diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
index cd448be9dc7..c4ca9db099d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
@@ -126,10 +126,14 @@ COMPILER_OPTIMIZATIONS = {
 # - "sdmmc": driver -> esp_driver_sdmmc -> sdmmc dependency chain
 DEFAULT_EXCLUDED_IDF_COMPONENTS = (
     "cmock",  # Unit testing mock framework - ESPHome doesn't use IDF's testing
+    "driver",  # Legacy driver shim - pulls in ALL esp_driver_* components
     "esp_adc",  # ADC driver - only needed by adc component
+    "esp_driver_dac",  # DAC driver - only needed by esp32_dac component
     "esp_driver_i2s",  # I2S driver - only needed by i2s_audio component
+    "esp_driver_mcpwm",  # MCPWM driver - ESPHome doesn't use motor control PWM
     "esp_driver_rmt",  # RMT driver - only needed by remote_transmitter/receiver, neopixelbus
     "esp_driver_touch_sens",  # Touch sensor driver - only needed by esp32_touch
+    "esp_driver_twai",  # TWAI/CAN driver - only needed by esp32_can component
     "esp_eth",  # Ethernet driver - only needed by ethernet component
     "esp_hid",  # HID host/device support - ESPHome doesn't implement HID functionality
     "esp_http_client",  # HTTP client - only needed by http_request component
@@ -140,9 +144,11 @@ DEFAULT_EXCLUDED_IDF_COMPONENTS = (
     "espcoredump",  # Core dump support - ESPHome has its own debug component
     "fatfs",  # FAT filesystem - ESPHome doesn't use filesystem storage
     "mqtt",  # ESP-IDF MQTT library - ESPHome has its own MQTT implementation
+    "openthread",  # Thread protocol - ESPHome doesn't use Thread networking
     "perfmon",  # Xtensa performance monitor - ESPHome has its own debug component
     "protocomm",  # Protocol communication for provisioning - unused by ESPHome
     "spiffs",  # SPIFFS filesystem - ESPHome doesn't use filesystem storage (IDF only)
+    "ulp",  # ULP coprocessor - only needed by deep_sleep with ULP wakeup
     "unity",  # Unit testing framework - ESPHome doesn't use IDF's testing
     "wear_levelling",  # Flash wear levelling for fatfs - unused since fatfs unused
     "wifi_provisioning",  # WiFi provisioning - ESPHome uses its own improv implementation
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_can/canbus.py b/esphome/components/esp32_can/canbus.py
index 0768b355071..7245ba75133 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_can/canbus.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_can/canbus.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ from esphome.components.esp32 import (
     VARIANT_ESP32S2,
     VARIANT_ESP32S3,
     get_esp32_variant,
+    include_builtin_idf_component,
 )
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome.const import (
@@ -121,6 +122,10 @@ def get_default_tx_enqueue_timeout(bit_rate):
 
 
 async def to_code(config):
+    # Legacy driver component provides driver/twai.h header
+    include_builtin_idf_component("driver")
+    # Also enable esp_driver_twai for future migration to new API
+    include_builtin_idf_component("esp_driver_twai")
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
     await canbus.register_canbus(var, config)
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_dac/output.py b/esphome/components/esp32_dac/output.py
index daace596d31..7c63d7bd11c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_dac/output.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_dac/output.py
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 from esphome import pins
 import esphome.codegen as cg
 from esphome.components import output
-from esphome.components.esp32 import VARIANT_ESP32, VARIANT_ESP32S2, get_esp32_variant
+from esphome.components.esp32 import (
+    VARIANT_ESP32,
+    VARIANT_ESP32S2,
+    get_esp32_variant,
+    include_builtin_idf_component,
+)
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome.const import CONF_ID, CONF_NUMBER, CONF_PIN
 
@@ -38,6 +43,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = output.FLOAT_OUTPUT_SCHEMA.extend(
 
 
 async def to_code(config):
+    include_builtin_idf_component("esp_driver_dac")
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
     await cg.register_component(var, config)
     await output.register_output(var, config)
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_touch/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp32_touch/__init__.py
index 6accb89c357..a02370a3434 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_touch/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_touch/__init__.py
@@ -269,6 +269,8 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
 async def to_code(config):
     # Re-enable ESP-IDF's touch sensor driver (excluded by default to save compile time)
     include_builtin_idf_component("esp_driver_touch_sens")
+    # Legacy driver component provides driver/touch_sensor.h header
+    include_builtin_idf_component("driver")
 
     touch = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
     await cg.register_component(touch, config)
diff --git a/esphome/components/openthread/__init__.py b/esphome/components/openthread/__init__.py
index 26c05a0a862..89d335c574e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/openthread/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/openthread/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from esphome.components.esp32 import (
     VARIANT_ESP32C6,
     VARIANT_ESP32H2,
     add_idf_sdkconfig_option,
+    include_builtin_idf_component,
     only_on_variant,
     require_vfs_select,
 )
@@ -172,6 +173,9 @@ FINAL_VALIDATE_SCHEMA = _final_validate
 
 
 async def to_code(config):
+    # Re-enable openthread IDF component (excluded by default)
+    include_builtin_idf_component("openthread")
+
     cg.add_define("USE_OPENTHREAD")
 
     # OpenThread SRP needs access to mDNS services after setup