{"id":26308,"date":"2025-05-26T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/?p=26308"},"modified":"2025-05-22T14:43:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T12:43:11","slug":"getting-started-with-the-microbit-installation-connection-and-first-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/demarrer-avec-le-microbit-installation-branchement-et-premier-programme\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting started with Micro:BIT: installation, connection and first program"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You've just bought a <strong>Micro:BIT<\/strong> and you're wondering how to make it work? This guide will help you <strong>step by step to get started<\/strong> with this card <strong>programmable <\/strong>and create your very first project in just a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Box contents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the package you have purchased, you will generally find :<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1 Micro:BIT v2 card<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 USB cable (micro-USB to USB)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 holder for 2 AAA batteries (sometimes with batteries included)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quick-start documentation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don't have a cable or battery holder, you can use just the USB cable to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Connect the Micro:BIT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Connect the Micro:BIT to your computer using the USB cable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once plugged in, it switches on automatically. The LED display shows an animation or welcome message (depending on version).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The computer detects the card as a USB stick: a \"MICROBIT\" volume appears in your files.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you're ready to send a program to the card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Access the programming environment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Micro:BIT can be programmed directly online, without installing anything. Go to the following site:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/makecode.microbit.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/makecode.microbit.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This editor lets you program :<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Drag-and-drop blocks (ideal for children or beginners)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In JavaScript<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Python, via the official Python editor : <a href=\"https:\/\/python.microbit.org\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/python.microbit.org\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/python.microbit.org<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Create your first program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Example: make a heart appear on the LEDs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In MakeCode, click on \"New project\".<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the \"at startup\" block, add \"display an icon\" and choose a heart.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click on the \"Download\" button: a .hex file is generated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drag this file to the \"MICROBIT\" USB key on your computer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>A few seconds after the transfer, the animation appears on the Micro:BIT LED display. Congratulations, you've programmed your first card!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4: Using the A and B buttons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Add interactivity to your project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use the \"when button A is pressed\" block<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add \"display string\" with a message, for example \"Hello!\"<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Download the program to the card again. Press A: the message appears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 5: Switch to battery (optional)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To make your Micro:BIT self-sufficient :<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unplug the USB cable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plug the battery holder into the connector provided.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Turn on the switch, if fitted: the previously loaded program starts automatically.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips for getting started<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If nothing is displayed: check that the LEDs are pointing at you and that the board is correctly powered.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the file doesn't transfer: try again with another USB cable (some only allow charging, not data).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Save your online projects in MakeCode for later retrieval.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Simple projects : <a href=\"https:\/\/microbit.org\/projects\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/microbit.org\/projects\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/microbit.org\/projects<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Educational community : <a href=\"https:\/\/microbit.org\/teach\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/microbit.org\/teach\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/microbit.org\/teach<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Technical documentation : <a href=\"https:\/\/tech.microbit.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/tech.microbit.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">https:\/\/tech.microbit.org\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Micro:BIT is designed to be accessible right from the start. In just a few minutes, you can display a message, react to a button, or use a sensor. This guide gives you the basics to explore further. In the next article, we'll create a complete play project: a coin toss game with A and B buttons.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to connect, program and use your Micro:BIT in just a few simple steps. An ideal guide to getting started.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26309,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[293],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guide"],"featured_image_src":{"landsacpe":["https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Demarrer-avec-Micro_BIT.png",791,445,false],"list":["https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Demarrer-avec-Micro_BIT.png",463,260,false],"medium":["https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Demarrer-avec-Micro_BIT-300x169.png",300,169,true],"full":["https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Demarrer-avec-Micro_BIT.png",1920,1080,false]},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Demarrer-avec-Micro_BIT.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26308\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monraspberry.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}