PIC16F18344-E/GZ - 8-bit MCU, 7KB Flash, 32MHz, 20-UQFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F18344-E/GZ ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.51 | $1.51 |
| 10 | $1.36 | $13.60 |
| 100 | $1.2 | $120.00 |
| 500 | $1.05 | $525.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.95 | $950.00 |
PIC16F18344-E/GZ Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip that integrates a CPU, non-volatile program memory (Flash), volatile data memory (SRAM), small EEPROM, and peripheral blocks such as timers, ADC, comparators, and communication interfaces. The PIC16F18344 belongs to the PIC16F family of mid-range 8-bit MCUs, which sits in the broader microcontroller product hierarchy: 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor IC. It is engineered for low-power general-purpose embedded designs.
Key features of the PIC16F18344 include Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) such as the Configurable Logic Cell (CLC), Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), and Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO). Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) provides flexible I/O mapping, while eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology delivers deep-sleep currents down to the nanoamp range. The 10-bit ADC with Computation, multiple communication interfaces (I2C/SPI/EUSART), and 18 I/O pins in the 20-UQFN package support a wide range of analog and digital integration tasks.
The device uses a 14-bit instruction-word RISC architecture with a hardware stack and an interrupt controller supporting both core and peripheral interrupts. The integrated 32MHz internal oscillator eliminates the need for an external crystal in many designs, reducing BOM cost and PCB area. Functional Safety (FuSa) documentation assists designers building IEC 61508 / ISO 26262-classified systems.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered wearables, automotive body and lighting controllers, industrial sensor interfaces, low-power remote controls, and home-automation endpoints. The combination of small footprint, XLP sleep modes, and CIPs makes the PIC16F18344 well-suited to designs where MCU activity is dominated by sleep and wake-on-event operation rather than continuous processing.
When designing with the PIC16F18344-E/GZ, observe the device's VDD range (1.8V-5.5V) and ensure the ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK pins are accessible for in-circuit programming and debugging. Decouple VDD with a 100nF capacitor placed close to the package, and tie the exposed thermal pad to ground for thermal and electrical performance. Use Microchip's MPLAB X IDE and XC8 compiler for firmware development, and consult the device-specific data sheet for CIP configuration details.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, FuSa-relevant drop-in alternatives, and practical XLP design guidance not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, with all data verified as of 2026-09-20.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F18344-E/GZ — 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 PIC16F18344-E/GZ (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Operating Temperature, Package, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18344-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18344T-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18345-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.83 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18323-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18324-E/GZ
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18344-E/GZ Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC® mid-range, 14-bit instruction word |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 512 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 18 |
| ADC | 10-bit with Computation (multiple channels) |
| Package | 20-pin UQFN (4x4 mm) with exposed pad |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (Extended, 'E' suffix) |
| Low-Power Technology | XLP™ (eXtreme Low Power) |
| Peripheral Pin Select | Yes (PPS) |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, NCO, DSM, COG, math accelerator |
| Communication Interfaces | EUSART, I2C, SPI |
| Functional Safety | FuSa-capable |
| Internal Oscillator | Yes, 32 MHz |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free / Halogen-Free | Lead-free (per Microchip product page) |
PIC16F18344-E/GZ Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 4 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 5 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 6 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 7 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 8 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 12 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 13 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 14 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 15 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 16 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 17 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 18 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O with PPS |
| Pin 19 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 20 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F18344-E/GZ is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Automotive Interior Body Controller, Wearable Health-Monitoring Band, Industrial Sensor Transmitter, Smart Home Wireless Endpoint, Low-Power Remote Control.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16F18344-E/GZ is well matched to long-life battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because of its XLP™ eXtreme Low Power technology with deep-sleep currents in the nanoamp range. The internal 32 MHz oscillator eliminates the external crystal that would otherwise dominate quiescent leakage, and the device wakes from sleep on ADC-completion, comparator, or CLC events without CPU intervention. At a typical duty cycle of 0.1% active (3.3 V, 32 MHz, CIP-driven ADC sampling), the MCU contributes well under 5 uA of average current, supporting coin-cell lifetimes of multiple years. The 7 KB Flash holds a small LoRaWAN or BLE-stack-free sensor protocol, while the 10-bit ADC with Computation handles temperature, humidity, or strain-gauge conditioning. Designers should route the exposed thermal pad to ground for noise and thermal performance.
Recommended
Automotive Interior Body Controller
The PIC16F18344-E/GZ is AEC-qualified to the -40 C to +125 C Extended automotive grade and supports Functional Safety documentation, making it suitable for non-safety-critical body controllers such as interior lighting, seat-position memories, or door-module keyless entry. Its 18 GPIO and Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) allow direct drive of LED PWMs via the Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) and the 10-bit ADC reads seat-position potentiometers or ambient-light sensors. The on-chip EUSART and SPI/I2C interfaces provide LIN-master or slave-side communication capability with external transceivers. The math accelerator and DSM (Data Signal Modulator) handle keypad scanning or capacitive-touch algorithms in hardware, offloading the CPU. For ISO 26262-rated designs, Microchip supplies a dedicated FuSa package accompanying the datasheet.
Recommended
Wearable Health-Monitoring Band
Wearables such as fitness bands, optical heart-rate patches, and continuous-glucose monitors benefit from the PIC16F18344-E/GZ's small 4x4 mm UQFN footprint, 1.8 V-3.6 V direct Li-ion operation, and nanoamp sleep currents. The 10-bit ADC with Computation oversamples photoplethysmography (PPG) signals from green LEDs and the CLC + NCO generates accurate PPG LED driver waveforms without CPU wakeups. The 512 B SRAM supports short FIFO buffers of heart-rate samples while the 7 KB Flash holds the PPG algorithm. The exposed thermal pad conducts heat away from the skin-contact side of the PCB, keeping the MCU within its operating range even at the elevated skin-surface temperatures of continuous-wear designs.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Transmitter
Industrial 4-20 mA sensor transmitters and RTD/thermocouple conditioners require deterministic timing, robust ADC performance, and the ability to operate from a 24 V loop supply. The PIC16F18344-E/GZ's 1.8 V-5.5 V VDD range (with an upstream LDO or shunt regulator) supports this topology. The CLC + DSM combination performs 16-bit sigma-delta ADC oversampling of RTD bridge signals at low noise, while the math accelerator executes polynomial linearization in real time. The EUSART provides a digital-process-output option (HART or IO-Link PHY), and the 18 GPIO accommodate digital inputs, relay drivers, and diagnostic LEDs. The -40 C to +125 C Extended temperature grade covers outdoor and process-industry environments.
Recommended
Smart Home Wireless Endpoint
Smart-home endpoints such as Zigbee/Matter/BLE-connected light switches, door sensors, and thermostats use the PIC16F18344-E/GZ as the host MCU with an external radio transceiver over SPI or UART. The Core Independent Peripherals (CLC, CWG, NCO) manage PWM dimming, capacitive-touch scanning, and tone generation in hardware, leaving the CPU idle in sleep. XLP sleep currents below 1 uA extend coin-cell life in door/window sensors, and the 10-bit ADC with Computation reads temperature, humidity, or LDR sensors. The 7 KB Flash holds application firmware; for OTA-capable designs, the PIC16F18345-E/GZ (14 KB Flash) is pin-compatible and recommended.
Recommended
Low-Power Remote Control
Battery-powered remote controls for TV/STB/AV systems, garage-door openers, and key-fob entry benefit from the PIC16F18344-E/GZ's low active current, deep-sleep nanoamp wake currents, and 32 MHz internal oscillator that eliminates the external crystal cost. The CLC and NCO peripherals synthesize infrared, sub-GHz, or BLE-coded transmit patterns in hardware without CPU involvement, dramatically reducing average power. With 18 GPIO, the MCU supports a full keypad matrix, LED indicators, and tactile feedback. The 4x4 mm UQFN footprint fits inside a key-fob housing, and the Extended -40 C to +85 C range covers outdoor garage-door remotes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F18344-E/GZ — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18344-I/GZ | PIC16F18344T-E/GZ | PIC16F18345-E/GZ | PIC16F18323-E/GZ | PIC16F18324-E/GZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-UQFN (4x4) | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same | 20-UQFN (4x4) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 7 KB (4K x 14) | 7 KB | 7 KB | 14 KB (+100%) | 3.5 KB (-50%) | 7 KB |
| SRAM | 512 bytes | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB (+100%) | 256 B (-50%) | 512 B |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Max CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Temperature Grade | Extended -40C to +125C (E) | Industrial -40C to +85C (I) | Extended -40C to +125C (E) | Extended -40C to +125C (E) | Extended -40C to +125C (E) | Extended -40C to +125C (E) |
| I/O Pins | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Functional Safety (FuSa) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Extended automotive temperature grade with FuSa documentation (vs PIC16F18344-I/GZ)
- Highest-density Flash and SRAM among the PIC16F183x3-4x family (vs PIC16F18323-E/GZ)
- Right-sized Flash with no memory overhead vs larger sibling (vs PIC16F18345-E/GZ)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD with a 100 nF X7R ceramic capacitor placed within 3 mm of the VDD pin and the exposed thermal pad. For designs that use the internal 32 MHz oscillator, add a 10 uF bulk capacitor on VDD if the supply is shared with switching peripherals. XLP sleep currents are guaranteed only when unused peripherals are disabled in firmware and unused GPIO are configured as outputs driving low.
Solder the UQFN exposed thermal pad to a ground plane with thermal vias to a second-layer copper pour. At 32 MHz active and typical I/O drive, the device dissipates well under 100 mW; in Extended temperature environments, however, the thermal pad keeps the junction below +85 C ambient plus self-heating. Always perform worst-case thermal verification by measuring silicon temperature in an environmental chamber.
Route the ICSPDAT (RA1) and ICSPCLK (RA0) lines to a programming header or test pad; Microchip recommends 0.1 inch-pitch header footprints or edge-card fingers for production programming. Keep the ICSPCLK trace short and away from switching signals. Place decoupling capacitors on the same layer as the IC and use a continuous ground plane under the device to minimize EMI susceptibility.
PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) maps must be unlocked by writing the PPSLOCK register sequence before changing pin assignments; a common bug is a firmware hang on reset because PPSLOCK was never cleared. When migrating from PIC16F1x legacy devices, note that the default oscillator configuration now uses the 32 MHz HFINTOSC, not an external crystal - configure OSCCON1 early in init code.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 standard qualification does not apply to all 8-bit PICs - the PIC16F18344-E/GZ is rated Extended automotive temperature grade with Functional Safety documentation but is not specifically AEC-Q100 qualified; verify automotive qualification status on the Microchip product page for the latest OEM-grade cross-reference.
