> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/livrasand/desktop/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Install GitHub Desktop on macOS, Windows, or Linux

## System Requirements

Before installing GitHub Desktop, ensure your system meets these requirements:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="macOS">
    * macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later
    * 64-bit processor
    * At least 500 MB of available disk space
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    * Windows 10 (64-bit) or later
    * Windows 11 supported
    * At least 500 MB of available disk space
    * .NET Framework 4.5 or later (usually pre-installed)
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Linux">
    * 64-bit Linux distribution
    * Supported distributions: Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, CentOS, openSUSE, and more
    * At least 500 MB of available disk space
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Installing GitHub Desktop

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="macOS">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Download the installer">
        Download GitHub Desktop for macOS:

        * [macOS (Intel)](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/darwin)
        * [macOS (Apple Silicon)](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/darwin-arm64)

        <Note>
          The installer will automatically detect your Mac's architecture.
        </Note>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Install the application">
        1. Open the downloaded `.zip` file
        2. Drag **GitHub Desktop.app** to your Applications folder
        3. Launch GitHub Desktop from Applications or Spotlight

        <Info>
          On first launch, macOS may ask for permission to open the app. Click **Open** to continue.
        </Info>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Verify installation">
        Once launched, GitHub Desktop will:

        1. Prompt you to sign in to GitHub
        2. Configure Git with your account information
        3. Show the welcome screen

        You can verify the installation by checking **GitHub Desktop → About GitHub Desktop** to see the version number.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    ### Alternative: Homebrew

    You can also install GitHub Desktop using Homebrew:

    ```bash theme={null}
    brew install --cask github
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Download the installer">
        Download GitHub Desktop for Windows:

        * [Windows (User Install)](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/win32)
        * [Windows (Machine-wide MSI)](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/win32?format=msi)

        <Note>
          The user install is recommended for most users. Use the MSI installer for enterprise deployments.
        </Note>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Run the installer">
        1. Run the downloaded `GitHubDesktopSetup.exe` or `.msi` file
        2. Follow the installation wizard
        3. GitHub Desktop will launch automatically after installation

        <Info>
          The installer may require administrator privileges for machine-wide installations.
        </Info>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Verify installation">
        Once launched, GitHub Desktop will:

        1. Prompt you to sign in to GitHub
        2. Configure Git with your account information
        3. Show the welcome screen

        You can verify the installation by checking **Help → About GitHub Desktop** to see the version number.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    ### Alternative: Package Managers

    <CodeGroup>
      ```bash winget theme={null}
      winget install github-desktop
      ```

      ```bash Chocolatey theme={null}
      choco install github-desktop
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Linux">
    <Note>
      Linux is not officially supported by GitHub, but community packages are available through the [`shiftkey/desktop`](https://github.com/shiftkey/desktop) fork.
    </Note>

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Choose your distribution">
        Visit the [shiftkey/desktop releases page](https://github.com/shiftkey/desktop/releases) to find packages for your distribution:

        * `.deb` packages for Debian/Ubuntu
        * `.rpm` packages for Fedora/CentOS/RHEL
        * `.AppImage` for universal Linux support
      </Step>

      <Step title="Install the package">
        <Tabs>
          <Tab title="Debian/Ubuntu">
            ```bash theme={null}
            # Download the .deb package
            wget https://github.com/shiftkey/desktop/releases/download/release-X.X.X-linuxX/GitHubDesktop-linux-amd64-X.X.X-linuxX.deb

            # Install with apt
            sudo apt install ./GitHubDesktop-linux-amd64-X.X.X-linuxX.deb
            ```
          </Tab>

          <Tab title="Fedora/CentOS/RHEL">
            ```bash theme={null}
            # Download the .rpm package
            wget https://github.com/shiftkey/desktop/releases/download/release-X.X.X-linuxX/GitHubDesktop-linux-X.X.X-linuxX.rpm

            # Install with dnf or yum
            sudo dnf install ./GitHubDesktop-linux-X.X.X-linuxX.rpm
            ```
          </Tab>

          <Tab title="AppImage">
            ```bash theme={null}
            # Download the AppImage
            wget https://github.com/shiftkey/desktop/releases/download/release-X.X.X-linuxX/GitHubDesktop-linux-amd64-X.X.X-linuxX.AppImage

            # Make it executable
            chmod +x GitHubDesktop-linux-amd64-X.X.X-linuxX.AppImage

            # Run it
            ./GitHubDesktop-linux-amd64-X.X.X-linuxX.AppImage
            ```
          </Tab>
        </Tabs>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Launch and verify">
        Launch GitHub Desktop from your application menu or by running `github-desktop` from the terminal.

        The application will prompt you to sign in and configure your Git settings.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Beta Channel

Want to test new features before they're released to everyone? Install the beta channel:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="macOS">
    * [macOS Beta (Intel)](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/darwin?env=beta)
    * [macOS Beta (Apple Silicon)](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/darwin-arm64?env=beta)
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    * [Windows Beta](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/win32?env=beta)
    * [Windows Beta (ARM64)](https://central.github.com/deployments/desktop/desktop/latest/win32-arm64?env=beta)
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Warning>
  Beta builds may contain bugs and unstable features. Use at your own risk.
</Warning>

Release notes for beta versions are available at [desktop.github.com/release-notes/?env=beta](https://desktop.github.com/release-notes/?env=beta).

## First Launch

After installing GitHub Desktop, you'll be guided through initial setup:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in to GitHub">
    Click **Sign in to GitHub.com** and authorize GitHub Desktop in your browser.

    For GitHub Enterprise, click **Sign in to GitHub Enterprise Server** and enter your server URL.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Git">
    GitHub Desktop will automatically configure Git with:

    * Your GitHub username
    * Your GitHub email address

    You can change these later in **Preferences → Git**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose repositories">
    You can:

    * Clone a repository from GitHub
    * Add an existing local repository
    * Create a new repository
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Verifying Your Installation

To verify GitHub Desktop is installed correctly:

1. Open GitHub Desktop
2. Go to **About GitHub Desktop** (macOS) or **Help → About GitHub Desktop** (Windows/Linux)
3. Check the version number
4. Run a test by cloning a repository

<Info>
  GitHub Desktop requires Git to be installed. The app includes a bundled version of Git via [dugite](https://github.com/desktop/dugite), so you don't need to install Git separately.
</Info>

## Troubleshooting Installation

If you encounter issues during installation:

<Accordion title="macOS: 'GitHub Desktop is damaged and can't be opened'">
  This is a macOS Gatekeeper issue. To fix:

  1. Open Terminal
  2. Run: `xattr -cr /Applications/GitHub\ Desktop.app`
  3. Try launching again
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Windows: Installation hangs or fails">
  1. Ensure you have administrator privileges
  2. Temporarily disable antivirus software
  3. Try the MSI installer instead of the user installer
  4. Check Windows Event Viewer for error details
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Linux: Missing dependencies">
  Ensure you have required dependencies:

  ```bash Ubuntu/Debian theme={null}
  sudo apt install libsecret-1-0 gnome-keyring
  ```

  ```bash Fedora/RHEL theme={null}
  sudo dnf install libsecret gnome-keyring
  ```
</Accordion>

For more troubleshooting help, see our [Troubleshooting Guide](/support/troubleshooting).

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quickstart Guide" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Get started with your first repository
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/configuration/preferences">
    Customize GitHub Desktop to your preferences
  </Card>
</CardGroup>