Welcome to “Connecting to the Physical World”
Are you ready to bring your Scratch projects beyond the screen? Whether you want to build a custom game controller, interact with real sensors, or make a robot tell a story, this is the place to get started.

This topic is for anyone interested in using Scratch with physical devices like the micro:bit, Makey Makey, LEGO SPIKE Prime, and more. Whether you're just getting started or you're already experimenting with interactive hardware, you'll find helpful resources, tips, and support here.

What This Topic Covers

This thread provides a starting point for connecting Scratch to real-world hardware. It includes:

- How to set up and use physical devices with Scratch
- A list of supported devices and how to connect them
- Learning materials and project ideas
- Troubleshooting tips and setup advice
- Guidance on how to ask for help effectively
- Links to official Scratch resources

Supported Devices

Scratch has built-in support for several physical computing platforms. These devices can be accessed using the “Extensions” button in the Scratch editor (bottom left corner).

Officially Supported Devices:

- micro:bit
- Makey Makey
- LEGO WeDo 2.0
- LEGO Education SPIKE Prime
- Go Direct Sensors (by Vernier)

To use most of these devices, especially Bluetooth ones, you will need to install Scratch Link
—a helper app that allows Scratch to communicate with your hardware.

Recommended Browsers:

Use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for best results, as other browsers may not fully support hardware extensions.

Getting Started Resources

Whether you're a teacher, student, or hobbyist, these guides will help you get going quickly:

Scratch Extensions Overview

micro:bit Scratch Cards (PDF)

Scratch Getting Started Guide (PDF)

Scratch Wiki – Extensions

These resources cover setup, project examples, and how to use each hardware extension in Scratch.

Common Tips and Troubleshooting

If your device isn’t connecting, try the following steps:

1. Use Chrome or Edge (not Safari or Firefox)

2. Install and run Scratch Link before opening Scratch

3. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on and enabled in system settings

4. Confirm your device is powered on and within range

5. Remove and re-add the Scratch extension if the device isn’t detected

6. Restart your computer if Scratch Link or the device becomes unresponsive

7. Check that you’re using a supported and up-to-date version of your device

8. For Bluetooth devices, only one application can connect to the hardware at a time. If another app is using it, you’ll need to disconnect that app first.

When Asking for Help

To help others assist you effectively, please include the following details when posting a question:

- The device you're using (e.g., micro:bit, SPIKE Prime)
- Your operating system (e.g., Windows, macOS, Chrome OS)
- Which browser you’re using (e.g., Chrome, Edge)
- What you've already tried (e.g., restarted Scratch, installed Scratch Link)
- Any error messages or unusual behavior you're seeing
- The more specific you are, the easier it is for others to help.

Example Projects and Ideas

Looking for inspiration? Here are some fun and educational project ideas:

- Use a micro:bit to move a Scratch sprite by tilting the device
- Make a banana piano using Makey Makey and Scratch sound blocks
- Build a LEGO WeDo motion sensor that triggers animations in Scratch
- Create a robot story character with LEGO SPIKE Prime and Scratch broadcasts
- Use Go Direct sensors to make temperature or light-controlled games in Scratch

Explore more projects on the Explore page by searching for keywords like “micro:bit,” “Makey Makey,” or “SPIKE Prime.”

Join the Discussion

This forum is here for sharing ideas, asking questions, and helping others. If you’ve built a project, discovered a helpful tip, or found a good guide from the official Scratch website, feel free to contribute and reply.

Whether you're trying out your first extension or guiding students through a classroom build, we’re excited to see what you create.

Did you get permission for this topic? Reporting to be stickied. Also, the URL is broken.

Scratch doesn't support SPIKE Prime. Also congrats on sticky

how did you make it sticky

bro everyone is changing the subject here