Get the apps
DonutChat runs on iPhone, Android, Macs with Apple silicon, 64-bit (x64) Linux computers and in your web browser. Install it on any of them and sign in with the same account.
iPhone
Section titled “iPhone”Get DonutChat from the App Store, or search for “DonutChat” in the App Store app. It needs iOS 17 or later and is made for iPhone.
Android
Section titled “Android”Get DonutChat from Google Play, or search for “DonutChat” in the Play Store app. It needs Android 8.0 or later.
Desktop
Section titled “Desktop”The desktop app is available for Macs with Apple silicon and for 64-bit (x64) Linux.
- Go to donutchat.com and click Get the app.
- Under DonutChat Desktop, click macOS (Apple Silicon) or Linux (x64). The current version number is shown next to each.
Install on a Mac
Section titled “Install on a Mac”The Mac app needs macOS 12 or later.
- Open the downloaded ZIP file to get DonutChat.app.
- Drag DonutChat.app into your Applications folder.
- Open DonutChat from Applications.
- If macOS says it can’t verify DonutChat and doesn’t open it, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, click Open Anyway next to the message about DonutChat, and confirm. You only need to do this the first time you open the app.
Install on Linux
Section titled “Install on Linux”The Linux app is a single program file. It needs the GTK 4 and WebKitGTK 6.0 libraries.
- Extract the downloaded
.tar.gzarchive. It contains one file,donutchat-desktop. - In a terminal, go to the folder with that file and run
./donutchat-desktop.
First launch
Section titled “First launch”The app opens on Sign in to DonutChat. Sign in with your email or username and password. On a Mac, you can also use Continue with Google for an existing account. The desktop app has no Apple or Magic Link sign-in; see Sign in on the desktop app.
Updates
Section titled “Updates”The desktop app updates itself: it downloads new versions in the background and installs them when you quit. See Keep the app up to date.
Open web.donutchat.com in your browser and sign in with your DonutChat account. A few things work differently in the browser:
- Sign-in lasts as long as the window. Reloading or closing the tab signs you out and clears unsent drafts. Each window signs in separately, and accounts you add stay only while that window is open.
- No notifications. New messages arrive only while DonutChat is open in a tab.
- Install it as an app. When your browser supports it, a bar offers Install DonutChat to keep DonutChat in its own app window. In Safari on macOS Sonoma or later, use File > Add to Dock.
For updates, offline use and other differences, see Web app.
What differs by platform
Section titled “What differs by platform”| iPhone | Android | Desktop app | Web app | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Create an account | Yes | Yes | No (create it on your phone) | No (create it on your phone) |
| Stay signed in | Yes | Yes | Yes | Until you close or reload the tab |
| Notifications | Yes | Yes | For the open account, while the app is running | No |
| AI suggestions on messages | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Set up a hosted AI assistant or ChatGPT agent | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Change your profile photo | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Change your display name or username | No | No | Yes | No |
| App language | English, Español, Français, 한국어, 日本語 | Same as iPhone | English | Same as iPhone |
For keyboard shortcuts and other details about the desktop and web apps, see Desktop and web apps.