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Install and platform setup

Ratspeak is a single application: no separate daemon, no web server, no Python runtime. Pick your platform below, install it, and you're done.

Download​

Ratspeak v1.0.20 is published as a normal public release. Start at ratspeak.org/download.html, or use the GitHub releases page directly. If you want to inspect or package the code yourself, use Building from Source.

macOS​

  1. Download the .dmg from the download page or GitHub release (Apple Silicon or Intel — match your Mac).
  2. Open the .dmg. Drag Ratspeak.app onto the Applications folder shortcut.
  3. Eject the disk image.
  4. Launch Ratspeak from Applications or Spotlight.

Linux​

Pick whichever Linux release format fits your distro:

  • .AppImage — most portable, works on essentially any modern distro. After downloading, make it executable and run it: 
    chmod +x Ratspeak-*.AppImage
    ./Ratspeak-*.AppImage
  • .deb — Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, Pop!_OS. Use amd64 for x86_64 PCs and arm64 for 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS, Armbian, Ubuntu, or Debian on Raspberry Pi / Orange Pi: 
    sudo apt install ./Ratspeak-*.deb
  • .rpm — Fedora, RHEL, openSUSE: 
    sudo dnf install ./ratspeak-*.rpm

Once installed via .deb or .rpm, Ratspeak shows up in your application menu. AppImages run in place — drop them anywhere on your $PATH if you want to launch from a terminal.

Windows​

Use the Windows installer from the download page or GitHub release. If multiple Windows package types are available, use the MSIX build when this machine needs the Bluetooth Peer advertiser/peripheral role; Windows only exposes the Bluetooth capability Ratspeak uses from the packaged app. The .msi and .exe builds are fine for normal desktop use, TCP, I2P, serial radios, and RNode work, but they do not provide the Bluetooth Peer advertiser/peripheral role.

iOS​

There is no public iOS download yet. iOS testing is currently source builds on macOS with Xcode and developer provisioning for org.ratspeak.ios; TestFlight and App Store distribution will come later. See Building from Source.

iOS does not support general USB serial from third-party apps, so LoRa on iPhone and iPad uses Bluetooth RNode hardware or an RNode TCP bridge on a reachable local network. Local Network and multicast discovery depend on Apple permissions and provisioning, notifications require user permission, and background execution remains subject to iOS lifecycle limits.

Android​

  • Download the .apk from ratspeak.org/download.html or the GitHub release.
  • Open the file. Android will ask permission to install from an unknown source — grant it for your browser or file manager.
  • Tap Install.

Public Play Store distribution will replace this for most users once the listing is ready.

Microphone permission (voice calls)​

Public Ratspeak builds include an experimental voice call surface on top of rsLXST. The first time you place or answer a call, the OS prompts for microphone access:

  • macOS — Ratspeak appears under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
  • Windows — Ratspeak appears under Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
  • Linux — most distros do not gate microphone access per app; Ratspeak uses the default PulseAudio or PipeWire input device.
  • Android — Ratspeak requests RECORD_AUDIO (plus MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS for routing) the first time you place or answer a call.
  • iOS — Ratspeak appears under Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone. The first call also requires the NSMicrophoneUsageDescription prompt to be accepted.

Granting permission once is enough. If you deny it on the first prompt and the OS never asks again, toggle the permission manually in system settings, then place a fresh call. See Messaging & Contacts for how the call surface behaves in the app, and Troubleshooting for the common voice issues.

First launch (security warnings)​

Ratspeak's installers aren't yet code-signed and notarized, so each OS will ask you to confirm the first time you run it. This is a one-time prompt.

  • macOS — "Ratspeak.app cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified." Right-click the app and choose Open, then click Open in the dialog. Subsequent launches work normally.
  • Windows — SmartScreen shows "Windows protected your PC." Click More info, then Run anyway.
  • Linux AppImage — needs chmod +x (shown above). No further prompt.
  • Android — "For your security, your phone is not allowed to install unknown apps from this source." Tap Settings, allow the source, then return and install.

Where your data lives​

Ratspeak stores its identity keys, message database, and config in the OS-standard data directory under a .ratspeak/ subfolder:

PlatformPath
macOS~/Library/Application Support/org.ratspeak.desktop/.ratspeak/
Linux~/.local/share/org.ratspeak.desktop/.ratspeak/
Windows%APPDATA%\org.ratspeak.desktop\.ratspeak\

The app-private Reticulum config is inside that folder at reticulum/config and defaults to shared-instance ports 37430/37431. It is separate from a system Reticulum install using ports 37428/37429, such as Python Reticulum's ~/.reticulum/config or rsReticulum's ~/.rsReticulum/config.

Back this folder up to preserve your identity and messages. Deleting it resets Ratspeak to a fresh install.

Updating​

Future versions of Ratspeak will check for updates in-app. Until that lands, install the newer public release artifact from the download page or GitHub releases over the top — your data folder is left untouched.

Next​

Once Ratspeak launches, continue to Your First Session.

If you want to review the code, package the current tree yourself, or build for a platform without a public artifact, use Building from Source. It covers the sibling repo layout, Rust and Tauri prerequisites, desktop bundles, Android APKs, iOS builds, and the standalone rnsd-rs / lxmd-rs daemons.