# Are any of the pins on the Rainbow Hat (Android Things) available as GPIO output pins?

**URL:** <https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/are-any-of-the-pins-on-the-rainbow-hat-android-things-available-as-gpio-output-pins/7604>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [April 24, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/are-any-of-the-pins-on-the-rainbow-hat-android-things-available-as-gpio-output-pins/7604 "2018-04-24T14:15:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![loranbriggs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/loranbriggs/32/4049_2.png) [@loranbriggs](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/loranbriggs)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/are-any-of-the-pins-on-the-rainbow-hat-android-things-available-as-gpio-output-pins/7604/1 "2018-04-24T14:15:51Z")

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Looking to control a relay from the Rainbow HAT and need access to a single pin to write high or low to control a relay. It looks like there are some other pins left over from the HAT, but the HAT blocks access to all of the pins so I was hoping to use one of the ones on the HAT.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![loranbriggs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/loranbriggs/32/4049_2.png) [@loranbriggs](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/loranbriggs)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/are-any-of-the-pins-on-the-rainbow-hat-android-things-available-as-gpio-output-pins/7604/2 "2018-04-24T15:24:15Z")

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Im using the NXP Pico i.MX7D not the Raspberry pi if that helps.

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**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/are-any-of-the-pins-on-the-rainbow-hat-android-things-available-as-gpio-output-pins/7604/3 "2018-04-24T15:25:05Z")

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The SPI pins MOSI, MISO, and SCLK may be able to be reconfigured as GPIO. They are GPIO 10, 9 and 11. Assuming they are just wired straight through to the header on the Rainbow Hat. And its not used by the Rainbow Hat. I would think i2c is used and you wouldn’t want to use that for anything else than i2c.  
@gadgetoid likely knows what’s used and what’s not.

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**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/are-any-of-the-pins-on-the-rainbow-hat-android-things-available-as-gpio-output-pins/7604/4 "2018-04-24T15:29:14Z")

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Another option, one I use all the time, is to mount a proto hat on a stacking header and plug that in between the Pi and Rainbow Hat. The proto board breaks out the GPIO pins to solder pads.

> **[No EEPROM Adafruit Perma-Proto HAT for Pi Mini Kit – Pimoroni](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/adafruit-perma-proto-hat-for-pi-mini-kit)**
>
> Design your own Pi HAT, attach custom circuitry and otherwise dress your Pi 3, 2, A+ or B+ with this jaunty prototyping HAT kit.