mirror of
https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android.git
synced 2026-09-21 03:07:56 -04:00
152 lines
6.5 KiB
HTML
152 lines
6.5 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html>
|
|
<html lang="en" dir="ltr">
|
|
<head>
|
|
<meta charset="UTF-8">
|
|
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
|
|
<title>Desktop App</title>
|
|
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../styles/docs.css">
|
|
</head>
|
|
<body data-page="desktop" data-locale="en">
|
|
<pre class="markdown-content"># Desktop App
|
|
|
|
This page covers installing the Meshtastic desktop app, connecting a radio, and how it differs from Android. The desktop app shares its core codebase with Android via Kotlin Multiplatform, so most features work identically across Linux, macOS, and Windows.
|
|
|
|
## Installation
|
|
|
|
### Linux
|
|
|
|
- Download the `.deb`, `.rpm`, or `.AppImage` package from the [releases page](https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android/releases)
|
|
- Or install from Flathub: `flatpak install flathub org.meshtastic.MeshtasticDesktop`
|
|
- Or build from source using `./gradlew :desktopApp:run`
|
|
|
|
### macOS
|
|
|
|
- Download the `.dmg` package from the [releases page](https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android/releases)
|
|
- Or build from source
|
|
|
|
### Windows
|
|
|
|
- Download the `.msi` or `.exe` installer from the [releases page](https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android/releases)
|
|
- Or build from source
|
|
|
|
## Connecting Your Radio
|
|
|
|
### USB Serial (Primary)
|
|
|
|
The most reliable connection method on desktop:
|
|
|
|
Connect your radio via USB. The app detects the serial port automatically; if it doesn't, select the port from the Connect menu.
|
|
|
|
### TCP/IP
|
|
|
|
For network-connected radios:
|
|
|
|
1. Enter the radio's IP address and port (default: 4403).
|
|
2. Click **Connect**.
|
|
|
|
### Bluetooth (BLE)
|
|
|
|
Bluetooth Low Energy is supported on desktop via the [Kable](https://github.com/JuulLabs/kable) library:
|
|
|
|
1. Ensure your system has a Bluetooth adapter. The app scans for nearby Meshtastic radios automatically.
|
|
2. Select your radio from the Connect screen.
|
|
|
|
## Feature Parity
|
|
|
|
Feature | Android | Desktop | Notes |
|
|
---------|---------|---------|-------|
|
|
Messaging | ✓ | ✓ | Full parity |
|
|
Node List | ✓ | ✓ | Full parity |
|
|
Map | ✓ | ✓ | Interactive MapLibre map, with base map and overlay pickers and custom tile sources. No offline downloads or local `.mbtiles` archives |
|
|
Map layers (`.kml`/`.kmz`/GeoJSON) | ✓ | ✓ | Same layer store and sheet as Android; imported files draw on the desktop map |
|
|
Site Planner | ✓ | ✓* | *Opens in your browser on desktop; the estimate is not drawn on the desktop map |
|
|
Settings | ✓ | ✓ | Full parity |
|
|
Bluetooth (BLE) | ✓ | ✓ | Via Kable on desktop |
|
|
Firmware Update | ✓ | ✓ | In-app USB, BLE, and Wi-Fi (ESP32) update work the same as Android. The USB maintenance flow — nRF52/RP2040 factory erase and bootloader upgrade — is Android-only |
|
|
Notifications | ✓ | ✓ | Native OS notifications |
|
|
Widgets | ✓ | ✗ | Android-only |
|
|
AI Assistant (Chirpy) | ✓* | ✗ | Google flavor Android only |
|
|
App Functions (system AI) | ✓† | ✗ | Google flavor Android only |
|
|
|
|
*Chirpy AI requires Android 14+ on Google flavor builds with supported hardware.
|
|
|
|
†App Functions exposes app actions to the Android system AI on Google flavor builds. See [App Functions](app-functions).
|
|
|
|
## UI Differences
|
|
|
|
The desktop app uses the same Compose Multiplatform UI with adaptations for larger screens and desktop interaction.
|
|
|
|
### Keyboard Shortcuts
|
|
|
|
Shortcuts use **⌘** (Command) on macOS and **Ctrl** on Windows and Linux. (The Super / Windows key is not bound.)
|
|
|
|
Shortcut | Action |
|
|
----------|--------|
|
|
**⌘/Ctrl+Q** | Quit the app |
|
|
**⌘/Ctrl+,** | Open Settings |
|
|
**⌘/Ctrl+1** | Switch to Messages tab |
|
|
**⌘/Ctrl+2** | Switch to Nodes tab |
|
|
**⌘/Ctrl+3** | Switch to Map tab |
|
|
**⌘/Ctrl+4** | Switch to Connect tab |
|
|
**⌘/Ctrl+/** | Open About |
|
|
|
|
### Window & System Tray
|
|
|
|
- **Window resizing** — responsive layout adapts to window dimensions
|
|
- **System tray** — closing the window minimizes to the system tray for background mesh operation. On a desktop environment with no tray, there is nowhere to minimize to, so closing quits the app instead
|
|
- **Tray menu** — right-click the tray icon to show window or quit
|
|
- **Mouse interaction** — hover states and standard desktop navigation
|
|
|
|
### Notification Preferences
|
|
|
|
The desktop app provides in-app toggles for controlling which notifications are shown. Find them in the **App Notifications** section of the Settings screen: **Direct message notifications**, **New node notifications**, and **Low battery notifications**.
|
|
|
|
## Built-in Documentation Browser
|
|
|
|
The desktop app includes a built-in documentation browser for quick access to help content without leaving the app.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The browser supports full-text search across all documentation:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Individual doc pages render with full formatting:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
## Building from Source
|
|
|
|
```bash
|
|
git clone https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android.git
|
|
cd Meshtastic-Android
|
|
./gradlew :desktopApp:run
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Requirements:
|
|
- JDK 25 (Gradle can provision the toolchain itself via foojay)
|
|
- No Android SDK required for desktop-only builds
|
|
|
|
## Known Limitations
|
|
|
|
- Offline tile downloads and local `.mbtiles` archives are not available on desktop.
|
|
- `.kml`/`.kmz`/GeoJSON layer import works — see
|
|
[Map & Waypoints](map-and-waypoints#map-layers). Site Planner opens in your browser
|
|
rather than in the app; to bring its coverage estimate onto the map, click the transmitter pin
|
|
in the browser and use the planner's GeoJSON export, then add the file as a layer — not the KML
|
|
export, which is a ground-overlay image this map cannot draw. Custom network tile sources work
|
|
too — see [Map & Waypoints](map-and-waypoints#adding-your-own-tile-source)
|
|
- The USB maintenance flow — nRF52/RP2040 factory erase and bootloader upgrade — is Android-only, and the
|
|
desktop app does not offer it. Use the [Web Flasher](https://flasher.meshtastic.org) instead
|
|
- Some Android-specific features (widgets, specific notification channels) are unavailable
|
|
- Performance may vary on low-spec hardware running Compose Desktop
|
|
- BLE bonding is not yet supported on desktop (pairing works without bonding)
|
|
|
|
## Related Topics
|
|
|
|
- [Connections](connections) — connection methods overview
|
|
- [Firmware Updates](firmware) — in-app USB, BLE, and Wi-Fi update all work the same as on Android
|
|
- [Map & Waypoints](map-and-waypoints) — base maps, layers, custom tile sources, and what the desktop map does not do
|
|
</pre>
|
|
</body>
|
|
</html> |