Installing the workbench

Downloading the desktop workbench for Windows, macOS or Linux, opening it the first time, and where it keeps your files.

Getting startedinstallmacoswindowslinux4 min read

The desktop workbench is free. Download it from the website's Download page (/download). You need to be signed in to the website to see that page.

The page shows the latest preview: its version, the day it was built, what is new in it (press Read more for the full list), and one section per platform.

Which file to choose

Platform	What you need	Files
Windows	Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. Installs for your account only, with no administrator rights.	Installer (.exe), or Without installing (.zip)
macOS	A Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later). There is no build for Intel Macs yet.	Installer (.pkg), or Without installing (.zip)
Linux	A 64-bit PC with a desktop. One file for most distributions.	AppImage

These builds are not signed yet. Windows and macOS will warn you that they come from an unknown developer; the steps below say how to open them anyway. To make sure a file is the one published, compare its SHA-256 checksum with the one on the download page (or in SHA256SUMS.txt).

Windows

Run the installer. If Windows SmartScreen says it protected your PC, choose More info, then Run anyway.
Open Research Workbench from the Start menu or the desktop.
To remove it later, use Settings → Apps, as with any other program.

Or unzip the .zip into a folder of its own and run Research Workbench.exe from there, without installing. Only an installed copy can update itself.

macOS

Open the .pkg. If macOS says it cannot be checked, open System Settings → Privacy & Security, choose Open Anyway, then open the .pkg again.
Open Research Workbench from Applications. The first time, if macOS refuses, right-click it and choose Open.

Or unzip the .zip and open Research Workbench.app from there.

Linux

Make the file runnable: chmod +x ResearchWorkbench.Local-linux-x64.AppImage, or tick Allow executing in its properties.
Run it. It needs FUSE: on Ubuntu 22.04 install libfuse2, and on 24.04 and later libfuse2t64.
Without FUSE, run it with --appimage-extract-and-run.

How it opens

The workbench opens in a browser window of its own, with no address bar and no tabs. It is served from your computer only, needs no account, and works offline. It uses Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Chromium. On Windows, Edge is always there; on macOS and Linux, install one of the three.

Only one copy runs at a time. Opening it again while it is running opens another window onto the same workbench.
Closing the window is how you quit. About two minutes after the last window closes, the workbench stops by itself. If files are still being imported, it waits for them to finish first.

Where your files are

What	Where
The vault: projects, documents, notes, papers, the record of AI calls	`Documents/Research Workbench`
Settings for this computer, logs, the window's browser profile	`%LocalAppData%\ResearchWorkbench` on Windows, the local application data folder elsewhere
The program itself (Windows)	`%LocalAppData%\ResearchWorkbench.Local`

Removing the workbench never touches the vault. Your research stays in Documents until you delete it yourself.

Earlier versions

The download page also lists every earlier version. Install one only on a computer that has not yet run a newer version: each version updates the vault as it starts, so an earlier workbench may not open a vault that a newer one has already opened.