PIC16LF726-I/SP - 14KB Flash 8-bit MCU 20MHz | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF726-I/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.55 | $25.50 |
| 100 | $2.27 | $227.00 |
| 500 | $2.05 | $1,025.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.84 | $1,840.00 |
PIC16LF726-I/SP Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path and a reduced instruction set. Within the broader semiconductor hierarchy, microcontrollers sit under digital logic ICs and embedded processors, integrating CPU core, non-volatile program memory, volatile data RAM, timers, communication peripherals, and interrupt logic into one package. The PIC16F architecture in particular uses a Harvard-style 14-bit instruction word optimized for deterministic single-cycle execution, making PIC MCUs a popular choice for low-power, cost-sensitive embedded control.
Key features of the PIC16LF726 include 11 channels of 8-bit Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC), 5 timers, 2 PWM channels (CCP/ECCP), Brown-Out Detect (BOD), Power-On Reset (POR), and Watchdog Timer (WDT). Connectivity peripherals include one I2C/SPI bus and one Enhanced USART. The 25 digital I/O pins support peripheral pin select flexibility, and nanoWatt XLP technology enables deep sleep currents down to the low nanoampere range, extending battery life in always-on applications.
Internally, the PIC16LF726 uses an enhanced mid-range PIC16 core with hardware multiplier support and a 16-level hardware stack. The 14-bit Flash program memory is self-programmable under firmware control, supporting in-application updates. The instruction set is a compact 35 single-word instruction subset, and most instructions complete in one instruction cycle (200 ns at 20 MHz), giving the device strong deterministic interrupt latency for real-time control.
Typical applications include battery-powered sensor nodes, IoT edge devices, low-power wireless transmitters, home automation controllers, industrial process instrumentation, consumer appliance control panels, and USB-to-UART bridges. The combination of 11 ADC channels, 2 PWM outputs, and I2C/SPI/USART connectivity supports typical mixed-signal data acquisition and motor/actuator control designs in a single chip.
A key design consideration is operating voltage: PIC16LF parts are rated for 1.8 V to 3.6 V (low-voltage F variant), while PIC16F726 (without the L) operates from 2.0 V to 5.5 V. Designers migrating between the two must revalidate brown-out and oscillator parameters. Decoupling must include one 100 nF ceramic capacitor on VDD placed within 3 mm of the pin.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, pin-compatible same-family alternatives, and practical design notes to help engineers select and qualify the PIC16LF726-I/SP quickly.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF726-I/SP — 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 PIC16LF726-I/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Operating Temperature, Timers, Package, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF726-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.72 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF722-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF722A-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF727-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F726-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F72-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF726-I/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Core Architecture | PIC16F (enhanced mid-range, 14-bit instruction word) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14) |
| Data RAM | 368 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 20 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 25 |
| ADC | 11 channels, 8-bit |
| Timers | 5 |
| PWM Channels | 2 (CCP/ECCP) |
| Communication Peripherals | 1x I2C/SPI, 1x Enhanced USART |
| Special Features | nanoWatt XLP, Brown-Out Detect, Power-On Reset, Watchdog Timer |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF726-I/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (reset) input or programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0 — Digital I/O / analog input AN0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1 — Digital I/O / analog input AN1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — Digital I/O / analog input AN2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3 — Digital I/O / analog input AN3 / VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4 — Digital I/O / analog input AN4 |
| Pin 7 | RA5 — Digital I/O / analog input AN5 |
| Pin 8 | RE3 — Digital input only / MCLR select |
| Pin 9 | RA7 — Digital I/O / oscillator input |
| Pin 10 | RA6 — Digital I/O / oscillator output |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — Digital I/O / analog input AN8 |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — Digital I/O / analog input AN9 |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — Digital I/O / analog input AN10 / CCP1 |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — Digital I/O / analog input AN11 / SCL |
| Pin 15 | RC4 — Digital I/O / SDA |
| Pin 16 | RC5 — Digital I/O / SDO |
| Pin 17 | RC6 — Digital I/O / TX/CK |
| Pin 18 | RC7 — Digital I/O / RX/DT |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8 V to 3.6 V) |
| Pin 21 | RB0 — Digital I/O / analog input AN12 / ECCP |
| Pin 22 | RB1 — Digital I/O / analog input AN10 |
| Pin 23 | RB2 — Digital I/O / analog input AN8 |
| Pin 24 | RB3 — Digital I/O / analog input AN9 |
| Pin 25 | RB4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 26 | RB5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 27 | RB6 — Digital I/O / ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7 — Digital I/O / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF726-I/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Node, Home Automation Controller, Industrial Process Instrument, Consumer Appliance Control Board, USB-to-UART Bridge Dongle, IoT Edge Device with Wireless Link.
Battery-Powered Sensor Node
The PIC16LF726-I/SP fits battery-powered sensor nodes because its 1.8 V to 3.6 V supply matches two-cell alkaline or single-cell Li-coin chemistries, and its nanoWatt XLP technology delivers deep-sleep currents in the low-nanoampere range per the Microchip datasheet. The 11-channel 8-bit ADC supports multi-sensor analog front-ends (temperature, light, voltage dividers) while the I2C/SPI bus connects to digital sensors without extra glue logic. The 20 MHz instruction clock lets the MCU wake, sample, transmit via Enhanced USART, and return to sleep fast enough to keep average system current under 50 uA for years of battery life.
Recommended
Home Automation Controller
The PIC16LF726-I/SP suits home automation controllers because its 25 digital I/O pins can drive relays, triacs, keypads, and indicator LEDs directly without external mux logic. The Enhanced USART bridges to Wi-Fi or sub-GHz radio modules (RN2483, ESP8266), and the ECCP PWM channels dim LED lighting or control fan speed through MOSFET drivers. The 14 KB Flash holds full state-machine firmware for schedules, while the BOD/POR/WDT trio provides robust brown-out and watchdog supervision required for always-on appliances.
Recommended
Industrial Process Instrument
The PIC16LF726-I/SP fits industrial process instrumentation because its -40 C to +85 C industrial temperature range covers most factory-floor environments and its 11-channel ADC digitizes 4-20 mA loop, thermocouple, and bridge sensor signals. The 5 timers and 2 PWM outputs control 4-20 mA loop current regulators and alarm buzzer drive, while I2C/SPI connect to EEPROM data loggers and isolated digital isolators. The wide 1.8-3.6 V supply tolerates loosely regulated 24 V industrial rails stepped down through DC-DC converters, and nanoWatt XLP keeps standby power budget tight for loop-powered field instruments.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Board
The PIC16LF726-I/SP is well-suited to consumer appliance controls such as coffee machines, washing machines, and microwave ovens because its 25 I/O pins drive seven-segment displays, keypads, valve solenoids, and triac outputs directly. The two PWM channels generate variable-frequency drive for induction or motor-control subsystems, and the Enhanced USART links to Bluetooth or NFC modules for smart-appliance connectivity. The 14 KB Flash holds full menu logic, fault detection, and safety state machines, while BOD and WDT provide IEC 60335 household-appliance safety supervision.
Recommended
USB-to-UART Bridge Dongle
The PIC16LF726-I/SP can serve as a USB-to-UART bridge for legacy serial equipment because its Enhanced USART plus I2C/SPI buses cover the most common industrial serial protocols and its 20 MHz instruction rate sustains 115200 baud without buffering pressure. The 14 KB Flash holds CDC ACM class firmware or vendor-specific USB stacks using bit-banged USB on a single I/O pin, while the 1.8-3.6 V supply matches USB VBUS through a low-dropout regulator. The 28-pin SPDIP package is convenient for prototype dongles and through-hole assembly.
Recommended
IoT Edge Device with Wireless Link
The PIC16LF726-I/SP fits IoT edge devices such as smart thermostats, asset trackers, and wireless sensor tags because its nanoWatt XLP sleep mode keeps idle current near zero while the Enhanced USART wakes to push data over a sub-GHz or BLE module. The 11-channel ADC reads thermistor, photocell, and battery-voltage telemetry in parallel, and the I2C bus drives an accelerometer or environmental sensor combo. The 14 KB Flash accommodates full sensor-fusion logic, and the 28-pin SPDIP package supports hand-soldered prototype and low-volume production runs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF726-I/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF726-I/SO | PIC16LF722-I/SP | PIC16LF722A-I/SP | PIC16LF727-I/SP | PIC16F726-I/SP | PIC16F72-I/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (SP) | 28-pin SOIC (SO) | 28-pin SPDIP (SP) - same | 28-pin SPDIP (SP) - same | 28-pin SPDIP (SP) - same | 28-pin SPDIP (SP) - same | 28-pin SPDIP (SP) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Program Memory | 14 KB (8K x 14) | 14 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB | 28 KB | 14 KB | 3.5 KB |
| Data RAM | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 1024 bytes | 368 bytes | 128 bytes |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| ADC Channels | 11 x 8-bit | 11 x 8-bit | 11 x 8-bit | 11 x 8-bit | 11 x 8-bit | 11 x 8-bit | 5 x 8-bit |
| PWM Channels | 2 (CCP + ECCP) | 2 (CCP + ECCP) | 2 (CCP + ECCP) | 2 (CCP + ECCP) | 2 (CCP + ECCP) | 2 (CCP + ECCP) | 1 (CCP) |
| Communication Peripherals | I2C/SPI + Enhanced USART | I2C/SPI + Enhanced USART | I2C/SPI + Enhanced USART | I2C/SPI + Enhanced USART | I2C/SPI + Enhanced USART | I2C/SPI + Enhanced USART | I2C/SPI + USART |
| nanoWatt XLP Low Power | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (legacy) |
Key Differentiators
- Higher Flash density than PIC16F72 at the same pin count (vs PIC16F72-I/SP)
- Low-voltage nanoWatt XLP variant (vs PIC16F726-I/SP)
- Single-family migration path without PCB changes (vs PIC16LF727-I/SP)
Design Notes
Decouple VDD (pin 20) with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 3 mm of the pin and a 10 uF bulk capacitor near the regulator output. The PIC16LF726's nanoWatt XLP sleep mode draws sub-microamp current, so any leakage path on VDD or AV-related traces will dominate system standby power. Use a low-Iq LDO such as MCP1700 for battery-powered designs.
Do not confuse PIC16LF726 (1.8-3.6 V) with PIC16F726 (2.0-5.5 V) - firmware brown-out and oscillator configuration registers differ. Configuring the PIC16LF726 above 3.6 V permanently damages the device. For in-circuit serial programming (ICSP), route PGD (RB7) and PGC (RB6) with short, parallel traces to the ICSP header, with no series resistors above 100 ohm on the programming pins.
Route the 20 MHz crystal traces (RA6/RA7) symmetrically to within 1 mm of the IC pins and keep them short and guarded by a ground pour. Place C1 and C2 crystal load capacitors within 2 mm of the crystal pads. Avoid routing digital switching traces (PWM, USART) under the crystal or VDD trace to prevent capacitive injection and EMI-induced jitter on the system clock.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page and digchip package description. Standard 28-pin SPDIP through-hole package is not AEC-Q100 qualified - design-in for non-automotive embedded control only.
