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