Arduino UNO Bootloader Burner Shield

This is a simple and very easy project for those that need to burn the Arduino UNO bootloader on ATMEGA328P ICs. I made this after seeing several online videos showing the process, but used a breadboard, jumper wires, and a few parts for the oscillator circuit. So I figured, why not just fabricate a board, or rather a "shield" for this.

To use this board as currently designed, you need a regular Arduino UNO to plug it into. A version update will be coming soon that will include a female header to allow use of a USB to Serial module to talk to the "source" board on the bottom in order to burn the bootloader on the IC in the "destination" board on the top.

Once you have your parts gathered, it should take about 15 minutes to put this board together. You will need to know basic soldering as well as reading a basic schematic.

Parts:

PCB, available on my proton drive here, or you can order through PCBWay here.

28 pin ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socket, x1

16MHz crystal, x1

22pF monolithic capacitor, x2

10K resistor, 1/4 watt, 1 or 5% is fine, x1

4.7K resistor, 1/4 watt, 1 or 5% is fine, x1

3mm green LED, x1

40 pin single row male stackable header, cut as needed, x1

Tools:

Schematic.

Soldering iron and solder.

Braid and liquid flux, if mistakes are made.

Tape, for holding components in place.

Flush cutters, for trimming leads.

Isopropyl alcohol and brush, for cleaning the board when completed.

Arduino UNO with female headers, used when soldering in the pin headers.

Start with the lowest profile parts first, then we are going to install the headers, then lastly the ZIF socket.

Insert a part, tape in place, solder in place, trim leads, move to the next part or parts. I installed the 2 resistors at the same time, then the crystal, then the 2 capacitors, then the LED, headers, and lastly the ZIF.

Header Pins

For the headers, you can choose to add all the rows, or the rows that have pins used, or just the pins required for use.

Only 7 pins are needed, a header row costs pennies, so I just installed all the pins. Using all the pins holds the shield firmly in place on an Arduino UNO.

For the row that states ANALOG IN, you need a 15 pin section of header, count from the left and pull out pin 9, now you have 1 piece for that entire row.

For the top row, or where the digital pins are, you need two pieces, one 10 pin and one 8 pin, since the spacing between the two section are not 2.54 pitch, two sections are needed instead of one piece.

Slightly insert the long (stackable) pins of each section into the appropriate female headers on an Arduino UNO.

Place the shield, right side up, on top of the solderable pins, check to make sure each section is flush against the bottom of the shield.

Solder a pin at the ends of each row, check to make sure all the headers are flush, then solder all the pins.

The ZIF Socket

Now we have to install the last part, the ZIF Socket. Make sure all the pins on the bottom of the socket are straight and not bent.

Looking at the top of the shield, there is a 1 and 15 in opposite corners of U1, which is where the socket goes. The 1 is for pin 1 and the 15, as you guessed it, is for pin 15 of the socket. Insert the socket with the lever near pin 1.

Secure in place with tape, solder two pins in opposite corners, check to make sure the socket is flush to the board surface, then solder the other pins in opposite corners, then solder remaining pins.

The shield is now complete.

To use the bootloader shield, simply plug the shield into an Arduino UNO, install an ATMEGA328P IC into the ZIF, and follow the steps outlined in other sources.

If you want me to list the step on how to burn the bootloader, let me know and I can list them out here, it is a very easy process.

I tested this shield on 24 Dec 2025, and it works 100%, verified by removing the IC from the ZIF and installing in one of my Rev. 2 boards and loaded and ran the Blink sketch.

I will work on a revision to add a female stackable header so the burner can be used with my Standalone Arduino UNO Rev. 2 (I will not have to use a standard UNO to burn a bootloader).