Getting Started with Scratch

Create your own games, animations, interactive stories, and more!

Created by the Scratch Foundation (scratchfoundation.org). Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License (CC by SA 4.0).

Getting Started

Access Scratch online at: scratch.mit.edu

Once you've navigated to scratch.mit.edu, click Create.

This will bring you to the Scratch Editor, the workspace where you build projects. (Create or log in to a free Scratch account so you can save your work.)

If your computer runs an older operating system, or your internet connection isn't reliable, you can download Scratch and use it offline instead. Visit scratch.mit.edu/download for instructions on installing the Scratch app.

The Scratch Editor

The Scratch Editor is where you build projects in Scratch. It has several main sections that you'll use as you code.

Let's Code!

In Scratch, you build programs by snapping together blocks—like puzzle pieces that each perform an action. Start by dragging out a "move" block.

Click the block to try it. Does your cat move?

Now make it talk! Click the Looks category, drag out a "say" block, and snap it onto the "move" block. Click your blocks to test them.

What Is a Sprite?

In Scratch, any character or object on the screen is called a sprite. Every new project starts with the Cat sprite by default.

Want to choose a different sprite? Click the New Sprite icon to pick one from the built-in library.

Or hover over the New Sprite icon for more options: draw your own sprite, generate a surprise sprite, or upload an image from your computer.

For more tips, check out the Sprite Creation coding cards in the Learning Library: scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/sprite-creation

Want to delete a sprite from your project? First select it by clicking its thumbnail in the Sprite List, then click the trash can icon.

Where Is Your Sprite?

Every sprite has a position on the Stage, described using two coordinates: x and y.

• x is the sprite's position from left to right.
• y is its position from top to bottom.

At the very center of the Stage, both x and y equal 0.

When you move your sprite, you'll see its x and y values change to match its new position.

Learn more here: scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/x-y-coordinates-grids

Quick Tips

If something isn't working the way you expect, try these troubleshooting strategies:

Add temporary waits. Slowing down the action gives you time to check whether each step worked correctly. Once you've confirmed your code runs properly, you can remove the waits.

Adjust the order of your blocks. Ask yourself: What needs to happen first? Second? Third? Sometimes the fix is simply rearranging the sequence.

Test blocks individually. Separate them and click each one on its own to see exactly what it does. Is there a similar-but-different block that might work better in your sequence?

Debug systematically. Debugging means finding and fixing errors in your code. Click the bug icon in the Scratch Project Editor for helpful troubleshooting tips, or visit our Learning Library: scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/debugging

Next Steps

Many Scratch projects begin when the user clicks the green flag above the Stage. To set this up, click the Events category and drag out the block that will trigger your code. Attach your code sequence to that block, then click the green flag to test it.

Once your project is ready, you can share it with the global Scratch community by clicking the Share button on your project page.

• Sharing lets others run your program and look "inside" to see how you built it.
• You can unshare a project at any time (under "My Stuff"), and you can turn commenting on or off based on your preference.

Embrace remix culture! Remixing—building on someone else's shared project—is encouraged in the Scratch community. It's a great way to collaborate, connect with others, spark new ideas, and help fellow creators grow. Click the Remix button on any shared project to create your own copy, then make a meaningful change to personalize it.

Starter Projects

Starter projects come with simple, ready-made code that you can remix into your own creation—so you don't have to start from nothing. Find them at scratch.mit.edu/starter-projects. Click "See Inside" to begin.

Tutorials

The Scratch Tutorials Library offers a range of step-by-step guides for building projects, including stories, animations, and games. Access it from the Scratch Editor by clicking the Tutorials button.

The "Getting Started" tutorial walks you through the basics.

Once you select a tutorial, it opens right in the Scratch Editor. Click the green arrow to move through each step.

When you finish a tutorial, you can choose another suggested one, click "See More" to browse the full library, or click the close button to keep customizing your project.

You can also find video tutorials on the official Scratch YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/ScratchTeam

Coding Cards

Scratch Coding Cards offer another way to learn project-building. Find them in the Learning Library: scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library

Each set's title card shows a list of all the cards included. Within a set, you'll find examples of finished projects along with cards that walk you through each step of creating one.

Once you've completed a card set, personalize your project by adding your own sprites, backdrops, sounds, and more. The "Animate a Character" set is a great one to start with. The front of each card shows what you can create; flip it over to learn how.

Get Creative!

Tinker, explore, and use your imagination as you build. Here are a few ways to make your Scratch projects your own:

Design original sprites and backdrops.
scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/sprite-creation
scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/backdrop-background

Choose a sound or record your own.
scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/sound-music

Experiment freely—try changing numbers or adding new blocks to your code and see what happens. Customize your project however you like.

Level Up!

Ready to go further? Explore video tutorials and coding cards on these more advanced topics:

• Conditional Statements — scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/conditional-statements
• Variables and Lists — scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/variables-lists
• My Blocks (custom blocks) — scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/my-blocks-custom-blocks
• Clones — scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/clones
• Face Sensing — scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/face-sensing
• Pen Blocks/Turtle Graphics — scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library/pen-blocks-turtle-graphics

Choose Your Color Mode

Scratch aims to make everything on the site easy to read, so more people can express themselves and everyone can follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (standards for making digital content usable by people with different needs). That's why Scratchers can choose High Contrast blocks, which some people find easier to read, or stick with the original block colors while working in the project editor.

Set your preference in the project editor under Settings > Color Mode. You can switch back and forth anytime.

Choose Your Language

Do you—or someone you're working with—read or work in a language other than English? You can change the language of the project editor under Settings > Language, or set it at the bottom of many pages on the site.

Looking for More?

The Scratch Foundation's website hosts a Learning Library packed with hundreds of free creative-learning resources: student-facing coding cards, video tutorials, lesson plans, and more. Explore it at scratchfoundation.org/learn/learning-library. Everything is searchable and filterable, and new materials are added regularly—so check back often.

For Parents/Caregivers, a few additional resources may be helpful:

• Creative Learning Guide for Families — tips for creating together and supporting playful learning and a tinkering mindset
• Scratch Design Journal — helps creators imagine, plan, revise, and reflect throughout their project's development
• Guide to the Scratch Online Community

For Educators, a few additional resources may be helpful:

• Scratch's Creative Learning Philosophy — shares guiding principles along with facilitation tips and recommended reading
• Teacher Accounts — information on setting up teacher accounts and managing classes
• Lesson Plans and Educator Guides on a variety of topics
• All Blocks Posters — visual references showing all primary blocks, the project editor, extension blocks, and more
• Scratch Design Journal — helps students imagine, plan, revise, and reflect throughout their project's development
• Reflection worksheets — for sharing work and reflecting on the creative process
• Studio Guide — for creating studios (collections of shared projects)

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Created by the Scratch Foundation (scratchfoundation.org). Shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License (CC by SA 4.0).