> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openrecorder.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Install Open Recorder on macOS by building from source

> Build and install Open Recorder on macOS from source. Requires Xcode command-line tools with Swift 6.2 and Rust 1.93 or later. Takes about 5 minutes.

This page walks you through building Open Recorder from source and getting it running on your Mac. Open Recorder is a native Swift app backed by a Rust service, so the build process compiles both components before packaging them into a single `.app` bundle.

## System requirements

* **macOS** — any version that supports Swift 6.2 and the required APIs
* **Apple Silicon or Intel Mac**
* **Xcode command-line tools** with Swift 6.2 or later
* **Rust 1.93 or later**
* **pnpm** (for dependency setup)

## Install from source

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install prerequisites">
    Install the Xcode command-line tools if you haven't already:

    ```bash theme={null}
    xcode-select --install
    ```

    Install Rust via rustup:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
    ```

    Confirm your Rust version is 1.93 or later:

    ```bash theme={null}
    rustc --version
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Clone the repository">
    ```bash theme={null}
    git clone https://github.com/imbhargav5/open-recorder.git
    cd open-recorder
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install dependencies">
    This command installs locked JavaScript dependencies and prefetches Rust crates:

    ```bash theme={null}
    pnpm run setup
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build and package the app">
    Build the Swift app and the Rust service together:

    ```bash theme={null}
    make build-macos
    ```

    Then package the result into an `.app` bundle:

    ```bash theme={null}
    make package-macos
    ```

    This creates **Open Recorder.app** in `/Applications` with bundle identifier `dev.openrecorder.app`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Launch the app">
    Open `/Applications/Open Recorder.app` from Finder, or run:

    ```bash theme={null}
    make dev-macos
    ```

    `make dev-macos` builds, installs, and launches **Open Recorder Dev.app** — a separate development build that keeps its macOS privacy permission records isolated from the production app, so development and production installs don't interfere with each other.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## After installation

The first time you open Open Recorder, an onboarding screen guides you through granting the two macOS permissions the app needs before you can start recording. See [Permissions](/permissions) for step-by-step instructions.