User guide

Pairing and flashing

Before you transfer your code from the iOS app to your micro:bit, you need to pair it.

When the micro:bit has been paired with your iPad or iPhone, you can send your programs to the micro:bit by pressing ‘Download’ in the MakeCode editor, or you can select ‘Flash’ on the app home page to send a program stored in the app.

This video shows you how it works:

Ideas

You can create many MakeCode projects on your phone or tablet. We've chosen a few to get you started:

Beating heart

Make your micro:bit’s heart beat using loops

Beginner

Emotion badge

Use your micro:bit to express how you’re feeling

Beginner

Sunlight sensor

Make your micro:bit light up when the sun comes up

Beginner

Dice

Shake your micro:bit to make random numbers

Beginner

Step counter

Make your own step counter with a micro:bit

Beginner

Thermometer

Make a simple thermometer with your micro:bit

Beginner

Compass North

Create a simple compass to show which way is North

Intermediate

Nightlight

Create a light that turns on when it’s dark

Intermediate

Make some noise

Connect headphones or speakers to make noise

Intermediate

If you need help

If you're having problems flashing code from your iOS device to your micro:bit, download this HEX file and transfer it to your micro:bit from a computer, or visit our support site.

Monitor and control

The 'Monitor and control' section of the iOS app allows you to observe real-time data from the micro:bit sensors, send messages directly to the LEDs and control the micro:bit buttons and pins from your iPad or iPhone.

Monitor is also ideal for exploring Bluetooth services in real-time, and for debugging your program code.

These facilities are only available if you have added Bluetooth services to your program, or use one of the examples like ‘monitor-services’ which you'll find in the 'Flash' page of the app.

The micro:bit iOS app is developed by Insight Resources on behalf of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation.