LCSC2KiCad : The Missing Link Between LCSC and Your PCB Workflow

October 17, 2025

GitHub Repository: github.com/aminemahd13/LCSC2KiCad

Why It Was Built

If you’ve spent any serious time designing PCBs, you know the pain of sourcing parts. You find a great component on LCSC, but then comes the tedious part: tracking down a footprint, symbol, and 3D model that actually match. Sometimes you find them; sometimes, you don’t. That workflow of copying, reformatting, guessing pin mappings, and occasionally discovering you’ve flipped something after fabrication, was exactly what motivated this project. The goal was simple: bridge the gap between LCSC and KiCad in a way that just works. In short, it was built by someone who got tired of wasting time on repetitive part setup and decided to automate it once and for all.

Why You’ll Actually Want This

Here’s what it does well:

Seamless Import – Type in an LCSC part number (e.g., C2040), hit enter, and watch it appear in KiCad.
Complete Package – Symbols, footprints, and even 3D models come along for the ride.
Auto-Generated Symbols – If the part doesn’t have a symbol yet, the plugin generates one for you.
Auto-Save – Everything is neatly stored in /Documents/KiCad/lcsc2kicad, ready to reuse in your next design.
Integrated Toolbar Access – It lives right in KiCad’s PCB Editor toolbar. No command-line gymnastics required (unless you want to).

Getting Started

Installation is straightforward, whether you’re on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Windows

Clone or download the GitHub Repository , then move the files to:

C:\Users\<your_username>\Documents\KiCad\<version>\scripting\plugins\

Make sure LCSC Importer.py is in the plugins folder (not nested inside another).
If KiCad complains about missing dependencies, open the KiCad Command Prompt and run:

pip install requests pydantic

macOS

Move the files to:

/Users/<USER>/Documents/KiCad/<version>/scripting/plugins/

Then install dependencies:

Bash

/Applications/KiCad/KiCad.app/Contents/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current/bin/pip3 install requests pydantic

Linux

Drop the files here:

~/.kicad/<version>/scripting/plugins/

And install dependencies:

Bash

pip3 install requests pydantic

First Run Setup

After running the plugin once, configure it so KiCad knows where to look for your new libraries:

Add an environment variable LCSC2KICad pointing to the folder where parts are stored.
Add lcsc2kicad to both symbol and footprint global libraries.

That’s it. KiCad will remember these settings, and every new part you import will show up automatically.

Using It

Once installed, the workflow is simple:

Click the LCSC icon in KiCad’s PCB Editor toolbar.
Enter the part number (like C5171).
Press Enter.
The plugin fetches and imports everything : symbol, footprint, and 3D model.

Next time you open the symbol or footprint libraries, your imported part will be waiting.

Command-Line Mode

If you prefer terminal workflows, you can also use it from the command line:

Bash

# Full import (symbol, footprint, 3D model)
python -m lcsc2kicad --lcsc_id C2040 --full

# Symbol only
python -m lcsc2kicad --lcsc_id C2040 --symbol

# Custom output path
python -m lcsc2kicad --lcsc_id C2040 --full --output ./my_library/parts

This is perfect for build scripts or batch imports.

When Things Go Wrong

Most issues trace back to missing dependencies or small setup errors. A few quick checks usually fix everything:

Missing modules? Run pip install requests pydantic using KiCad’s Python.
Plugin not visible? Ensure LCSC Importer.py is in the plugins folder root.
Symbol not found? Recheck your LCSC2KIcad path and restart KiCad.
API errors? LCSC might be temporarily down — try again later.

If all else fails, open an issue on the repository.