Have a specific use case in mind (e.g., FT245RL to FPGA, or replacing a parallel printer port)? Drop a comment below—I’ll help you pick the exact software tool for the job. Disclaimer: Always download FTDI software from ftdichip.com to avoid counterfeit driver issues. FTDI has been known to brick fake chips with certain driver versions.
If you’ve landed on this page, you’re likely holding a PCB with an FT245RL chip on it, or you’re designing a project around this popular FIFO (First-In, First-Out) USB-to-parallel bridge. You know the hardware is solid—but now you’re stuck on the software side. ft245rl utility software download
# Install: pip install pyftdi from pyftdi.ftdi import Ftdi import sys ft = Ftdi() ft.open_from_vid_pid(0x0403, 0x6001) # FT245RL default VID/PID Configure for asynchronous bitbang mode (optional) ft.set_bitmode(0xFF, Ftdi.BitMode.RESET) # Back to FIFO mode Write a byte to the parallel FIFO ft.write_data([0xAB]) # Sends 0xAB on D0-D7 Read a byte data = ft.read_data(1) print(f"Received: hex(data[0])") Have a specific use case in mind (e
Search "FT_PROG FTDI" or go to ftdichip.com/utilities/ (look for "FT_PROG"). FTDI has been known to brick fake chips
"Universal USB to parallel utilities" from third-party sites. They are almost never compatible with the FT245RL's specific FIFO timing. Conclusion The FT245RL is a fantastic chip, but its "utility software" is not a single download—it’s an ecosystem. Start with the official FTDI drivers , add FT_PROG for configuration, and then write your own simple scripts or use terminal apps for data transfer.