Errors & Troubleshooting

Occasionally the editor or app you are using will throw an error. Common errors are listed here with a description of what they mean and what you can do to resolve them.

How to re-instate Bluetooth after previously using MicroPython
The Bluetooth pairing feature is part of the DFU (Device Firmware Updater)  and the DFU is only present in .hex files that were generated using the Make...
Mon, 14 Mar, 2022 at 12:27 PM
micro:bit does not connect in Windows
When connecting the micro:bit to a computer, it will automatically install a driver to your machine that enables it to communicate as a serial device via US...
Fri, 2 Jul, 2021 at 1:51 PM
Sorry, we couldn't recognize this file.
Description This error message will appear in the makecode.microbit.org editor if the .hex file you are trying to load was created in another editor s...
Thu, 21 Feb, 2019 at 11:43 AM
Oops, don't know how to load this file
Description This error message will appear in the makecode.microbit.org editor if the file you are trying to load does not have the required .hex file...
Thu, 21 Feb, 2019 at 11:46 AM
Diagnosing Bluetooth Pairing Problems - Android
If you're experiencing issue when pairing your device on android, try these steps to resolve the problem: Check that Location services are turned o...
Fri, 1 Oct, 2021 at 9:44 AM
Network request failed!
Description This error message will appear in the makecode.microbit.org editor if the editor cannot connect to another cloud service, for example downloa...
Fri, 3 Sep, 2021 at 2:22 PM
micro:bit shows + symbol or is unresponsive after flashing with bluetooth
If you find that the micro:bit is not letting you update it after using one of the apps, it might be because the last Bluetooth flashing process was unsucce...
Wed, 10 Mar, 2021 at 3:10 PM
Program Error: r.isRef is not a function
Description This is a generic error that will appear in the makecode.microbit.org editor if there is an issue with the program when it is run thorugh ...
Thu, 21 Feb, 2019 at 2:15 PM
Safari has a bug that means your work will be downloaded as an un-named file. Please rename it to something ending in .hex. Alternatively, use a browser such as Firefox or Chrome. They do not suffer from this bug
Description This error message will appear in the python.microbit.org editor when you try to download a .Hex file using Safari on MacOS. The file will down...
Mon, 11 Mar, 2019 at 1:04 PM
WebUSB Troubleshooting
The Web USB API facilitates communicating with USB devices from the browser. The API is currently available in Chrome based browsers (Android, Chrome OS, Li...
Thu, 16 Nov, 2023 at 3:52 PM