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What is the micro:bit?

Inspiring students to get creative with coding since 2016

close-up photo of a child holding a micro:bit board between their fingers over their face

Inspiring students to get creative with coding since 2016

Easy. Effective. Engaging.

Manon

The micro:bit is such a tangible way to develop coding. It’s real, it’s exciting and it gives my students confidence to try new things and experiment.

Manon, Teacher, UK

Computing made physical

A micro:bit in the foreground showing a happy face while icons for micro:bit features are highlighted in the background

Use the micro:bit to sense, measure and log

  • Light

  • Temperature

  • Sound

  • Movement

  • Magnetism

Explore

  • Buttons

  • LEDs

  • Radio

  • Networks

  • Simple circuits

  • Pins

Animation showing code blocks for a flashing heart program sent from a computer to a micro:bit. Then the micro:bit display repeatedly shows a large then small heart icon.

Add code

to bring the micro:bit to life

Add code

to bring the micro:bit to life

Animation showing code blocks for a step counter program sent from a computer to a micro:bit. Then the micro:bit display shows 0.

Change the code

to transform it into something new

Change the code

to transform it into something new

Step into the real world

Animation of a step counter. A micro:bit with 0 on the display is attached to a trainer. The trainer steps twice. Each step increments the number on the micro:bit, showing 1 and then 2.

Endless opportunities to engage students with real-world technology

a micro:bit attached to a trainer overlaid by a semi-transparent time series graph of data logged by the micro:bit

Gather data for mathematics and science

three primary or elementary age students look at a micro:bit connected to a battery pack while outdoors

Make learning playful

a micro:bit attached to a padlock securing a box

Bring digital security to life

a micro:bit attached to a guitar-shaped piece of cardboard with crocodile clips connected to foil covered sections on the cardboard and the micro:bit pins

Be creative with lights, sounds and movement

a micro:bit and attached battery pack resting on top of a map with an up arrow displayed on the micro:bit LED display

Get outdoors and active with technology

a smart home prototype built for the do your :bit challenge

Explore environmental issues

Technology designed for everyone

Find out more about the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, the non-profit behind the micro:bit.

44 million

students have learnt with micro:bit*

60+

countries learning with micro:bit

The micro:bit is used by millions of young people worldwide to get hands-on with computer science and technology.

Two girls holding a micro:bit and discussing them, pressing buttons and smiling

The micro:bit is used by millions of young people worldwide to get hands-on with computer science and technology.

Inspiring every child

by making computing fun and meaningful for beginners and experienced coders.

Empowering educators

Grow your confidence through training

Free professional development courses and live webinars for those getting started as well as more experienced teachers.

Explore courses
Female teacher sitting with a pupil explaining how the micro:bit works
Female pupil in a primary school classroom pointing to block code on an interactive whiteboard

Everything you need to inspire your students

Curriculum-linked units of work, lessons, projects, design challenges and printable resources, including certificates and posters, give you everything you need to teach and inspire your students.

Discover teaching resources

Supporting your whole class teaching

With micro:bit classroom you can run whole class sessions, easily share code with students over multiple lessons and keep a record of progress.

Try micro:bit classroom
Seven children in school uniform, sitting in their classroom, with their hands raised

Online coding tools

Our official blocks-based editor is Microsoft MakeCode and our text-based programming tool is the micro:bit Python editor. The BBC micro:bit also works with Scratch, Code.org App Lab and a wide range of other tools/editors.

Text-based coding for ages 11+

Text-based coding for ages 11+

Already have a micro:bit?

Take the first steps on your micro:bit journey today.

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What’s in the micro:bit educational package?

In addition to the BBC micro:bits themselves, users have access to free lesson resources, free online professional development courses and free coding and classroom tools. These are all available from our Teach section. You may also be interested to visit our product pages to find out what’s included in the box for each of our products.

What ages is the micro:bit suitable for?

The BBC micro:bit is designed for young people ages 8+ and covers learning for all stages of school education: primary/elementary, middle and high schools.

Do micro:bit resources align with my curriculum?

We provide units of work mapped to the curriculum in the USA, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These and our other learning resources cover key topics typically on computer science curricula worldwide.

What computers or mobile devices does the micro:bit work with?

The micro:bit works with Microsoft, MacOS, Apple iPads(and iPhones) and Android devices. See minimum requirements.

How many micro:bits do I need for a class?

We typically recommend at least 1 micro:bit between 2 students, although they can be used in learning activities with small groups.

What is available in different languages?

The MakeCode editor and the Python editor as well as some pages and learning resources on our website are available in several languages. See details of how to access content in different languages.

Our translations are provided with support from our amazing team of volunteers. Find out more about volunteering.

I’ve heard the micro:bit referred to as a physical computing device. What does that mean and why is it important?

We have provided an article to explain in more detail what we mean by physical computing and why this is so fundamental to what micro:bit offers.

Why is it important to get young people coding?

This article explains why teaching young people coding is important and how micro:bit can help.

How does the micro:bit support accessibility?

We aim to make our products and services accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Find out more about our approach and provision for accessibility.