---
title: "Install smabar"
description: "Linux packages, the Windows installer, what the first start looks like, and how updates work."
canonical: "https://smabar.com/docs/install/"
lang: en
---

# Install smabar

> Linux packages, the Windows installer, what the first start looks like, and how updates work.

Canonical HTML version: https://smabar.com/docs/install/ · Language: en · Publisher: smabar (https://smabar.com)

---

smabar is free, needs no account, and runs entirely on your computer. Pick the package for your system from the [download page](https://smabar.com/download/), install it, start it. That is the whole setup.

## Linux

Two packages are published for x86-64: a `.deb` for Debian, Ubuntu and Mint, and an `.rpm` for Fedora and openSUSE. Both declare their two runtime libraries, `libgtk-layer-shell` and `libpulse`, so the package manager installs them for you.

```sh
# Debian, Ubuntu, Mint
sudo apt install ./smabar_<version>_amd64.deb

# Fedora, openSUSE
sudo dnf install ./smabar-<version>.x86_64.rpm
```

smabar works on X11 and on Wayland compositors that support the layer-shell protocol (Sway, Hyprland, KDE Plasma, Cinnamon and most others). GNOME on Wayland does not offer layer-shell and is not supported yet.

## Windows

Download the installer, run it, done. The installer is not signed with an Authenticode certificate, so Windows SmartScreen asks once whether you want to run it: choose "More info" and "Run anyway". If you want to be sure the file is the one we published, compare its SHA-256 checksum with the `SHA256SUMS` file next to the download:

```powershell
Get-FileHash .\smabar_<version>_x64-setup.exe
```

## The first start

The bar appears at the bottom edge of your primary screen: a floating pill with the settings gear at its right end. The gear opens Settings, which has five sections:

- **Bar**: position, width, behaviour, layout.
- **Design**: theme, colours, fonts, opacity, the theme store.
- **Shortcuts**: the apps, folders, files and websites pinned to the bar.
- **Widgets**: installed widgets and the Community Store.
- **System**: updates, the MCP endpoint, logs.

Plugins are written in Python, and you do not need to install Python: smabar ships a package manager and provisions its own Python runtime the first time a plugin needs it. That first provisioning needs a network connection and shows its progress.

## Updates

smabar checks for a new version shortly after start and every six hours. A new version shows as a dot on the settings gear and under Settings › System › Updates. Nothing installs on its own. When you choose to update, the package is downloaded and its signature verified; on Linux the system installer opens for confirmation, on Windows the installer runs and restarts the app.

## Where things live

Everything smabar writes is in one folder: `~/.smabar/` on Linux and `%USERPROFILE%\.smabar\` on Windows. It holds the config file, plugins, plugin data, themes, downloaded fonts and logs. Deleting the folder resets smabar completely.