Note: The Maker App is now deprecated and no longer supported. Boards now connect directly through the browser, so no app is needed to access the Maker Toolkit.

Code.org now enables the ability to connect a device directly to App Lab within your browser for classrooms teaching the Physical Computing units in Computer Science Discoveries or the Creating Apps with Devices standalone unit.

In the summer of 2023 we stopped support for the previous ways used to connect devices: the Code.org Maker App and Chrome Serial Extension used in Chromebooks.

Why did we make this change?

Connecting directly to your browser removes the need to download additional software (like the Maker App or Chrome Serial Extension for Chromebooks), and let's us focus on supporting and improving a single classroom experience rather than several different scenarios. It’s much easier to connect directly in the browser instead of using these other apps.

What is the impact of these changes?

If you are currently using the Maker App to connect devices:

• Make sure you have the latest Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser installed on your computers, then use these browsers to connect your devices following the steps in this guide.

If you are currently using Chromebooks to connect devices:

• Make sure your Chromebook is running at least version 90 of the ChromeOS operating system. 
• If your Chromebooks are older than this version and cannot be updated:
  • This means your devices have reached their end of life, which is a policy designed by Google. To teach our physical computing units, you may need to contact your IT department to purchase new chromebooks that are capable of receiving updates.