Installing the Zulip desktop app

Zulip on your macOS, Windows, or Linux desktop is even better than Zulip on the web, with a cleaner look, tray/dock integration, native notifications, and support for multiple Zulip accounts.

To install the latest stable release (recommended for most users), find your operating system below. If you're interested in an early look at the newest features, consider the beta releases.

Installing on macOS

Disk image (recommended)

1. Download Zulip-x.x.x.dmg
2. Open the file, and drag the app into the Applications folder
3. Done!
4. The app will update automatically to future versions.

Homebrew

If you have Homebrew installed and prefer to use it, here's how.

1. Run brew cask install zulip in your terminal
2. Done! Run Zulip from Applications.
3. The app will update automatically to future versions. (brew upgrade will also work, if you prefer.)

Installing on Windows

Installer (recommended)

1. Download and run Zulip-Web-Setup-x.x.x.exe
2. The installer will download and install the app.
3. Done! Run Zulip from the Start menu.
4. The app will update automatically to future versions.

Offline installer (for isolated networks)

1. Download zulip-x.x.x-x64.nsis.7z for 64-bit desktops (common), or zulip-x.x.x-ia32.nsis.7z for 32-bit (rare).
2. Copy the installer file to the machine you want to install the app on, and run it there.
3. Done! Run Zulip from the Start menu.
4. The app will NOT update automatically. You can repeat these steps to upgrade to future versions.

Installing on Linux

apt (recommended for Ubuntu or Debian 8+)

1. Set up the Zulip Desktop apt repository and its signing key, from a terminal:

   sudo apt-key adv --keyserver pool.sks-keyservers.net --recv 69AD12704E71A4803DCA3A682424BE5AE9BD10D9
   echo "deb https://dl.bintray.com/zulip/debian/ stable main" | \
   sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/zulip.list
   

2. Install the client, from a terminal:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install zulip
   

3. Done! Run Zulip from your app launcher, or with zulip from a terminal.

4. The app will be updated automatically to future versions when you do a regular software update on your system, e.g. with sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade.

AppImage (recommended for all other distros)

1. Download Zulip-x.x.x-x86_64.AppImage
2. Make the file executable, with chmod a+x Zulip-x.x.x-x86_64.AppImage from a terminal.
3. Done! No installer necessary; this file is the Zulip app. Run it from your app launcher, or from a terminal.
4. The app will NOT update automatically. You can repeat these steps to upgrade to future versions.

Beta releases

Get a peek at new features before they're released! If you'd like to be among the first to get new features in the Zulip desktop app, and to give the Zulip developers feedback to help make each stable release the best it can be, then you might like the beta releases.

Installing on macOS, Windows, or Linux with AppImage

Start by finding the latest version marked "Pre-release" on the release list page. Then follow the instructions above, except download the Zulip installer or app from that version instead of from the latest stable release.

Installing on Linux with apt

Follow the instructions above, except in the step involving /etc/apt/sources.list.d/zulip.list, write "beta" instead of "stable".

If you already have the stable version installed: edit that file, with this command in a terminal:

sudo sed -i s/stable/beta/ /etc/apt/sources.list.d/zulip.list

and repeat the next step:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install zulip