BBC micro:bit: Setup and First Programs

From an unboxed micro:bit to your first programs - components, drag-and-drop MakeCode, Python, and flashing over USB.

Last updated September 24, 2026

15 min read

beginner difficulty

BBC micro:bit: Setup and First Programs

The micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer built for learning. It has a 5×5 LED display, two buttons, motion and sound sensors, and radio - all programmable from a web browser with no install. This tutorial gets you from an unboxed board to your own scrolling-text and button programs, using both drag-and-drop blocks and written code.

What You Will Need

A micro:bit - v1 or v2; v2 adds a microphone, speaker, and touch logo
A micro-USB cable that carries data, not a charge-only cable
A computer (Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook) - or an Android/iOS device
Optional: a battery pack (2×AAA) to run the board untethered

On the cable: the single most common first snag is a charge-only USB cable. It powers the board - the LED lights - but the computer never sees the MICROBIT drive, so there is nothing to copy a program to. If the drive does not appear, suspect the cable before anything else.

Meet the Board

The parts you will use most, front and back:

25 red LEDs in a 5×5 grid - the display, for text, numbers and icons
Buttons A and B either side of the display, plus a touch logo on v2
Accelerometer - detects tilt, shake, and freefall
Compass (magnetometer) - heading and magnetic field strength
Temperature sensor - reads the chip temperature, close to room temp
Microphone and speaker (v2 only) - sound level in, tones out
Radio and Bluetooth - talk to other micro:bits, or to a phone
Edge connector - the gold pins along the bottom for crocodile clips
USB port and reset button on the back, with a yellow status LED

// The blocks you drag in MakeCode are JavaScript underneath. Click the
// "JavaScript" tab in the editor to see this - useful for sharing code as text.
input.onButtonPressed(Button.A, function () {
    basic.showString("A")
})
basic.forever(function () {
    basic.showIcon(IconNames.Heart)
    basic.pause(500)
    basic.clearScreen()
    basic.pause(500)
})

# python.microbit.org - the classic first program.
from microbit import *

while True:
    display.scroll("Hello, Embed Club!")
    display.show(Image.HEART)
    sleep(500)

from microbit import *

count = 0
while True:
    if button_a.was_pressed():
        count += 1
        display.scroll(count)
    if button_b.was_pressed():
        count = 0
        display.show(Image.SQUARE)

BBC micro:bit: Setup and First Programs

BBC micro:bit: Setup and First Programs

What You Will Need

Meet the Board

Two Ways to Program It

Program It Right Here on Embed Club

Program the micro:bit on Embed Club

What you can do there

The official micro:bit editors

Path A - Drag and Drop with MakeCode

Flashing by Drag and Drop

Path B - Writing Code with Python

First Real Program - Count Button Presses

Programming from a Phone

Troubleshooting

Where to Go Next