Arduino UNO R3 "Programmer is not responding"

Development Tools Uploading
1

I'm super new to programming in general and need some help with this one. I recently got an uno r3 to play around with servos for an upcoming project I want to attempt and I've run into an issue. Previously, I was able to run code just fine and get my servo to respond appropriately, now all of a sudden I am getting this error message a few days later when testing different codes again:

Sketch uses 444 bytes (1%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32256 bytes.
Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2039 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.
Error: programmer is not responding
Warning: attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x00
Error: programmer is not responding
Error: cannot obtain SW version
Error: initialization failed  (rc = -1)
 - double check the connections and try again
 - use -B to set lower the bit clock frequency, e.g. -B 125kHz
 - use -F to override this check
Error: programmer is not responding
Failed uploading: uploading error: exit status 1

I've been using Arduino IDE 2.3.10, the code that I ran to get that error was the default BareMinimum, I've tried unplugging and replugging, I double checked that I was using the correct board and port connections, when I press the reset button the little light next to "L" blinks a few times and stays lit. I'm not sure what else to do to fix it and I really hope it doesn't come down to needing to get a whole new board.

2

Searching the forum gives lots of hits.

Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 21.32.10
Screenshot 2026-08-04 at 21.32.101144×1496 225 KB

3

It would help immensely if you posted the code you were trying to upload. To find out how to do this correctly for this forum then pleas click on the Guidelines tab at the top of the page and read it.

It also contains other information you will find helpful.

Basically the error message is telling you that you are not communicating with the hardware in the way the Arduino is expecting you to do.

Thanks.

4

By chance is it printing a lot of stuff on the monitor without stopping, maybe messages from your previous code? Are pins 0 & 1 open? Did you check the correct AVR processor in the tools window. If this does not get it going you will need to post your code using code tags as @Grumpy_Mike has requested.

5

With "BareMinimum.ino" loaded, pressing RESET should blink "L" twice.

Your "stays lit" tells me the code currently loaded is using SCK or D13 constantly. Hold reset for three seconds, release reset, and re-upload BareMinimum.ino