TTL adapter without DTR or RTS pins

[gioele-antoci]

If your TTL adapter has both the DTR and RTS pins exposed, you can let it automatically reboot the board and put the chip into flash mode when necessary. IO0 connects to DTR, and EN connects to RTS. In this case, you don't need to hold anything down.

Reading the docs I see that I would need these pins. The adapter I own (pic below) doesn't expose these pins. does it mean I can't flash esphome with this adapter or do I need to hold something down? what exactly?

[flaviut]

Scroll up a bit, there's a detailed procedure for this situation :)

[gioele-antoci]

sorry :) I hadn't realized that this part

Hold the modified end of the cable in IO0 to the metal shield on the ESP32. If you'd like, you can tape it down so that you have both hands free.
....
While holding it in place, connect 5V on your UART adapter to the VCC_5V0 pin on the board.

was as an alternative to

If your TTL adapter has both the DTR and RTS pins exposed, you can let it automatically reboot the board and put the chip into flash mode when necessary. IO0 connects to DTR, and EN connects to RTS. In this case, you don't need to hold anything down.