Getting started
System requirements
What you need to run the design tool well, in a desktop browser or the Windows app for x64 and ARM64, plus the connection, screen, sound and files it expects.
On this page
The tool runs in two places: in a desktop browser, and as an app for Windows. Both use the same account, catalogue and projects, so you can move between them.
| Web app | |
|---|---|
| Browser | A current desktop browserThe tool’s test suites run in Chromium, the engine of Chrome and Edge, and in WebKit, the engine of Safari. |
| Connection | Needed while you workThe catalogue and the layout solver are served by the portal. |
| Account | A signed-in portal account |
| Windows app | |
| Windows on Intel or AMD | The x64 build |
| Windows on ARM | The ARM64 buildAlso for Windows in Parallels on an Apple-silicon Mac. |
| Offline | Up to 7 days at a time |
In the browser
Use a current version of a desktop browser. The tool is tested in Chromium, which Chrome and Edge are built on, and in WebKit, which Safari is built on.
The web app needs a connection the whole time you work. It is not a page you can save and open offline: the catalogue and the layout solver are served by the portal, and you need to be signed in. If you design on sites with no signal, use the Windows app.
The Windows app
The Windows app comes in two builds:
- x64 for PCs with Intel or AMD processors.
- ARM64 for Windows on ARM, including Windows running in Parallels on an Apple-silicon Mac.
It installs once, keeps itself up to date and works offline for up to 7 days at a time. See Install and use the Windows app.
On a Mac
The desktop app is for Windows only. On a Mac, use the tool in a current browser. If you already run Windows in Parallels on an Apple-silicon Mac, the ARM64 build of the Windows app runs there too.
Screen, keyboard and pointer
The workspace has three columns: the Project explorer, the canvas and the Inspector. It is designed for a laptop or desktop screen with a mouse or a trackpad.
- Text size. The settings menu scales the whole interface to 115%, 130% or 150%, which helps on a high-resolution display or when you share your screen with a client. See Panels, layout and display settings.
- Tablets. Touch works on a tablet on site: one finger acts as the mouse, two fingers pan and a pinch zooms, and buttons grow to finger size.
- Phones. Clients open a shared 3D tour on their phone. Drawing and editing a design is meant for a larger screen.
Sound
Walk and listen plays each speaker from its direction and at its predicted level. Headphones give the clearest picture. What you hear is a comparison between positions, not a calibrated measurement.
Files you will open
| You export | Open it with |
|---|---|
| Reports and the client proposal | Any PDF viewer |
| Floor plan, 3D model and wiring drawings (DXF) | A CAD application such as AutoCAD, BricsCAD or LibreCAD; the 3D model also opens in SketchUp |
| Bill of materials, schedules and quote lines (CSV) | A spreadsheet, or your accounts software for quote lines |