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Windows & Mac setup guide

Install the code-signed Windows x64 NSIS setup or the native Apple Silicon aarch64 DMG, approve first-launch OS prompts safely, and manage your Recomp Library paths.

Windows 10/11 setup macOS Apple Silicon setup
1,766 Catalog entries (32 origins)
281,568 GitHub release downloads
Win · Linux · Mac v0.90.0-beta.47 GPL-3.0
SmartScreen & antivirus notesmacOS Open Anyway flowLibrary & save pathsVerify SHA-256
Apple Mac Studio desktop workstation beside Apple Studio Display and Magic Keyboard on a wooden desk
Apple Silicon Macs run the native aarch64 DMG build on macOS 11 and newer across 383 native macOS catalog entries.

Windows 10 & Windows 11 (x64) installation

Windows has the broadest native coverage in the catalog: 1,672 of 1,766 projects ship native x64 Windows builds, plus Windows-specific ReShade "Looks" screen effects and NVIDIA DLSS (`nvngx_dlss.dll`) setup inputs.

Installing RecompLauncher_0.90.0-beta.47_x64-setup.exe

  • Download RecompLauncher_0.90.0-beta.47_x64-setup.exe (12.6 MiB) from our Download selector or GitHub Releases.
  • Optional PowerShell check: run Get-FileHash .\RecompLauncher_0.90.0-beta.47_x64-setup.exe -Algorithm SHA256 and confirm dd3eac1677300015d5f9....
  • If Microsoft Defender SmartScreen displays Windows protected your PC on a freshly tagged beta, click More info and Run anyway.
  • WebView2 runtime (preinstalled on Windows 11 and updated Windows 10) renders the lightweight UI while the Rust core handles downloads and game processes.

Antivirus false positives on static recomps

Per upstream docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md, heuristic antivirus scanners occasionally flag newly compiled static recomp executables because translated console binaries map memory segments in patterns unfamiliar to generic heuristics.

  • Confirm your game installed through RecompLauncher's verified GitHub checksum pipeline into C:\Recomp Library.
  • Avoid adding broad drive-wide exclusions; if a specific recomp triggers a false positive, report the scanner name and detection string in the upstream Discord so the maintainer can submit it to the vendor.

macOS Apple Silicon DMG installation

RecompLauncher ships a native aarch64-apple-darwin bundle (RecompLauncher_0.90.0-beta.47_aarch64.dmg, 11.9 MiB) targeting macOS 11 Big Sur and newer, with 383 native macOS recomp entries currently in the catalog.

  • Mount & copy: Open the DMG and drag RecompLauncher.app into /Applications (running from inside a mounted read-only DMG prevents self-updates).
  • First launch warning: Because builds are ad-hoc signed without paid Apple Developer ID notarization, macOS blocks the first open. Dismiss the dialog rather than moving the app to Trash.
  • Approve safely with Gatekeeper kept ON: Open System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down to the Security section, click Open Anyway next to RecompLauncher, and authenticate. macOS stores that per-bundle exception permanently.
  • Stop if marked damaged: Per upstream guidance (Apple Support HT202491 / 102445), only approve the unidentified-developer warning; if macOS claims the file is damaged, verify its SHA-256 checksum (93ee83a8f6e354e2604c...) and re-download.
Compact mechanical keyboard with white keycaps and braided USB-C cable resting on a wood desk
Desktop keyboard shortcuts, search filtering, and crash log inspection pair with full gamepad navigation.

Updating, migrating libraries & save backups

Recent 0.90 Beta releases added automatic cross-launcher import, failed-update rollback reporting on macOS/Linux (`#167`), and controlled Auto-Install behavior (`#155`).

Moving an existing recomp

Already installed Ship of Harkinian, Zelda 64: Recompiled, or Unleashed Recompiled manually or from another launcher? Beta 46's import window adopts existing folders so future updates flow through RecompLauncher without losing saves.

Auto-Install toggle

Prefer reviewing version notes or picking DLSS/FSR options before setup runs? Turn off Auto-Install in Settings (`#155`) so downloaded archives wait until you press Set Up.

Data & crash log paths

Windows stores metadata and save backups in %APPDATA%\com.recomplauncher.app; macOS uses ~/Library/Application Support/com.recomplauncher.app. Game installs default to C:\Recomp Library or ~/Games/Recomp Library.

Verified gamepads for Big Picture

RecompLauncher compiles SDL3 gamepad support directly into the binary so controllers drive menus, folder browsers, and per-game bindings without external mapper tools. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Windows & macOS FAQ

Why does Windows SmartScreen show 'Windows protected your PC'?

Even though the Windows installer is code-signed and delivered from GitHub Releases, Microsoft SmartScreen displays a reputation prompt on newly published release binaries until enough installs accumulate. Verify the SHA-256 digest first, then click More info -> Run anyway.

Why does macOS warn that it cannot verify the developer?

Upstream macOS builds are ad-hoc signed without a paid Apple Developer ID notarization certificate. Leave Gatekeeper enabled: drag RecompLauncher.app to /Applications, open it once, dismiss the prompt, then approve it in System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Open Anyway.

Does the macOS DMG work on Intel Macs?

The prebuilt DMG targets aarch64-apple-darwin (Apple Silicon M1, M2, M3, M4 on macOS 11+). Intel x86_64 Mac users would need to compile from source via Rust and Xcode Command Line Tools, and individual recomp compatibility depends on each game developer.

Where are ReShade 'Looks' logs and screenshots saved on Windows?

RecompLauncher saves screenshots in Pictures\RecompLauncher and writes ReShade screen-effect logs to %APPDATA%\com.recomplauncher.app\looks\<game>\ReShade.log.