Your new workspace
starts here.
These early preview builds are available from the download form after you share your email address and how you heard about us. They do not activate a paid subscription. No Node.js installation is needed. Your Mac, Windows and cloud workspaces are separate; there is no automatic sync.
Mac · version 0.2.3
Apple Silicon (M-series), macOS 15 or newer. This is an ad-hoc signed preview, not an Apple-notarized release. Intel Macs are not supported by this download.
- Download the DMG and open it from Downloads.
- Drag startupOS to Applications. If upgrading, quit the existing app first and keep a workspace backup.
- Open startupOS from Applications. Start with the synthetic demo or create your own company.
If macOS blocks opening the app, stop and wait for a signed, notarized release. Do not disable Gatekeeper or remove quarantine protections. A successful download does not establish compatibility on another Mac.
The app has been exercised on the development Apple Silicon Mac. Second-Mac compatibility, physical microphone acceptance and Apple notarization remain separate release checks. It has no automatic updater.
Distribution & bundled software notes
The Mac download includes rebuilt local speech tools with private build paths removed, an LGPL-only FFmpeg build, matching source/build instructions and third-party license notices. The installer excludes private workspace databases and credentials. See the open-source notices for matching source references.
Windows · version 0.2.9
Windows 11 with an Intel or AMD x64 processor. Windows ARM and Windows 10 are unverified. This preview has no publisher signature; native Windows install/uninstall, display scaling and hardware microphone acceptance are still pending.
- Download the EXE installer. Run it on your Windows PC and choose an installation folder. It installs for your user account.
- For local semantic search, install the Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64) if it is not already present. Keyword search remains available without it.
- Open startupOS from Start or the desktop shortcut. Create your company or explore the synthetic demo.
If Windows blocks the unsigned installer, do not disable SmartScreen or antivirus protection. Wait for a signed release or have your administrator assess the preview.
The source for version 0.2.9 passes 403 automated app tests; the installer passes integrity checks and independent package review. These automated checks run on the build Mac; native Windows execution is still unverified, so your Windows test is needed. The installed folder includes Check startupOS.cmd for synthetic runtime diagnostics. Uninstalling preserves your workspace in %APPDATA%\startupOS.
A first test with your cofounder
Use a small fictional company for this first pass. The app stores your company workspace locally; the website download form is separate.
- Install and launch. Confirm the window fits your screen and the Windows Start shortcut works.
- Create a company, capture a note and save a dashboard layout. Rearrange a card without applying the change, quit the app fully, then reopen it. Check that the saved view is intact and your unfinished layout can be recovered.
- Disconnect from the internet and check that you can open, edit and search your local records. Provider-backed AI and online connectors need a connection and your own configuration.
- Create a backup from the app menu. Add a disposable test note, restore the backup, and confirm the earlier state returns. If unfinished work needs attention, save or discard it before trying again. Keep a separate backup of any real work.
- Open a recommendation, inspect its evidence, prepare a plan and record a fictional result. Confirm that switching sections preserves your text.
- If using voice, check Windows microphone permissions and try a short English recording. The bundled transcription runs locally.
- Run
Check startupOS.cmdfrom the installation folder. It checks a separate temporary workspace, including saved layouts, unfinished draft recovery, restart, encrypted backup recovery and daily reviews. Share its pass/fail report and your Windows version, screen scaling and any steps that failed.
Try the new optional features
- In Settings, save an encrypted portable backup with a passphrase you keep separately. Use a test installation containing no real company data: restoring replaces all companies on that device. Try a wrong passphrase first, then restore the correct copy. Provider keys are excluded and transferred schedules are paused.
- In Today, choose Set up daily review, enable it, choose Every day, set the time and time zone, and save preferences. Quit and reopen the app, then confirm the preference remains. Reviews use no AI tokens and run only while the app is running.
- To use AI, add your own provider key in Settings. Saving a key does not test or call the provider. Discovering models or testing the connection is a separate action; a connection test may use paid tokens. If secure storage is waiting, Cancel request lets you abandon the change before it is saved. You can then retry or discard the unfinished setup and continue local work. Review any operating-system security prompt yourself.
The diagnostic report is saved at %TEMP%\startupOS-windows-check.json. It records synthetic checks, not your company notes or provider credentials. A diagnostic pass does not replace the installation and microphone steps above.
Open-source notices, corresponding sources & build recipes →
Verify your download
Compare the file’s SHA-256 digest with the values below. A match confirms the download is identical to this release; it is not an operating-system security certification.
f0f796e781614e5048a78911656a3c5a4fc7051e86f7308dd1a514aa401babefd09f9ad7f711c8fc6b70cad24f832507f7b752413cfc450d3be50ff0861e27b4Mac Terminal: shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/startupOS-0.2.3-arm64.dmg
Windows PowerShell: Get-FileHash "$HOME\Downloads\startupOS-0.2.9-windows-x64-setup.exe" -Algorithm SHA256
Your workspace and AI providers
Installers contain application code, public models and runtimes, with no private workspace database or credentials. Provider-backed AI and connectors need your own configuration. External provider usage is separate. Back up your workspace before upgrading, and configure integrations deliberately on each device.