pxt-calliope/docs/device/usb.md

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# Run Scripts on your micro:bit
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How to compile, transfer, and run a script on your micro:bit.
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While you're writing and testing your scripts, you'll mostly be running scripts in your browser by clicking the `PLay` button
(see [run code in your browser](/device/simulator) for info about this).
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Once your masterpiece is complete, you can compile your script and run it on your micro:bit.
## Requirements
You need the following things to transfer and run a script on your micro:bit:
* A-Male to Micro USB cable to connect your computer to your micro:bit. This is the same cable that is commonly used to connect a smart phone to a computer.
* a PC running Windows 7 of later, or a Mac running OS X 10.6 or later
* access to the Internet
## Step 1: Connect your micro:bit to your computer
First, connect the micro:bit:
1. Connect the small end of the USB cable to the micro USB port on your micro:bit.
2. Connect the other end of the USB cable to a USB port on your computer.
Your computer should recognise your micro:bit as a new drive. On computers running Windows, MICROBIT appears as a drive under Devices and drives. On a Mac it appears as a new drive under Devices.
Windows
![](/static/mb/device/usb-0.jpg)
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Mac
![](/static/mb/device/usb-osx-device.png)
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## Step 2: Compile your script
Next, compile your script:
1. Sign in to Touch Develop on your computer.
2. Open your script (find the script in **My Scripts** and click `Edit`).
3. Click **Download**. Your script is converted into a hex file that you can transfer and run on your micro:bit.
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4. When prompted, choose to save the compiled file on your computer (or anywhere other than the micro:bit). Depending on which browser you are using, the download will adopt the download behaviour of that particular browser.
### Windows
**Chrome**
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Your `.hex` file appears as a download at the bottom of the browser. Click on
the arrow next to the name of the file and then click **Show in folder**.
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![](/static/mb/device/usb-windows-chrome.png)
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Drag and drop the hex file from the download folder onto the MICROBIT drive.
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**Firefox**
A window will appear asking whether you want to save or open the `.hex` file.
Select **Save File** and then select **OK**.
![](/static/mb/device/usb-windows-firefox-2.png)
The file will then appear in your downloads in the top right of your browser.
Click the **folder icon** next to the filename to download it and open it in
Windows Explorer.
![](/static/mb/device/usb-windows-firefox-2.png)
**Microsoft Edge**
A message will appear at the bottom of the browser asking what you want to do
with the file. Click **Save**:
![](/static/mb/device/usb-windows-edge-1.png)
Then click **Open folder** and drag and drop the file from your Downloads to
your `MICROBIT` drive.
![](/static/mb/device/usb-windows-edge-2.png)
**Internet Explorer**
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A message will appear at the bottom of the browser asking what you want to do
with the file. Click **Save**:
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![](/static/mb/device/usb-windows-ie11-1.png)
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Then click **Open folder** and drag and drop the file from your Downloads to
your `MICROBIT` drive.
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![](/static/mb/device/usb-windows-ie11-2.png)
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### Mac
**Safari**
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When you select **Download** in Safari a file called `Unknown` will be
downloaded into your Downloads folder. Open your Downloads folder and drag and
drop the file onto your `MICROBIT` drive, under Devices:
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![](/static/mb/device/usb-4.png)
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**Firefox**
A dialogue box will appear, asking whether you would like to open or save your
hex file. Select **Save** and **OK** and the file will then appear in your
downloads in the top right of your browser. Right click on the file and click on
**Show in Finder** and the file will appear in your downloads folder. Select the
file and drag and drop it onto your MICROBIT drive.
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![](/static/mb/device/usb-osx-firefox-1.png)
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![](/static/mb/device/usb-osx-firefox-2.png)
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**Chrome**
When you select **Download** in Chrome, the file will be downloaded to the
bottom of the browser in .hex format. Click on the small arrow and select **Show
in Finder**. This will show the file in your download folder. Drag and drop the
file onto your `MICROBIT` drive.
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![](/static/mb/device/usb-osx-chrome.png)
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## Step 3: Transfer the file to your micro:bit
1. The file will transfer onto your micro:bit.
2. If you're using Windows, you can use **Send to** as described below.
3. The LED on the back of your micro:bit flashes during the transfer (which should only take a few seconds).
4. Once transferred, the code will run automatically on your micro:bit. To rerun your program, press the reset button on the back of your micro:bit. The reset button automatically runs the newest file on the micro:bit.
**Send to**: If you're using Windows you use *Send to* in File Explorer:
- In File Explorer, right-click on the hex file (created in Step 2 above), choose **Send to**, and then **MICROBIT**.
![](/static/mb/device/usb-8.jpg)
By copying the script onto the 'MICROBIT' drive, you have programmed it into the flash memory on the micro:bit, which means even after you unplug the micro:bit, your script will still run if the micro:bit is powered by battery.
## Troubleshooting
You cant drag and drop more than one hex file at once onto your micro:bit. If you try to drag and drop a second hex file onto your micro:bit before the first file has finished downloading, then the second file may fail in different ways.
When the first program has been written to the micro:bit, the drive will disengage. If you drag and drop a second file at this point it may not find the drive and the second write will fail.
The errors may look like this:
**Windows**
![](/static/mb/device/usb-9.jpg)
**Mac**
![](/static/mb/device/usb-10.png)
Or it may appear that there are two hex files on your micro:bit so the micro:bit wont be able to run multiple files. To rectify this, unplug your micro:bit and plug it in again. Make sure that your micro:bit appears as MICROBIT and not MAINTENANCE.
### See also
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[Run code in a browser](/device/simulator)
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