Hi @project_sam . When uploading to the boards that don't have a bootloader, such as the "ATtiny85/45/25 " board you have selected, the "attiny " boards platform uses a feature of the Arduino platform system that causes clicking the "upload" button to trigger an "Upload Using Programmer " operation instead of the normal "Upload " operation.
Unfortunately, support for that feature has not yet been added to Arduino IDE:
opened 02:04PM - 24 Aug 20 UTC
topic: code
type: imperfection
### Describe the problem
There are two Upload-related operations:
- Upload…
- Upload Using Programmer
In addition to the menu items (**Sketch > Upload** / **Sketch > Upload Using Programmer**) and keyboard shortcuts (<kbd>**Ctrl**</kbd>+<kbd>**U**</kbd> / <kbd>**Ctrl**</kbd>+<kbd>**Shift**</kbd>+<kbd>**U**</kbd>), an upload operation can be triggered by clicking the button on the Arduino IDE toolbar.
Some Arduino boards do not support standard "Upload", so the platform author configured their board definition to do an "**Upload Using Programmer**" operation when the "Upload" button is clicked. This makes the frequent task of uploading to these boards more convenient for the user than having to use the less accessible menu item.
🐛 Arduino IDE does an "**Upload**" operation when the button is clicked even when the board is configured for it to trigger an "**Upload Using Programmer**" operation.
### Expected behavior
Arduino IDE does an "**Upload Using Programmer**" operation on "Upload" button click when the board is configured for that behavior.
### Arduino IDE version
7c86f1f
### Operating system
All
### Operating system version
Any
### Additional context
Additional reports:
- https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/issues/1640
- https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/issues/1323
- arduino/arduino-pro-ide#306
- https://github.com/MCUdude/MiniCore/issues/233
- https://forum.arduino.cc/t/strange-issue-uploading-code-using-updi-megatinycore/945896
- https://forum.arduino.cc/t/attiny85-wont-program/1043246
- https://forum.arduino.cc/t/cant-program-attiny85-with-attinycore-v1-5-2/701346
- https://forum.arduino.cc/t/uploading-to-attiny85-gives-error-a-programmer-is-required-to-upload/1065582
### Issue checklist
- [X] I searched for previous reports in [the issue tracker](https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/issues?q=)
- [X] I verified the problem still occurs when using the latest [nightly build](https://www.arduino.cc/en/software#nightly-builds)
- [X] My report contains all necessary details
The workaround is to simply select Sketch > Upload Using Programmer from the Arduino IDE menus when uploading to your ATTiny85 instead of clicking the "Upload" button as you would usually do.