Installation

Zync is a desktop application for Linux, Windows, and macOS. Use the Download page to get the recommended build, or inspect every published artifact on GitHub Releases.

No account required

Installation, local terminals, and SSH connections work without a Zync account. Google Drive backup and Public URLs use separate optional sign-in flows.

Before you install

Platform	Package	Runtime notes
Linux	Script, APT, pacman, .deb, .rpm, .AppImage, .pkg.tar.zst, or .tar.gz	Current builds target x86_64. WebKit2GTK 4.1 and GTK 3 are required.
Windows	.exe installer	Windows 10 or 11 with Microsoft WebView2.
macOS	Universal .dmg	Runs on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

Current Windows releases are not signed with a Microsoft-trusted certificate, and current macOS releases are not notarized with Apple. The platform instructions below explain the first-launch warnings.

Install Zync

Linux

The Linux options differ in how they update and where they install Zync. Choose the method that matches your package workflow.

Install script

The one-line installer downloads the latest AppImage from GitHub, installs it in your home directory, creates a zync command under ~/.local/bin, and registers an application launcher. It does not require sudo.

curl -fsSL https://zync.thesudoer.in/install.sh | sh

Review remote scripts

This command executes a script fetched over HTTPS. Open install.sh first if you want to inspect it before running it.

Use the matching uninstall script only for an installation created by install.sh:

curl -fsSL https://zync.thesudoer.in/uninstall.sh | sh

Debian / Ubuntu

The official APT repository keeps Zync on your normal package update path.

# Create the keyring directory
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings

# Add the Zync packaging key
curl -fsSL https://apt.zync.thesudoer.in/key.gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/zync.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/zync.gpg

# Add the repository
echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/zync.gpg] https://apt.zync.thesudoer.in stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/zync.list

# Install Zync
sudo apt update && sudo apt install zync

Upgrade later with sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade zync, or as part of sudo apt upgrade.

Arch Linux

The official signed repository uses the system WebKit runtime and updates with pacman -Syu.

# Import and locally sign the packaging key
curl -fsSL https://arch.zync.thesudoer.in/key.gpg -o /tmp/zync.gpg
sudo pacman-key --add /tmp/zync.gpg
FPR="$(gpg --show-keys --with-colons /tmp/zync.gpg 2>/dev/null | awk -F: '/^fpr:/ { print $10; exit }')"
sudo pacman-key --lsign-key "$FPR"

# Add the repository
sudo tee /etc/pacman.d/zync.conf >/dev/null <<'EOF'
[zync]
SigLevel = Required TrustedOnly
Server = https://arch.zync.thesudoer.in/$arch
EOF

grep -q 'pacman.d/zync.conf' /etc/pacman.conf || \
  echo 'Include = /etc/pacman.d/zync.conf' | sudo tee -a /etc/pacman.conf

# Install and update
sudo pacman -Syu zync

Other packages

GitHub Releases also provides .deb, .rpm, .AppImage, .pkg.tar.zst, and .tar.gz files. Use your distribution’s package manager for a package file.

For an AppImage:

chmod +x zync-*.AppImage
./zync-*.AppImage

Minimal Debian or Ubuntu installations may need the desktop runtime libraries:

sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libgtk-3-0

Windows

1. Download the .exe installer from the Download page or GitHub Releases.
2. Run the installer and follow its prompts.
3. Open Zync from the Start Menu after installation finishes.

Windows WebView2 is normally already installed through Edge or Windows Update.

SmartScreen may warn

If Windows shows Windows protected your PC, confirm that the installer came from the official zync-sh/zync release page. Select More info, then Run anyway.

macOS

1. Download the .dmg from the Download page or GitHub Releases.
2. Open the disk image and drag Zync to Applications.
3. In Finder, Control-click or right-click Zync, then choose Open.
4. Confirm Open in the warning dialog. macOS remembers the choice for later launches.

If Zync is already blocked, open System Settings > Privacy & Security and select Open Anyway. If macOS reports that the application is damaged, clear the quarantine attribute after confirming the download source:

xattr -cr /Applications/Zync.app

Universal build

The current macOS disk image runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

First launch

The setup wizard offers two paths:

1. Choose Quick Start for recommended defaults, or Custom Setup to select the theme, optional integrations, data directory, and log directory.
2. Import hosts from ~/.ssh/config when Zync finds the file, if you want those hosts available immediately.
3. Optionally install the zync CLI command.
4. Open a local terminal or add your first SSH connection.

You can configure the optional on-device Vault and Sync & Backup later.

Updates

The update path depends on how Zync was installed:

Installation	Update path
APT	sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
Arch repository	sudo pacman -Syu
AppImage, package file, Windows, or macOS	Download the newer release when Zync or the release page reports one.

Review the release notes before replacing an existing installation, especially when a release includes data migrations.

Uninstall

Linux

• Script installation: curl -fsSL https://zync.thesudoer.in/uninstall.sh | sh
• APT: sudo apt remove zync
• Arch repository: sudo pacman -Rns zync
• RPM: sudo dnf remove zync or your distribution’s package tool
• AppImage: delete the .AppImage file

Remove repository configuration separately if you no longer want the Zync package source configured.

Windows

Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Zync, and choose Uninstall.

macOS

Move Zync from Applications to the Trash.

Keep or remove your data intentionally

Removing the application package and deleting Zync’s app-data directory are separate actions on most platforms. Back up anything you need before removing local data.

Troubleshooting

Linux application does not start

• Make an AppImage executable with chmod +x zync-*.AppImage.
• Install WebKit2GTK 4.1 and GTK 3 when a minimal distribution does not provide them.
• Some AppImage environments also require the distribution’s FUSE compatibility package.

Windows blocks the installer

Verify that the file came from the official release page, then use More info > Run anyway in SmartScreen. Install Microsoft WebView2 manually if Zync reports that the runtime is missing.

macOS blocks the application

Use Finder’s Open action or Privacy & Security > Open Anyway. Use xattr -cr only after confirming the application came from the official release.

App data is missing after reinstalling

Installing the application does not restore a removed data directory. Restore your own backup or reconnect optional Sync & Backup when you intentionally saved a collection there.