This article is about questions frequently asked about Scratch. For other uses, see FAQ (disambiguation).
See also: Scratch FAQ

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Scratch.

General Questions

What is the purpose of Scratch?

Scratch is a block-based programming language designed to be easy to use. Scratch is designed for those who are between the ages of 8 to 16 years old, but anyone can use it.[1] Scratch is often used as a beginning language to teach people to code. After knowing how to use Scratch they can start learning other programming languages with a bit more experience. Learn more »

Why should I use Scratch?

Many people consider Scratch easy to use[2] because programming is done by dragging blocks rather than by typing, making it easy for one to learn fundemental coding skills. There is also no way to make a "syntax error". Scratch cannot be used to access computer files, does not provide first class lists, etc. but projects can be shared with the large online community. Learn more »

Where is Scratch made?

Scratch is made at the Scratch Foundation by the Scratch Team, but was created at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), both of them in Boston, Massachusetts.
Learn more »

Who created Scratch?

Mitchel Resnick (mres on Scratch) and Andrés Monroy-Hernández (andresmh on Scratch) created Scratch so that people (especially children) all over the world could learn how to code. The Scratch Team also maintains and develops Scratch. Learn more »

Is Scratch free?

Scratch is free (meaning that no money needs to be paid to use it), has always been free, and will always be free. This is made possible by donations to the Scratch Foundation.[3] Donation is optional, and the donation banner can be seen in the Front Page. Learn more »

Is Scratch secure?

Scratch is generally secure. However, there have been minor security breaches in the past, and it is not completely foolproof against all attacks. Learn more »

What license are Scratch projects under?

Scratch projects uploaded and shared at the website are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 2.0 (CC BY-SA 2.0).[4] If a project is never uploaded to the website, the creator can put whatever license they want on it. Learn more »

Can I sell my Scratch projects?

It is possible to sell Scratch projects, as long as they are not shared on the Scratch Website.[5] The creator can attach any license they wish to the code. However, once a project is shared, it is automatically released under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 2.0 license, which allows anyone else to view or remix it free of charge. This means that you will need to have never shared your project to Scratch if you are planning on selling your project, since the Creative Commons License can never be canceled. Selling copies of the Scratch program itself is not allowed.[citation needed] Learn more »

Community Guidelines Questions

How do I report inappropriate content?

To report an inappropriate project, click the "Report this" link below the project. When reporting a comment, a link will be above the comment. For a forum post, click the Report link beneath the post. For a user, the report button is below the "What I've Been Doing" section of their user page. For a studio, the report button is underneath the description.
Learn more »

What does the Scratch Team do if they find something inappropriate?

In all cases, the inappropriate material is removed. An alert may be sent to the user that had posted the inappropriate content. If the account has recently posted other inappropriate content, they might get banned. The amount of time depends on how many offenses they have committed in the past.[citation needed] Creating alternate accounts to get around the ban is not allowed, and those accounts will be banned.[6] Learn more »

What do I do about someone who is copying my projects?

Scratch supports remixing, taking a project and modifying it. If someone copies your project (or anyone else's) and doesn't change anything at all, it is OK to report it, making sure to mention that it is an exact copy and posting a link to the original project.[7] Learn more »

What do I do if I see a Scratcher violating the Community Guidelines?

If you find a Scratcher or group of Scratchers doing something against the Community Guidelines, you should use the report button next to the post or comment. If they did something very serious or did something that cannot be explained through the report button, email the issue to the Scratch Team by using the Contact Us link found at the bottom of every page on Scratch. Learn more »

How do I report a user?

If a user must be reported, it can be done through clicking the "Report this profile" button at the bottom right hand of the "What I've been doing" section of their profile page. This requires being signed in to a Scratch account. Learn more »

Why are some users blocked from accessing the Scratch Website?

If a user was not following the Community Guidelines after repeated warnings, their account will be banned from the website. Sometimes it is more severe, with an entire IP Address or range being banned. Learn more »

What information can be shared on the Scratch website?

You can say things that you like to do, but personal information should not be shared. This includes full names, schools, addresses, phone numbers, contact information on sites containing unmoderated chat, and email addresses. Comments and posts containing these should be reported. Learn more »

What is SEO spam?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO spam is used to improve a site's ranking on search engines like Google, which rank based on links toward the site. SEO spam is not allowed on the Scratch site and should be reported. Learn more »

What is phishing?

Phishing is a scam where somebody tricks a user into giving sensitive information such as passwords away. If this ever happens, contact the Scratch Team by clicking the Contact Us link at the bottom of the page on every page of the Scratch website.
Learn more »

Scratch Program Questions

What is the current version of Scratch?

Scratch 3.0 is the current version of Scratch.[8] The current version of the Offline Editor is 3.29.1, which was released on February 27, 2022.[9] Learn more »

What are the system requirements for Scratch?

Running Scratch 3.0's online editor requires Chrome or Mobile Chrome 63 or higher, Edge 15 or higher, Firefox 57 or higher, or Safari or Mobile Safari 11 or higher. Internet Explorer is not supported.[10]
Learn more »

How do I create a new project?

To make a new project while a Scratch page other than the editor is open, click "Create" on the website navigation bar. This will make a blank project with an "Untitled-#" title and the default Scratch Cat sprite. From there, the project can be designed in the Scratch 3.0 online editor. In the offline editor, access File > New to create a new project. Learn more »

How do I create a new sprite?

Sprites can be created by uploading an image, by drawing with the Paint Editor, by choosing from the sprite library, or by selecting a sprite at random. These options are available at the bottom of the sprite pane on the button labeled "Choose a Sprite". Learn more »

Is there an eraser in Vector Mode?

Yes, in the Scratch 3.0 vector editor there is an eraser. It is similar to the bitmap eraser but does not work exactly the same way. Learn more »

How do I put things in my backpack?

To put a sprite, script, sound, costume, or backdrop into the backpack, you can drag them into the backpack area when the backpack is opened. Remember that the offline editor does not have a backpack yet, so one will have to do it online. Learn more »

How do I organize my project's scripts?

After you have created your scripts in the editor, right-click the background and select "Clean up Blocks". Your scripts should be automatically stacked in a single column.

However, this may not be the best way to organize scripts, as it can be useful to view multiple scripts side-by-side. To do this, you can move scripts around the editor by dragging the top block of each script. Learn more »

What sound formats can I import into Scratch?

Scratch can import WAV files and some MP3s. Other sound formats cannot be imported directly, but can be converted.[11] Learn more »

Can Scratch's project resolution be changed?

No, it cannot be changed. However, the project can be shown in a larger space using full screen mode. When using vector graphics, this will not reduce the quality or cause pixelation, but raster or bitmap graphics will pixelate and become blocky. The Scratch Team was also considering a 16:9 option for Scratch 3.0; however, this was not implemented.[12] Learn more »

Is there a file size limit for a project?

In Scratch 3.0, projects on the Scratch website can only be shared if each individual asset does not exceed 10 MB and the project JSON does not exceed 5 MB. If a message appears saying that the project is too large, it may be helpful to try to compress or remove long sounds, like music. Also, if the project is in Scratch 1.4 or Scratch 2.0, the project can be opened in Scratch 3.0 and uploaded from there. Learn more »

How do I get help about a block?

The best way to get information about a block is by using the Scratch Wiki. Scratch Wiki articles can easily be found on search engines or the search bar in the Scratch Wiki (at the top right). A list of blocks can be found here. Learn more »

Why don't my projects work correctly online?

Archive.png This article or section documents something not included in the current version of Scratch (3.0). It is only useful from a historical perspective.

Scratch 3.0's Online Editor and Offline Editor use the same HTML/JavaScript player, so projects should run the same online and offline.

In Scratch 2.0, the online editor used the Flash Player. This player was a completely different application from the Scratch 2.0 Online Editor. They sometimes behave a bit differently from the Scratch Program, which might cause problems for some projects. Learn more »

What is Scratch made with?

Scratch 3.0 is written in HTML5, CSS and JavaScript and uses the JavaScript library React. Learn more »

Programming Questions

What is programming?

Programming is the process of writing instructions (called code) for a computer and placing it in a file (called a program). Learn more »

What can I use variables for?

A variable can be used any time a value must be stored, be it a score, name, or option. Variables can also be used to easily create text on the stage. Learn more »

How do I stop variables from resetting to their default positions?

Archive.png This article or section documents something not included in the current version of Scratch (3.0). It is only useful from a historical perspective.

In Scratch 1.x, variables that are hidden when the project is shared lose their locations. The cure is to make sure that all variables are visible and in the correct location when the project is shared, then have a green flag script hide the ones that need to be hidden when the project starts up. Learn more »

Why does my sprite appear upside-down when rotating?

Due to the default rotation style, sprites rotating will appear upside-down. You can change the rotation style of a sprite by selecting it and using the buttons that appear when clicking on the direction input in the header of the Sprite Pane. "Left-right" is most likely the best for this. Learn more »

Why can't I save my costumes or sounds?

Archive.png This article or section documents something not included in the current version of Scratch (3.0). It is only useful from a historical perspective.

When the costume's or the sound's name includes a special symbol like :, the save prompt might not open. To solve this, remove the character from the name. Learn more »

Website Questions

How many people use Scratch?

There are a huge variety of New Scratchers and Scratchers. As of August 2024, there are over 135 million registered user accounts.[13] There are also many people who do not have an account or use the Offline Editor. Learn more »

How do I remix a project?

To remix a project, click the green Remix button next to the See inside button in the top right corner of the project page. Alternately, on the project page click See Inside and in the header of the project editor, click on the Remix button to upload the project as a remix from an account. Learn more »

How do I unshare a project?

To unshare a project, one must go to their My Stuff page, and click the unshare button which is next to the project that they want to unshare and under their project stats. The project will not be deleted so if the user would like to reshare the project they unshared, they can - and the unshare button will replace the share button. Learn more »

How do I delete a project?

To delete a project from the website, go to your My Stuff page (make sure that you're logged in). Scroll down until you see the projects that you want to delete. If your project is shared, click "unshare" next to the project, then click "delete." If your project is already unshared, you just have to click "delete." To permanently delete it, go to your trash and click the Empty Trash button, then confirm your password. The project is now permanently deleted. To delete projects from your hard drive, delete the .sb, .sb2 or .sb3 file like any other. Learn more »

How do I create a studio?

To create a new studio, go to your "My Stuff" page, and click the grey "New Studio" button near the upper right corner.
Learn more »

How do I delete a studio?

To delete a studio, go to your My Stuff page (while logged in). Select the Studios tab and look for the studio that you want to delete. When you find it, click "Delete" next to the studio name. Please note that you can only delete your own studios. Learn more »

How do I decline a studio invitation?

There is no official way to decline a studio invitation. Learn more »

How do I add a curator to a studio I curate?

Managers can add curators to studios by navigating to the "Curators" tab, typing the username of the user they wish to invite and pressing the button that says "Invite". An error message will appear if that user has already been invited or they are already a curator of the studio. The user will receive a notification inviting them to curate the studio, in which they can choose to curate the studio or ignore the invitation. It is not currently possible to decline studio invitations. Learn more »

Why can't I invite someone to a studio?

Scratchers must confirm their email address in order to be eligible for studio invitations. The same user can only be invited a single time as a preventative measure against repeated unwanted invites. Some Scratchers have also encountered rate limits when inviting too many users.[14] Learn more »

How do I promote someone to manager?

The button to promote a curator to a manager.

If you are a manager or the host of a studio, then you can promote any other curator of the studio to manager by menu icon next to their icon on the curators tab and clicking "Promote." Learn more »

Can I update my existing project with a new one?

Yes. Simply click the purple "See inside" button on the project page, or open the project from My Stuff. After making edits and exiting the editor by clicking the “See Project Page”, the project will save and update automatically. Learn more »

What should I do about unfriendly comments?

If a comment is found which sounds rude/mean/unfriendly or seems like spam, click on the 'Report' link to the top right of every comment that breaks the Community Guidelines. This will report the comment to the Scratch Team so they can review it. If the comments continue, and nothing changes, one can use the "contact us" link found at the bottom of every page. Never make a forum post, project, studio, or comment to say that someone made a mean comment to the user.
Learn more »

Why do new users have to wait between comments?

The rule requiring New Scratchers to wait 30 seconds between comments exists mainly to prevent spam caused by New Scratchers. This restriction is relaxed to ten seconds for users of Scratcher status. Learn more »

Will Scratch ever get private messaging?

No. Private messaging goes against Scratch's model of having all site activity public. This has been suggested and rejected several times. Learn more »

How do I get my projects to become popular?

Appropriately advertising is one of the best ways. This includes a topic in the Show and Tell forum, and a link and/or banner in your signature. Click Learn more for more methods. Learn more »

How can I get my project featured?

Users cannot request their own projects to featured, though they can suggest someone else's project to be featured in the Propose Projects to be Featured studio.
Learn more »

Why don't items show up in a search?

The Scratch website uses its own engine; as this engine takes up to a few days to add new pages, it consequently does not show new projects. All of these should show up in at most a week. Sometimes if a project is censored or marked NFE, it also will not show up. Learn more »

Can I still upload projects created in older versions of Scratch?

Scratch 2.0 offers an "Upload to Scratch website" option. Scratch 1.x offers a "Share" option. Scratch 0.x does not offer the ability to upload projects, but .scratch files can be converted to .sb files by opening them with Scratch 1.x. Learn more »

How do some Scratchers get special roles in Scratch?

Most special roles in Scratch can only be obtained through Scratch Team invitation. However, there are several that can be applied for. Note that Scratcher status is needed to do any of these. Learn more »

What is uploads.scratch.mit.edu?

uploads.scratch.mit.edu is a Scratch Website subdomain that serves as the primary website for hosting images on the Scratch website. Formerly, it provided another way to access and control the Scratch Website using your account. Learn more »

Accounts Questions

How can I reset my password?

Open the Scratch website and click the Sign In link — this is where a user enters their password to log in to the Scratch website. At the bottom-right of the login menu is a "Need Help?" link, which directs you to a page where you can enter information to reset the forgotten password. Then there are two options: enter your username or enter the email address associated with it. Once the information is filled out, click the light-grey "Send me a password reset link!" button, which will automatically send an email in which you can reset your password. If you choose to enter your username, it will send the email to the linked email account, and vice versa. Learn more »

I forgot my username. How can I get it back?

If you forgot your username, you can search for the titles of projects you shared, forum topics and studios you created, or projects you commented on, and see if you can recover it from there. If you email the Scratch Team from the address you signed up with, they may be able to find your username. You can also go to the password reset page and enter the email address you registered with, and your username will be emailed to you. Learn more »

How do I change my user icon?

Go to your profile page, hover over your current icon and click "Change". Find an image on your hard drive and choose it. Learn more »

Can I have more than one account?

Yes, it is allowed, as long as they are not being used to violate the Community Guidelines and not being used to evade a ban on another account. On the Scratch Wiki, users cannot have another wiki account, unless it is an approved bot, as it is otherwise known as sockpuppeting. Learn more »

Is it possible to change my username?

No. The only way to change a username is to create an entirely new account, but please note that data such as projects, studios, followers, and forum posts will not be transferred.

It is possible, but uncommon, that the Scratch Team may make an exception upon request for usernames that reveal personal information or cause gender dysphoria, and in general this only will be done for well-established Scratchers.[15][16] The Scratch Team will then transfer all projects, loves, favorites, and other information to a new account with a different username.[17] Learn more »

How do I change my email address?

In order to do this, one must be logged in their Scratch account and click on their username in the top right corner. A drop-down menu will appear. Click the "Account settings" button. On the left part of the page, three tabs will be seen. They are: "Account", "Password" and "Email". Click the "Email" tab. Find the "Type new Email" box, and enter the new email address. Then, enter the account's password into the box below. Then, click the "Change email" button. The email has now been changed. Learn more »

Forum Questions

How do I become a Scratcher?

To be promoted from New Scratcher to Scratcher, one must have shared at least two projects and have created their Scratch account at least 2 weeks previously.[18] A user will receive a notification some time after they meet these requirements. Learn more »

What is the difference between a Scratcher and a New Scratcher?

The differences between being a Scratcher and being a New Scratcher are quite minor. New Scratchers cannot use Cloud Data. Scratchers have the 60-Second Rule when posting, while New Scratchers have the 120-Second Rule which was originally 1000 seconds but was lowered slowly, cannot post images and click clickable links on the forums, and cannot create studios. Learn more »

How do I change/create my forum signature?

Scroll to the bottom of the main page of the Scratch Forums and click the link labelled "Change your signature". Alternatively, users can go to https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/settings/USERNAME replacing "USERNAME" with their username. Learn more »

Why are there some forums I can not post in?

Only the Scratch Team and moderators can post new topics in the Announcements forum. However, all community members can post replies. This is to prevent false official-looking topics. Only the Scratch Team and Scratch Mentors can post new topics in the Scratch Helper Groups forum. Note that anyone can still post in these forums. Learn more »

How can I be a Scratch Team member?

There are a few set requirements that one must meet in order to apply to become a Scratch Team member. One must be at least 18 years old to apply, as being a member of the team is a real job. One must also have the legal right to work in their country.[19] Learn more »

Which forum should my post go in?

Sometimes there is confusion as to what forum to put your post into. The general rule is to follow the guidelines in the forum description. If a topic is posted in the wrong forum, it will likely be moved by a moderator. Learn more »

How do I close a forum topic I created?

To close a forum topic, the topic must be more than 24 hours old and the user who created the topic must be a Scratcher. If these conditions are met, a "close topic" button will be visible below the "submit post" button for the user that created it. If this option is not available, users are encouraged to report the post to ask for it to be closed. A member of the Scratch Team will then review the topic and decide whether to close it or not. If the topic is closed and needs to be reopened, a user can report the post asking for it to be reopened. Learn more »

How can I see how many posts I have?

Scroll down to the bottom of the Discuss page and click on "Show your posts". There will be a notice near the top of the page that says, "Found (# of posts here) posts". Learn more »

What is forcefitting?

Forcefitting is when you try to force a topic into a forum where it does not belong because it does not fit in any of the forums. It mostly happens in the Things I'm Making and Creating and Things I'm Reading and Playing forums.
Learn more »

Do most users use the forums?

Less than 1% of Scratchers use the Scratch Discussion Forums.[20] The majority of Scratchers only use the main website to share and view projects with some not creating any projects at all. The removal of the header link does not seem to have had a significant impact on the number of users who access the forums.[21] Learn more »

Scratch Modification Questions

What license is the Scratch source code under?

All Scratch 3.0 source code except for Scratch Blocks is licensed under the BSD 3-clause license. Scratch Blocks is licensed under the Apache License v2.0,[22] which is a fork of Google's Blockly, that is also under the Apache License.[23] Learn more »

What is a Scratch Modification?

A Scratch Modification, alternatively known as a mod, is a modified version of the Scratch program, usually made by Scratchers with more advanced knowledge. The most common purpose behind making Scratch modifications is the addition of new features or blocks. Others include customizing the editor, removing limits such as clone limit and improving project performance. Projects made with mods that include extra features or blocks are not supported by the original Scratch program or online players, and the Scratch Website does not allow sharing of such projects.[24] The license for Scratch 1.x source code did not allow the word "Scratch" to be used to refer to modifications, with the exception of attribution to Scratch[25]. Learn more »

What is the point of Scratch modifications?

Each modification has its own design goal and reason for creation. Some, such as Snap!, add complex data structures. Others add lots of new blocks. Each provides a unique experience, and aims to change Scratch, for the better. Learn more »

How can I create my own Scratch modification?

You must know JavaScript to create your own Scratch modification. However, some modifications have spots on their teams that do not require programming knowledge, such as graphic designer or brainstormer.[citation needed] Learn more »

Why can't projects made in Scratch modifications be shared to the Scratch website?

Sharing projects to the official Scratch website from Scratch Modifications is against the Scratch Terms of Use. Even if it weren't, they would still be incompatible. Learn more »

Miscellaneous

What is advertising?

Advertising is when a Scratcher posts a link to something they have created (such as a project or studio) on someone else's profile, projects, or studio. Learn more »

What is the Scratch Conference?

The annual Scratch Conference offers an opportunity to explore the creative ways that people are programming and learning with Scratch. Its participants can share ideas, discuss strategies, and participate in hands-on workshops with educators, developers, and researchers from the worldwide Scratch community.

The conference is held at the MIT Media Lab, the birthplace of Scratch, in even-numbered years. In odd-numbered years, the conference takes place at another location around the globe. Learn more »

See Also

References

  1. "Scratch is designed especially for young people ages 8 to 16, but people of all ages create and share with Scratch." scratch:faq
  2. Cub56. (10/12/2017). "much easier to use" post:2920065
  3. "Scratch is and always will be free. You don’t need a license to use Scratch in your school, home, or anywhere else. The development and maintenance of Scratch is paid for by grants and donations." scratch:faq
  4. "All user-generated content you submit to Scratch is licensed to and through Scratch under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license." scratch:terms_of_use
  5. "Can I sell my Scratch projects? — Yes: Your Scratch project is your creation." scratch:faq
  6. Paddle2See. (20/04/2022). "If you were blocked on an account it is up to you to work with the Scratch Team to get the block removed before continuing to interact on Scratch." post:6227339
  7. Za-Chary. (03/01/2021). "Please use the Report button on the project to let us know that one project is an exact copy of another." post:4744225
  8. scratch:faq#scratch3
  9. https://github.com/LLK/scratch-desktop/releases/tag/v3.29.1
  10. scratch:faq#about-scratch
  11. post:5143510
  12. thisandagain. (2016-07-10). "We are considering that, though we are not 100% sure how we will deal with backwards compatibility quite yet." post:2090971
  13. scratch:statistics
  14. https://github.com/scratchfoundation/scratch-www/blob/3c1fd44/src/views/studio/l10n.json#L76
  15. Za-Chary. (16/07/21). "I would like to see if it is possible to word it in such a way that you are not giving a 'complete list' of times when a username could be changed, while also highlighting that, in general, username changes are not possible. Typically, those whose usernames are changed have already established themselves as being a positive member of the Scratch community, e.g. by sharing lots of projects and having an account for a long time." users:Za-Chary#comments-150928057[dead link]
  16. Za-Chary. (16/07/21). "The only reasons I have ever seen a username get changed is for it being their real name and for gender dysphoria (the latter of which I have only seen one case for). I'm not sure that we would change a username because it is 'inappropriate' — I would think we would catch the inappropriate username sooner than later." users:Za-Chary#comments-150928247[dead link]
  17. users:Paddle2See/#comments-51377931[dead link]
  18. topic:54436
  19. post:3701340
  20. users:thisandagain/#comments-20828933[outdated][dead link]
  21. users:Paddle2See/#comments-50868898[dead link]
  22. https://github.com/LLK/scratch-blocks/blob/develop/LICENSE
  23. https://github.com/google/blockly/blob/master/LICENSE
  24. "You may not upload any projects that were created, by you or by anyone else, with a modified version of the Scratch editor." scratch:terms of use
  25. "The word "Scratch" shall not be used to refer to Derivative Works" scratch:source code license
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