelming complexity, while Kinetis peripheral libraries abstract low-level register access. Compared with Arduino Uno's ATmega328P, the KL26 offers 4x the flash, USB on-board, and a real IDE toolchain path. The 32 KB flash is suitable for typical semester projects (line-following robots, sensor dashboards, simple games).
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MKL26Z32VLH4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MKL26Z64VLH4 | MKL16Z32VLH4 | MKL24Z32VLH4 | MKL14Z32VLH4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 64-pin LQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-pin LQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-pin LQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-pin LQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-pin LQFP (10x10 mm) - same |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ |
| Max Clock Frequency | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz |
| Program Flash | 32 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| USB Controller | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (with PHY) | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (with PHY) | No USB | No USB | No USB |
| Segment LCD Controller | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| RAM | 4 KB | 8 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB |
| Operating Voltage | 1.71 V to 3.6 V | 1.71 V to 3.6 V | 1.71 V to 3.6 V | 1.71 V to 3.6 V | 1.71 V to 3.6 V |
| Approx 1k+ Price (USD) | 2.98 | 3.40 | 2.75 | 3.10 | 2.60 |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY (vs MKL16Z32VLH4)
- Crystal-less USB option in KL2x sub-family (vs Generic 48 MHz MCU)
- Segment LCD controller absent - choose KL24 for LCD designs (vs MKL24Z32VLH4)
- Cost-optimized 32 KB flash in 64-pin LQFP (vs MKL26Z128VLL4)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD/VREF/VREGIN with a 0.1 uF ceramic cap placed within 5 mm of each pin, plus a 4.7 uF bulk near the IC. For USB operation, add a 10 uF tantalum on VREGIN and a ferrite bead to VOUT33 to suppress USB inrush transients. The KL26's internal voltage regulator supplies the core from VREGIN; ensure VREGIN <= 5.5 V to avoid regulator damage.
Route USB DP/DM as a 90 ohm differential pair with length matching within 150 mil. Place the 33 ohm series resistors on DP/DM close to the MCU. Keep DP/DM traces away from clock lines and high-current switching nodes. Add ESD protection diodes (e.g. USBLC6-2SC6) near the USB connector. Maintain a continuous ground plane under the KL26 and stitch with vias around the LQFP perimeter.
Estimated: at 48 MHz core clock, the KL26 typically dissipates ~25 mW active and <50 uA in VLLS3 mode. The 64-pin LQFP package has theta_JA around 60 C/W, so a 25 mW load produces ~1.5 C junction rise - no heatsink needed. In VLPR mode (4 MHz), active current drops to ~3 mA; in VLLS3, standby is sub-uA, suitable for coin-cell applications.
Do not omit the external 32.768 kHz crystal load capacitors (typically 12.5 pF) on XTAL32/EXTAL32 pins if RTC accuracy matters; otherwise use the internal reference. When enabling the internal USB regulator (VREGIN path), ensure VOUT33 is not loaded with >3 mA externally. For SWD debugging, keep the SWD_CLK and SWD_DIO traces < 50 mm and avoid stubs. Do not float unused GPIO to avoid leakage in low-power modes.
Place the KL26 such that the LQFP pin 1 dot/orientation matches the schematic. Keep the 32.768 kHz crystal traces short and symmetric. Route analog ADC inputs (PTA, PTB, PTC, PTE) away from digital switching lines and bypass each analog pin with 100 nF to VREFH when used. For USB VBUS sensing, the VREGIN pin doubles as a VBUS presence detector; route this signal cleanly to avoid false disconnect events.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per NXP product page. Halogen-free per datasheet. AEC-Q100 not qualified - industrial / consumer grade. Lead-free reflow compatible.
