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Installing AppRelay & system requirements

What you need to run AppRelay on macOS and Windows, how to install it, first launch, and how the .relay document type is registered.

Last updated 2026-07-15

AppRelay is a native desktop application, available for macOS and Windows. The two editions are the same console — same projects, same recipes, and the same encrypted .relay archive moves between them. This article covers what you need, how to install it, and what happens the first time you launch it.

System requirements

RequirementmacOSWindows
Operating systemmacOS 13 Ventura or laterWindows 10 (version 1809) or Windows 11
ArchitectureApple silicon64-bit (x64)
DiskA modest install; your projects and archives live wherever you keep them

Toolchains you build with

AppRelay orchestrates the tools you already use — it does not bundle them. Install and configure the toolchains for the stacks you plan to work with, exactly as you would to build them by hand. Common examples:

  • Apple platforms: Xcode and its command line tools (xcodebuild, xcrun). Apple builds require a Mac.
  • Android: a JDK and the Android SDK; projects build through their own gradlew wrapper. Works on both macOS and Windows.
  • JavaScript / cross-platform: Node.js and your package manager; the Expo/EAS, Flutter, Electron, or Tauri toolchains as needed.
  • Distribution helpers: anything a channel needs — for example the Firebase or Vercel CLIs, rsync, or docker.
Rule of thumb: if you can build and deploy a project from a terminal on this machine, AppRelay can drive it. On Windows, AppRelay runs recipe steps through Git for Windows' bundled bash, so install that alongside your toolchains. If a tool isn't installed, the step that needs it fails with that tool's own error — see Troubleshooting.

Installing

macOS

  1. Get the app. Download AppRelay for macOS from the download page.
  2. Move it to Applications. Drag AppRelay.app into your /Applications folder.
  3. Open it. Launch AppRelay from Launchpad or Spotlight.

Windows

  1. Get the installer. Download AppRelay-Setup for Windows from the download page.
  2. Run it. Double-click the installer and follow the prompts. It installs to Program Files\AppRelay and adds Start-menu (and, optionally, desktop) shortcuts. The installer is Authenticode-signed, so Windows opens it normally.
  3. Open it. Launch AppRelay from the Start menu.
AppRelay for Windows lives in the system tray. Closing the window can keep it running in the background (so the relay server stays reachable) or quit outright — your choice, in Settings → General.

First launch

AppRelay has no sign-up and no login. Because sign-in is per-project (it belongs to a project's backend, not the app), you'll land directly on the empty-state onboarding screen the first time you open it. The download is free and runs on the free tier straight away; unlocking AppRelay Studio is a one-time in-app purchase, not a gate on getting started.

From here you have two paths:

  • Scan a folder — point AppRelay at the folder that holds your repositories and let it detect and prefill everything. This is the usual starting point; see Create your first project.
  • Import a .relay — restore a project someone exported (or that you exported on another machine — including across macOS and Windows). See The .relay archive.

The .relay document type

AppRelay registers the .relay file type and the apprelay:// URL scheme with the operating system when it's installed (Windows) or first runs (macOS). Once registered:

  • Double-clicking a .relay file opens it in AppRelay and prompts for its passphrase.
  • The file shows with the AppRelay document icon in Finder or File Explorer.
  • Links using the apprelay:// URL scheme are handled by the app.
On macOS, registration happens when Launch Services scans the app — normally on first launch. On Windows, the installer writes the association directly, so it's live as soon as setup finishes.

Updating and uninstalling

Both desktop editions keep themselves up to date automatically and check on demand from Check for Updates…: macOS uses Sparkle, Windows uses WinSparkle, both verifying a signed update before installing it.

  • macOS: direct downloads are replaced by dropping the new version into /Applications. To uninstall, quit AppRelay and move the app to the Trash.
  • Windows: updates install in place. To uninstall, use Settings → Apps (or Add or remove programs) and choose AppRelay.

Your projects live in your operating system's app-data directory and in any .relay files you've exported — those are yours and are not removed with the app.

Next steps

Related articles

Create your first project Point AppRelay at a folder and let it scan, detect your stacks, and prefill lanes — then confirm the review table and start shipping. Pricing, licensing & the free tier Free to download with a full local console: the free tier’s limits, the one-time AppRelay Studio unlock, buying through Stripe, activating a seat, moving between computers, renewing your updates window, and how licensing works offline. What is AppRelay? A tour of what AppRelay does — one white-label console for macOS and Windows to see, build, run, test, and ship every project you own. Security & privacy What stays on your machine, exactly what a licensing check-in sends, how push notifications reach your phone, how secrets are protected, what travels in an archive, and the trust boundaries AppRelay is built around.
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