Installation

Cap Desktop release builds are available for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, 64-bit Windows, and 64-bit Linux through a Debian package.

Download the current build from cap.so/download. The download page detects common platforms, and the versions page lists the available installers directly.

macOS

1. Download the correct .dmg for Apple Silicon or Intel.
2. Open it and drag Cap into Applications.
3. Open Cap from Applications or Spotlight.
4. Approve the standard downloaded-application prompt if macOS shows it.

Cap requests system permissions when a feature first needs them:

• Screen & System Audio Recording for display, window, and area capture
• Microphone for microphone audio
• Camera for camera capture or an overlay

If a permission was denied, open System Settings > Privacy & Security, enable Cap in the corresponding section, then restart Cap if the operating system asks you to.

System-audio support can depend on the macOS version and selected capture path. Keep Cap and macOS current if an audio source is unavailable.

Windows

1. Download the 64-bit .exe installer.
2. Run it and follow the installer prompts.
3. Open Cap from the Start menu.

Windows manages camera and microphone access under Settings > Privacy on Windows 10 or Settings > Privacy & security on Windows 11. Make sure desktop applications can access the selected device. Screen capture uses the native Windows capture path and does not present the same separate Screen Recording permission used by macOS.

Linux

Cap's release workflow currently publishes an x86_64 .deb package for Debian-compatible distributions. Install the package with your system's package manager, then launch Cap from the application menu.

The package declares the GTK, WebKit, app-indicator, VA, PipeWire, and ALSA runtime dependencies it needs. Linux environments vary, so capture source and audio availability can depend on the desktop session and installed system services.

Updates

Cap checks its signed update channel in production builds. macOS and Windows can install supported application updates from Cap. Linux .deb updates require the package-manager installation flow rather than an automatic privileged install.

Verify the installation

1. Sign in to Cap Desktop.
2. Choose a non-sensitive display, window, or area.
3. Record a short test.
4. Stop and confirm the result plays.
5. If using Instant Mode, wait for the share link to finish processing and open it in a browser.

Uninstall

On macOS, move Cap from Applications to the Trash. Production settings and the default recordings directory are under ~/Library/Application Support/so.cap.desktop. A custom recordings folder stays wherever you selected it.

On Windows or Linux, remove Cap through the operating system's installed-app or package-management interface. Back up any local Studio projects you want to keep before removing application data.