diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/__init__.py b/esphome/components/captive_portal/__init__.py
index 25d0a22083..763e2e4ec5 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 def AUTO_LOAD() -> list[str]:
     auto_load = ["web_server_base", "ota.web_server"]
-    if CORE.using_esp_idf:
+    if CORE.is_esp32:
         auto_load.append("socket")
     return auto_load
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/i2c/__init__.py b/esphome/components/i2c/__init__.py
index 7706484e97..b68f0490e1 100644
--- a/esphome/components/i2c/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/i2c/__init__.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def _final_validate(config):
     full_config = fv.full_config.get()[CONF_I2C]
     if CORE.using_zephyr and len(full_config) > 1:
         raise cv.Invalid("Second i2c is not implemented on Zephyr yet")
-    if CORE.using_esp_idf and get_esp32_variant() in ESP32_I2C_CAPABILITIES:
+    if CORE.is_esp32 and get_esp32_variant() in ESP32_I2C_CAPABILITIES:
         variant = get_esp32_variant()
         max_num = ESP32_I2C_CAPABILITIES[variant]["NUM"]
         if len(full_config) > max_num:
diff --git a/esphome/components/i2s_audio/__init__.py b/esphome/components/i2s_audio/__init__.py
index 61c5ca4ec1..1e4fa56b78 100644
--- a/esphome/components/i2s_audio/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/i2s_audio/__init__.py
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ def _final_validate(_):
 
 def use_legacy():
     legacy_driver = _get_use_legacy_driver()
-    return not (CORE.using_esp_idf and not legacy_driver)
+    return not (CORE.is_esp32 and not legacy_driver)
 
 
 FINAL_VALIDATE_SCHEMA = _final_validate
diff --git a/esphome/components/improv_serial/__init__.py b/esphome/components/improv_serial/__init__.py
index 7f88b17e11..9a2ac2f40f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/improv_serial/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/improv_serial/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def validate_logger(config):
     logger_conf = fv.full_config.get()[CONF_LOGGER]
     if logger_conf[CONF_BAUD_RATE] == 0:
         raise cv.Invalid("improv_serial requires the logger baud_rate to be not 0")
-    if CORE.using_esp_idf and (
+    if CORE.is_esp32 and (
         logger_conf[CONF_HARDWARE_UART] == USB_CDC
         and get_esp32_variant() == VARIANT_ESP32S3
     ):
diff --git a/esphome/components/mdns/__init__.py b/esphome/components/mdns/__init__.py
index 99b728b249..77cca9e00c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mdns/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/mdns/__init__.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ async def to_code(config):
         elif CORE.is_rp2040:
             cg.add_library("LEAmDNS", None)
 
-    if CORE.using_esp_idf:
+    if CORE.is_esp32:
         add_idf_component(name="espressif/mdns", ref="1.9.1")
 
     cg.add_define("USE_MDNS")
diff --git a/esphome/components/network/__init__.py b/esphome/components/network/__init__.py
index d7a51fb0c6..b63de261f3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/network/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/network/__init__.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ async def to_code(config):
             "High performance networking disabled by user configuration (overriding component request)"
         )
 
-    if CORE.is_esp32 and CORE.using_esp_idf and should_enable:
+    if CORE.is_esp32 and should_enable:
         # Check if PSRAM is guaranteed (set by psram component during final validation)
         psram_guaranteed = psram_is_guaranteed()
 
@@ -210,12 +210,8 @@ async def to_code(config):
                 "USE_NETWORK_MIN_IPV6_ADDR_COUNT", config[CONF_MIN_IPV6_ADDR_COUNT]
             )
         if CORE.is_esp32:
-            if CORE.using_esp_idf:
-                add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6", enable_ipv6)
-                add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6_AUTOCONFIG", enable_ipv6)
-            else:
-                add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6", True)
-                add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6_AUTOCONFIG", True)
+            add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6", enable_ipv6)
+            add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_LWIP_IPV6_AUTOCONFIG", enable_ipv6)
         elif enable_ipv6:
             cg.add_build_flag("-DCONFIG_LWIP_IPV6")
             cg.add_build_flag("-DCONFIG_LWIP_IPV6_AUTOCONFIG")
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
index 2c10506011..1b6a8dffa9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ async def to_code(config):
         )
         cg.add(var.set_ap_timeout(conf[CONF_AP_TIMEOUT]))
         cg.add_define("USE_WIFI_AP")
-    elif CORE.is_esp32 and CORE.using_esp_idf:
+    elif CORE.is_esp32:
         add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_SOFTAP_SUPPORT", False)
         add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_LWIP_DHCPS", False)
 
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ async def to_code(config):
         add_idf_sdkconfig_option("CONFIG_SPIRAM_TRY_ALLOCATE_WIFI_LWIP", True)
 
     # Apply high performance WiFi settings if high performance networking is enabled
-    if CORE.is_esp32 and CORE.using_esp_idf and has_high_performance_networking():
+    if CORE.is_esp32 and has_high_performance_networking():
         # Check if PSRAM is guaranteed (set by psram component during final validation)
         psram_guaranteed = psram_is_guaranteed()
 
diff --git a/esphome/core/__init__.py b/esphome/core/__init__.py
index ad9844a3bf..8c823f112d 100644
--- a/esphome/core/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/core/__init__.py
@@ -798,6 +798,11 @@ class EsphomeCore:
 
     @property
     def using_esp_idf(self):
+        # Deprecated: use is_esp32 instead, as Arduino also builds ESP-IDF
+        logging.getLogger(__name__).warning(
+            "CORE.using_esp_idf is deprecated, use CORE.is_esp32 instead. "
+            "Arduino on ESP32 also uses ESP-IDF."
+        )
         return self.target_framework == "esp-idf"
 
     @property