Desktop IDE install issues

Use this page for problems downloading, installing, opening or updating Contral IDE, the desktop app.

No download for your platform on the Contral download page#

• macOS on Intel: Contral IDE supports Apple Silicon Macs only (M1–M4). There's no Intel or universal build. Use the Contral extension in VS Code instead; it has the same account, plan and features.
• Windows or Linux shows "Coming soon": no build has been published for that platform yet. Use the extension in VS Code, Cursor or another supported editor in the meantime.

To check your Mac's chip, open Apple menu → About This Mac. "Chip: Apple M…" means Apple Silicon; "Processor: Intel…" means Intel.

macOS says Contral IDE can't be opened#

The macOS app is signed and notarized, so it normally opens without warnings. If macOS still blocks it:

1. Make sure you downloaded it from contral.ai/download↗ and dragged it into Applications (don't run it from the mounted disk image).
2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down, and click Open Anyway next to the message about Contral IDE.
3. If you see "Contral IDE is damaged and can't be opened", delete the app, download a fresh copy, and install again; the download was probably incomplete.

macOS says the app is for a different architecture#

You're on an Intel Mac. Contral IDE doesn't support Intel Macs; use the extension.

Windows: "Windows protected your PC"#

Windows SmartScreen warns about apps from new publishers that don't yet have an Extended Validation code-signing certificate.

1. Click More info (small text under the warning).
2. Click Run anyway.

This only happens on the first install; later updates install without it.

Linux: package won't install#

• Use the package for your distribution: .deb for Debian/Ubuntu, .rpm for Fedora/RHEL, .pacman for Arch.
• Install with your package manager so dependencies are resolved, for example sudo apt install ./file.deb, not dpkg -i.
• Contral IDE needs an x64 system: Ubuntu 20.04+, Fedora 36+, Arch Linux or equivalent.

Contral IDE opens but sign-in doesn't come back to the app#

1. When the browser asks to open Contral IDE, allow it.
2. If nothing happens, click Open Contral IDE on the "You're signed in!" page.
3. Make sure Contral IDE is running when you finish signing in.
4. Wait a few seconds before trying again; repeated sign-in callbacks are throttled.

The desktop IDE keeps you signed in for 7 days, then asks again.

Contral IDE won't update#

Contral IDE checks for updates about 30 seconds after launch and every four hours, downloads them in the background, and installs on restart.

1. Quit Contral IDE completely and reopen it.
2. Check the version on contral.ai/download↗ against your installed version.
3. If it's still behind, download the latest installer from contral.ai/download↗ and install over the old version. Your settings are kept.
4. On macOS, if updates keep failing, send ~/Library/Logs/Contral/update.log to support.

Contral IDE is slow or uses a lot of memory#

Contral IDE needs at least 4 GB of RAM, and 8 GB is recommended. Close large projects you aren't using, and keep fewer files open. Very large repositories take longer to analyse the first time.

Learn mode topics are locked in the desktop IDE#

On the Free plan, the desktop IDE unlocks the Basics category; the rest needs Pro or higher (all AppSumo tiers included). You'll see "Upgrade to Pro to access this topic". If you have a paid plan and still see this, sign out and back in. See Learn mode & curriculum.