Here's how to download Scratch projects: open the project in the Scratch editor, click File, then select Save to your computer (or Download to your computer). This single method works for both saving your own work for offline editing and saving a copy of someone else's shared project.
How to download Scratch projects to your computer
Whether you want to keep working without an internet connection or preserve a backup of your creations, downloading a project is the direct solution. The process is identical for projects you built yourself and for projects shared by others on the Scratch website. You simply need to open the project in the editor and use the File menu to save it as a local file on your device.
For your own project, log in to Scratch, go to My Stuff, and open the project you wish to save. For someone else's shared project, open its page and click the See inside button to load it in the editor. Once the project is open, click File in the top menu bar, then choose Save to your computer (the wording may appear as Download to your computer in some browsers). Your browser will then download a file with the .sb3 extension to your default Downloads folder, or you can choose a specific location if prompted.
Understanding the .sb3 file format
Scratch 3.0 projects are saved as .sb3 files, which is the current standard format for the platform. This file type is essentially a ZIP archive that contains all of your project's assets, sprites, costumes, sounds, backdrops, and the code blocks that make everything work, packaged into a single portable file. Because everything is bundled together, you can move the .sb3 file to any computer and open it without needing to track down individual media files.
It's important to note that .sb3 files are only compatible with Scratch 3.0 and later versions. Older Scratch editors cannot open them. If you need to work with a project in Scratch 2.0 or 1.x, you must use the older file extensions: .sb2 for Scratch 2.0 and .sb for Scratch 1.x. These legacy formats are not interchangeable with the modern .sb3 format, so always check which version of Scratch you're using before downloading or sharing files.
How to open a downloaded Scratch project
Once you've saved a project file to your computer, opening it is straightforward. Navigate to the location where you saved the file, typically your Downloads folder or a custom location you selected during the save process. The file will appear with the .sb3 extension (or .sb2/.sb for older projects).
Double-click the file, and it will automatically open in the Scratch Desktop application if you have it installed. If you don't have the desktop app, you can open the file through the online Scratch editor: go to scratch.mit.edu, click File in the editor menu, then select Load from your computer. Browse to the downloaded file, select it, and the project will load with all its assets intact, ready for you to edit, remix, or play.
Troubleshooting common download issues
One issue you might encounter is a file that appears with the extension .scratch instead of a proper format. This extension is not a genuine Scratch project format, real Scratch projects always use .sb3, .sb2, or .sb. If you see a .scratch file, it may be a mislabeled file from an unofficial source, or your browser may have renamed it incorrectly. To fix this, check the file's actual format by right-clicking it and selecting Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac). If the file truly contains a Scratch project, you can manually rename the extension to .sb3 and try opening it again.
If a downloaded project doesn't open as expected, first verify that you're using a compatible Scratch version. A .sb3 file will not open in Scratch 2.0 or 1.x, and vice versa. Also, confirm that the file wasn't corrupted during download, try downloading it again from the original source. If the file still fails to open, it's possible the project was created with an unusual external editor or contains unsupported features; in that case, check the Scratch community forums for guidance specific to your situation.
