Host Installer Downloads

Host installer downloads

One-click desktop installers for the Backyard Hero host on macOS and Windows. Double-click to install, launch, and the UI opens at http://localhost:1776 — no Docker, no system Python, no WSL, no manual COM-port setup. The installer ships a self-contained Electron bundle (the Next.js UI, the websocket/daemon/serial-bridge Python services, and an embedded CPython) so there are no prerequisites to install first.

If you just want to run and use the system, use the installer for your OS below — this is the easiest path. If you intend to develop Backyard Hero (modify the UI, daemon, or firmware), follow the from-source build instructions instead (macOS / Windows). The from-source flows are also the path for unsupported architectures (e.g. an Intel Mac — see below).

All installers are hosted at:

https://backyard-hero.com/download/desktop/

Latest release

v0.30.3 — current

Platform	File	Download
macOS (Apple Silicon, M1+)	Backyard Hero-0.30.3-arm64.dmg	Download
Windows 10/11 (x64)	Backyard Hero Setup 0.30.3.exe	Download

The machine-readable index for the latest release (used by the website and the in-app update check) lives at download/desktop/manifest.json.

Which build do I need?

You're on…	Get	Notes
Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3/M4)	the .dmg above	The supported macOS build.
Intel Mac	no installer	Not currently built (the embedded audio stack has no Intel wheels). Use the macOS from-source guide with Docker instead.
Windows 10/11 (x64)	the .exe above	Per-user NSIS installer — no admin rights required.
Raspberry Pi	not here	Use a Pi image or the Pi install script.
Linux (desktop)	not here	Follow the Linux from-source guide.

A note on "untrusted" / "unknown developer" warnings

The first time you open the app, your OS may warn that it's from an unidentified developer (macOS) or an unknown source / unrecognized publisher (Windows SmartScreen). This is expected and safe to bypass for these builds:

• The installers are built straight from the as-is source in this repo by the project's CI — nothing extra is bundled or injected. You can read the exact build procedure and code in the repository.
• The server hosting the installers is private and secured, so the files you download are the ones CI produced.
• The warnings appear simply because the builds aren't yet code-signed/notarized with a paid developer certificate, not because anything is wrong with the app.

If you'd rather not bypass the warning, you can always build it yourself from source (macOS / Windows).

Installing

macOS

1. Download the .dmg, open it, and drag Backyard Hero to Applications.
2. First launch: right-click the app → Open (or approve it under System Settings → Privacy & Security) the first time. macOS will say it's from an unidentified developer — see the note above.
3. The app starts the host services and opens the UI. Plug in the dongle and head to Connecting the dongle.

Windows

1. Download and run Backyard Hero Setup <version>.exe. It's a per-user install — no admin prompt.
2. SmartScreen may warn about an unknown publisher: click More info → Run anyway — see the note above.
3. Windows Defender Firewall may prompt to allow the bundled services on the local network — Allow on private networks.
4. Launch from the Start menu / desktop shortcut. Plug in the dongle and head to Connecting the dongle.

Where your data lives

The desktop app keeps mutable state (shows, inventory, the receivers DB, audio uploads, config) in the per-user app-data directory, not inside the app bundle — so reinstalling or updating never wipes your data:

	macOS	Windows
Data	~/Library/Application Support/Backyard Hero/data	%APPDATA%\Backyard Hero\data
Config	…/Backyard Hero/config/systemcfg.json	…\Backyard Hero\config\systemcfg.json

Verifying the download

The .dmg/.exe link is published alongside electron-builder's latest-mac.yml / latest.yml feed files and .blockmaps in the same folder. To confirm you grabbed the current release, check the version in manifest.json matches the file you downloaded.

See also

• Getting Started — the overview that points you at the right install path.
• Getting Started — macOS / Windows — the from-source / Docker flows (development, or Intel Macs).
• Connecting the dongle — the next step once the app is running.
• Production vs Development Mode — what the bundled app runs and why.