Click the link that says “More info” shown above and you should see the next screen: This is NOT because the file you downloaded is harmful, it is because Windows Smartscreen does not recognize the file and since it is an executable file, it is a little over cautious. Once the download is complete you might see the following screen from Windows:

Once on the CHIRP website click the link that says Click here to download the latest Windows version (or the link for Mac OSX or Linux), you will see the following screen for Windows users (Mac and Linux will be similar but from here on out I will only be showing the Windows version):įrom this screen you want to click on the chirp-daily-xxxxxxxx-installer.exe link (where xxxxxxxx is the date of the file) which will start the download.

Installing the programming software, CHIRP The BaoFeng bf-888s programming software free download can be found on the CHIRP website. Of course you will need a computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) and the best free BaoFeng programming software is CHIRP which can program the BaoFeng BF-888S as well as many other radios. The next thing you need is the programming cable to program the BaoFeng BF-888S such as the one I used, the Compatible USB Programming Cable for Baofeng or the BTECH PC03 FTDI Genuine USB Programming Cable, both from Amazon. I liked this two pack as it had everything my wife and I needed to use the radios. Of course to start with you will need the BaoFeng BF-888S radio. Think of this as your How To Program the BaoFeng BF-888s For Dummies which will walk you through each step necessary to program the BaoFeng BF-888S. This can be a big turn off but it doesn’t have to be as programming the radio is pretty easy.

The BaoFeng BF-888S is a very cool and inexpensive little radio that a lot of people purchase before realizing that there is no way to program the BaoFeng BF-888S radio with just the radio, you have to purchase a programming cable, download the software, and learn what you are doing first.

Baofeng chirp programming software