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Installation

Full install reference for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Each platform shows a one-time security warning the first time you launch Binderus — the workarounds are short and only needed once.

Looking for the simplest path? The Getting Started quickstart links here only when you hit a security prompt. If install just worked, skip the per-platform sections and head back to the quickstart.

Download

Pick your platform on the download page:

  • macOS: .dmg for Apple Silicon (M-series) or Intel
  • Windows: .exe NSIS installer or portable .exe
  • Linux: .deb for amd64 or arm64

All downloads are served direct from the binderus.com domain — no third-party CDN, no tracking middleware.

macOS

  1. Download the .dmg for your chip:
    • Apple Silicon (M1 / M2 / M3 / M4) — aarch64.dmg
    • Intel — x64.dmg
    Not sure? Apple menu → About This Mac. If you see "Apple M1/M2/M3/M4", pick Apple Silicon; otherwise Intel.
  2. Open the .dmg, drag Binderus into Applications.
  3. Open Binderus from Applications.

Gatekeeper warning

On first launch you may see "Binderus.app is damaged and can't be opened" or "can't be opened because the developer cannot be verified". macOS Gatekeeper blocks unsigned apps on first launch. Two ways to clear it:

Option A — Terminal (one command, fastest)

xattr -cr /Applications/Binderus.app

This removes the macOS quarantine extended attribute that triggers Gatekeeper. It doesn't disable Gatekeeper system-wide — just tells it to trust this specific app you downloaded. Then open Binderus normally.

Option B — GUI (no Terminal needed)

  1. Try to open Binderus once and dismiss the warning.
  2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
  3. Scroll to the message about Binderus and click Open Anyway.
  4. Confirm with your admin password.
Why this happens: we don't yet pay for an Apple Developer ID certificate. Once we do, Gatekeeper will accept Binderus by default and these steps go away.

Windows

  1. Download the .exe installer (recommended) or the portable .exe if you want a no-install workflow.
  2. Double-click the downloaded file. The installer adds Binderus to your Start menu.

SmartScreen warning

You'll likely see a "Windows protected your PC" dialog. Windows Defender SmartScreen blocks executables not signed with a paid Microsoft certificate. To proceed:

  1. Click More info in the SmartScreen dialog.
  2. Click Run anyway.

The dialog won't reappear after the first launch.

Antivirus false-positive

If your antivirus flags the installer (a known false-positive for unsigned NSIS installers), you have two options:

  • Allowlist the file in your AV product
  • Download the portable .exe instead — most AV products skip the warning on portable executables

Linux

.deb (Debian / Ubuntu / Pop!_OS / Mint)

  1. Download the .deb for your architecture (amd64 for x86_64, arm64 for ARM).
  2. Install: 
    sudo dpkg -i binderus_<version>_amd64.deb
  3. If dpkg reports missing dependencies, follow up with: 
    sudo apt --fix-broken install
  4. Launch from your applications menu, or run binderus from the terminal.

AppImage / portable

For distros without .deb support or for a no-install workflow:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/Binderus.AppImage
./Binderus.AppImage

If the AppImage refuses to run on a system that mounts ~ with noexec, move it to ~/Applications/ or ~/.local/bin/ first.

RPM (Fedora / RHEL / openSUSE)

.rpm packages aren't built officially yet. Two options:

  • Convert the .deb with alien at your own risk: sudo alien --to-rpm binderus_<version>_amd64.deb
  • Use the AppImage build (above)

If you want first-class RPM support, open an issue on GitHub — it'll get prioritized when there's demand.

Verify the install

After install, confirm Binderus is running cleanly:

  • Open the app — you should see the welcome screen or your last vault
  • Click the version label in the bottom-left status bar to confirm you're on the latest release
  • Compare against What's New for the current version

Upgrade

Binderus checks for updates on launch and shows a notification when a new version is available. To upgrade manually:

  • macOS: drag the new .dmg's Binderus into Applications, replacing the old one. The xattr -cr step is needed again on each upgrade until we sign builds.
  • Windows: run the new installer; it replaces the old install in place. SmartScreen warning appears again on each upgrade.
  • Linux: sudo dpkg -i the new .deb; APT handles the upgrade in place.

Uninstall

  • macOS: drag Binderus.app from Applications to the Trash. Vault folder under ~/Documents/ is left untouched — delete it separately if you want a complete wipe.
  • Windows: use Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Binderus → Uninstall, or run the uninstaller from the Start menu folder.
  • Linux: sudo apt remove binderus (for .deb installs), or just delete the AppImage file.

Troubleshooting

  • "App is damaged" persists after xattr -cr: double-check the path; the command is sensitive to capitalization (Binderus.app not binderus.app). Also verify you didn't relocate the app — re-run with the actual path.
  • Windows SmartScreen blocks repeatedly on every launch: only "Run anyway" the first time should be needed. If it persists, your SmartScreen policy may be set to "Block" — change to "Warn" in Reputation-based protection settings.
  • Linux app launches but window is blank: on Wayland with NVIDIA proprietary drivers, set WEBKIT_DISABLE_COMPOSITING_MODE=1 in your shell rc file before launching.
  • Anywhere else: open an issue on GitHub with your OS / version / steps to reproduce, or ask in Discord.