# Install Volt (/docs/install)



























Volt is in public beta. Get the latest build from the [download page](/download) or from
[GitHub Releases](https://github.com/LeulAria/volt/releases/latest). Files are named
`volt-<channel>-<version>-<os>-<arch>.<ext>`, for example `volt-stable-0.0.2-darwin-arm64.dmg`.

| Your computer                         | File to download                                                                   |
| ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Mac with Apple silicon (M1 and newer) | `volt-stable-<version>-darwin-arm64.dmg`                                           |
| Mac with an Intel chip                | `volt-stable-<version>-darwin-x64.dmg`                                             |
| Windows 10 or 11                      | `volt-stable-<version>-win32-x64-user-setup.exe` (Arm PCs: `win32-arm64`)          |
| Linux                                 | `volt-stable-<version>-linux-<x64, arm64 or armhf>` as `.deb`, `.rpm` or `.tar.gz` |

<Callout type="warn" title="The builds are not code-signed yet">
  Volt is an independent open-source project and does not have an Apple or Windows signing certificate yet. Your system
  warns you the first time you open it. That is expected, and the steps below get you past it. The source is public, and
  you can [build Volt yourself](https://github.com/LeulAria/volt#build-from-source) if you prefer.
</Callout>

macOS [#macos]

You need macOS 11 or later. The screenshots are from macOS 26; older versions look a little different, but the steps are the same.

<Callout title="Prefer no dialogs?">
  Skip to [Install from the Terminal](#install-from-the-terminal). A file downloaded with `curl` is not quarantined, so macOS
  never shows the warning.
</Callout>

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Find the download [#find-the-download]

    Open the `.dmg` you downloaded. It is in your Downloads folder, or wherever your browser saves files. To check which
    Mac you have, open the Apple menu, then **About This Mac**: a chip named &#x2A;Apple M…* means Apple silicon.

        <img alt="The downloaded Volt disk image selected in Finder" src="__img0" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Open the disk image [#open-the-disk-image]

    Double-click it. A window opens with **Volt** and an **Applications** shortcut.

        <img alt="The Volt disk image window with the Volt app and an Applications shortcut" src="__img1" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Drag Volt onto Applications [#drag-volt-onto-applications]

    Drag **Volt** onto the **Applications** shortcut. Then eject the disk image: in the Finder sidebar, or by dragging it to the Trash.

        <img alt="Dragging Volt onto the Applications shortcut" src="__img2" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Open Volt [#open-volt]

    Open it from Applications, Launchpad or Spotlight (<kbd>⌘</kbd> <kbd>Space</kbd>, then type *volt*).

        <img alt="Spotlight showing the Volt app" src="__img3" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    macOS says "Volt" Not Opened [#macos-says-volt-not-opened]

    macOS could not verify that Volt is free of malware. That is the warning for any app without an Apple Developer ID.
    Click **Done*&#x2A;. The &#x2A;*?** in the corner opens Apple's own page about this, which is the quickest way to the next step.

        <img alt="The &#x22;Volt&#x22; Not Opened dialog with the question mark and Done button highlighted" src="__img4" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Open the Privacy & Security settings [#open-the-privacy--security-settings]

    On Apple's help page, click **Open Privacy & Security settings for me**. You can also open **System Settings** yourself.

        <img alt="Apple's help page with the Open Privacy and Security settings link highlighted" src="__img5" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Go to Privacy & Security [#go-to-privacy--security]

    In System Settings, choose **Privacy & Security** in the sidebar, or search for it.

        <img alt="System Settings with Privacy and Security highlighted" src="__img6" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Scroll to Security and click Open Anyway [#scroll-to-security-and-click-open-anyway]

    Next to *"Volt" was blocked to protect your Mac* there is an **Open Anyway** button.

        <img alt="Privacy and Security, Security section, with the Open Anyway button highlighted" src="__img7" />

    <Callout title="No Open Anyway button?">
      The button shows for about an hour after you try to open the app. If you do not see it, open Volt again (the *Open Volt* step)
      and come straight back.
    </Callout>
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Confirm with Open Anyway again [#confirm-with-open-anyway-again]

    A dialog asks &#x2A;Open "Volt"?* The **blue** button is **Move to Trash**: do not click that one, and do not press <kbd>Return</kbd>.
    Click **Open Anyway**.

        <img alt="The Open Volt dialog with Open Anyway highlighted; Move to Trash is the blue default" src="__img8" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Verify it is you [#verify-it-is-you]

    Use Touch ID, or click &#x2A;*Use Password…** and type your Mac password.

        <img alt="The Touch ID or password prompt" src="__img9" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Volt opens [#volt-opens]

    macOS may ask whether Volt can access files in a folder such as Documents. Click **Allow** so Volt can open your projects.
    You do all of this once; Volt opens normally from now on.

        <img alt="Volt's first window with a folder access prompt and Allow highlighted" src="__img10" />
  </Step>
</Steps>

On macOS 14 and earlier there is a shortcut: Control-click (or right-click) **Volt** in Applications, choose **Open**, then
click **Open** in the dialog.

"Volt is damaged and can't be opened" [#volt-is-damaged-and-cant-be-opened]

The app is not damaged. macOS shows this when the quarantine flag and the app's ad-hoc signature disagree, most often after
a download was unpacked by a tool that changed the app. Remove the flag in Terminal and open it again:

```bash
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Volt.app
open -a Volt
```

Install from the Terminal [#install-from-the-terminal]

This installs the latest Volt for macOS or Linux. It checks the download's SHA-256 against the release and needs no `sudo`:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LeulAria/VOLT/main/install.sh | bash
```

On a Mac it puts `Volt.app` in `/Applications` (or `~/Applications` when that is not writable). On Linux it unpacks into
`~/.local/share/volt` and links `~/.local/bin/volt`. Set `VOLT_VERSION=0.0.2` to pick a version, or `VOLT_INSTALL_DIR` to
choose the folder. [Read the script](https://github.com/LeulAria/volt/blob/main/install.sh) before you run it; it is short.

To do the same by hand on a Mac:

```bash
ARCH=arm64          # use x64 on an Intel Mac
VERSION=0.0.2

curl -fL -o ~/Downloads/Volt.dmg \
  "https://github.com/LeulAria/volt/releases/download/v${VERSION}/volt-stable-${VERSION}-darwin-${ARCH}.dmg"
hdiutil attach ~/Downloads/Volt.dmg -nobrowse -quiet
cp -R /Volumes/Volt/Volt.app /Applications/
hdiutil detach /Volumes/Volt -quiet
open -a Volt
```

Use Volt from the Terminal [#use-volt-from-the-terminal]

Open Volt, press <kbd>⇧</kbd> <kbd>⌘</kbd> <kbd>P</kbd> and run **Shell Command: Install 'volt' command in PATH**. macOS asks for
your password once, because it links `volt` into `/usr/local/bin`. Open a new terminal window afterwards:

```bash
volt .                        # open the current folder
volt ~/code/my-app            # open a project
volt --new-window ~/code/my-app
volt --version
volt --help
```

You can also start Volt without installing the command:

```bash
open -a Volt                  # launch Volt
open -a Volt ~/code/my-app    # open a folder in Volt
/Applications/Volt.app/Contents/Resources/app/bin/code --version
```

To remove the command, run **Shell Command: Uninstall 'volt' command from PATH** from the same palette.

Windows [#windows]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Download the installer [#download-the-installer]

    Pick `volt-stable-<version>-win32-x64-user-setup.exe` (no administrator rights needed). On a Windows on Arm PC, use `win32-arm64`.
    The `.zip` is a portable copy you can unpack anywhere and run `Volt.exe` from.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Get past SmartScreen [#get-past-smartscreen]

    Windows shows **Windows protected your PC** because the installer is not signed. Click **More info**, then **Run anyway**.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Finish the installer [#finish-the-installer]

    Volt starts from the Start menu, and the installer adds a `volt` command to your `PATH`.

    ```powershell
    volt .          # open the current folder
    volt --version
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

Linux [#linux]

```bash
# Debian, Ubuntu
sudo apt install ./volt-stable-0.0.2-linux-x64.deb

# Fedora, RHEL, openSUSE
sudo dnf install ./volt-stable-0.0.2-linux-x64.rpm

# Any distribution, no root: use the install script above, or unpack the tar.gz and run the volt binary inside
tar xzf volt-stable-0.0.2-linux-x64.tar.gz
```

Then run `volt` or `volt .`.

Beta and Nightly [#beta-and-nightly]

Volt ships three channels. Each one is its own app, so you can install them next to each other without sharing settings, and
trying Nightly never touches your Stable install. Pick a channel on the [download page](/download).

| Channel | App          | Command        | Data folder       | File name starts with |
| ------- | ------------ | -------------- | ----------------- | --------------------- |
| Stable  | Volt         | `volt`         | `~/.volt`         | `volt-stable-`        |
| Beta    | Volt Beta    | `volt-beta`    | `~/.volt-beta`    | `volt-beta-`          |
| Nightly | Volt Nightly | `volt-nightly` | `~/.volt-nightly` | `volt-nightly-`       |

The first-launch steps are the same for every channel; the dialogs just say *Volt Beta* or *Volt Nightly*.

Updating [#updating]

Volt checks for new versions and tells you when one is out.

* **macOS:** because the build is not signed with a Developer ID, macOS will not let Volt replace itself. Volt opens the download; install it the same way as above and choose **Replace**. You may need to confirm **Open Anyway** again for the new build.
* **Windows:** setup installs download in the background and update in place. A zip install shows the download instead.
* **Linux:** Volt opens the download page.

Your settings, chats and projects live in `~/.volt` (and `~/Library/Application Support/Volt` on a Mac), so they carry over.

Uninstall [#uninstall]

```bash
# macOS
osascript -e 'quit app "Volt"'
rm -rf /Applications/Volt.app
rm -f /usr/local/bin/volt        # only if you installed the shell command
rm -rf ~/.volt "$HOME/Library/Application Support/Volt"   # deletes your settings and chats; leave it out to keep them
```

On Windows, remove Volt in **Settings > Apps**. On Linux, remove the package with `apt remove volt` or `dnf remove volt`, or delete `~/.local/share/volt`.

Troubleshooting [#troubleshooting]

| What you see                                                       | What to do                                                                                                                 |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *"Volt" Not Opened* / &#x2A;Apple could not verify "Volt"*         | Use **Open Anyway** in System Settings > Privacy & Security, as in the steps above.                                        |
| **Open Anyway** is not in Privacy & Security                       | Try to open Volt again first; the button only shows after a blocked attempt, and only for about an hour.                   |
| The &#x2A;Open "Volt"?* dialog has a blue **Move to Trash** button | Click **Open Anyway** below it instead. Pressing <kbd>Return</kbd> would choose Move to Trash.                             |
| *"Volt" is damaged and can't be opened*                            | Run `xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Volt.app`.                                                               |
| The icon bounces and nothing opens                                 | You may have the wrong build. Use `arm64` on Apple silicon and `x64` on Intel (check with `uname -m`).                     |
| *You do not have permission to open the application*               | A managed Mac (work or school) can block apps from outside the App Store. Ask your administrator, or run Volt from source. |
| `volt: command not found`                                          | Run **Shell Command: Install 'volt' command in PATH** in Volt, then open a new terminal.                                   |
| Windows blocks the installer                                       | Click **More info**, then **Run anyway**.                                                                                  |

Something else? [Open an issue](https://github.com/LeulAria/volt/issues/new/choose) with your system, chip (`uname -m` on a Mac) and the Volt version
(**Volt, then About Volt**). Once Volt is installed, [connect an agent](https://github.com/LeulAria/volt#connect-an-agent) and start a chat with <kbd>⌘</kbd> <kbd>N</kbd>.