Install Desktop and Mobile App

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This guide explains how to install, update, and manage Rocket.Chat client applications across desktop and mobile devices. It is intended for both individual users and IT administrators deploying at scale.

Rocket.Chat provides native applications for:

  • Desktop: Windows, macOS, Linux

  • Mobile: iOS, Android

Before installation, review the Minimum Requirements for Client Apps to confirm your device is supported. Select the desktop app or mobile app tab to view installation instructions for your device:

For desktop communication, Rocket.Chat offers robust applications that seamlessly integrate with your Windows, MacOS, or Linux environment.

Standard installation

  1. Windows: Download from the Windows Store.

  2. macOS: Install from the Mac App Store.

  3. Linux (Ubuntu):  Install our Snap using the command below: 

    sudo snap install rocketchat-desktop

    The advantage of Snaps is that they automatically update, eliminating the need for manual client updates. They are also compatible with other platforms.

Manual installation

If you prefer manual setup with an installer file:

  1. Go to the Rocket.Chat desktop releases repository.

  2. Locate the version of Rocket.Chat you want to install.

  3. Download the appropriate file for your system from the Assets section:

    1. Windows: .exe or .msi

    2. macOS: .dmg or .zip

    3. Linux: .AppImage, .deb, or .rpm

  4. Run the installer.

To deploy the app silently across multiple machines, refer to the Silent Installation for Desktop Apps section below.

Rocket.Chat offers dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android, keeping you connected wherever you are.

Official versions

Beta versions

Beta versions of our apps are available on Google Play beta and TestFlight. Help us test new features!

Experimental versions

Experimental builds share the same codebase as the official app and are used to validate new features and gather feedback. Only features that pass stability testing are promoted to the official release.

Android

Apple

Play Store

iOS version isn't available on App Store anymore.

After installation, see Access Your Workspace to continue with the next steps.

Update desktop & mobile apps

Automatic updates

  1. Mac App Store or Windows Store installs: Updates are managed automatically by the operating system.

  2. Direct downloads (.exe, .dmg, .zip, .AppImage): If you downloaded the app with an installer file from the Desktop app releases repository, the app includes a built-in updater. When a new version is available, you'll see an in-app prompt with the option to:

    • Install the update immediately

    • Be reminded later

    • Skip the update

  3. Snap installs: Updates are applied automatically by the Snap system.

Manual updates

If you installed the app using a .deb, .rpm, or .tar.gz package, you need to update it manually using your system's package manager or by downloading the latest version from GitHub releases.

To update the Rocket.Chat mobile app, go to the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android). Each platform handles updates differently, so you can check your device settings if the app hasn't updated automatically.

Silent installation for desktop app

For large-scale enterprises, you can install Rocket.Chat desktop app silently in the background without displaying any windows, progress bars, or pop-up prompts.

Before proceeding, confirm that your target environment meets the minimum requirements below:

Platform

Installer types

Minimum OS version

Architecture

Required disk space

Windows

NSIS (.exe), MSI (.msi)

Windows 10 or later

x64, ia32, arm64

~200 MB

macOS

PKG (.pkg)

macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later

x64, arm64 (M1/M2)

~250 MB

Linux

DEB

Ubuntu 20.04 / RHEL 8 or later

x64, arm64

~200 MB

With the requirements confirmed, you can proceed with the installation. Select the platform that matches your OS and follow the corresponding instruction:

Silent installation for Rocket.Chat desktop app on Windows can be done using the NSIS or MSI installer.

NSIS installer (.exe)

The NSIS installer is the recommended method for Windows installations. It supports full silent installation with various customizable options.

To install Rocket.Chat desktop app using the NSIS installer:

  1. Download the .exe installer file asset for your preferred release from the Desktop app releases repository (for example, rocketchat-4.12.0-win.exe).

  2. Go to your CMD or Powershell and navigate to the directory that has the .exe file.

  3. Use the /S command to install the desktop app silently for the current user :

    rocketchat-<version>-win.exe /S

    For example, rocketchat-4.12.0-win.exe /S.

  4. After it’s executed, Rocket.Chat desktop app is fully available on your system.

To customize your installation, you can explore any of the following options:

Flag

Description

Example

/allusers

Install for all users on the system. It requires administrator privileges.

rocketchat-4.12.0-win.exe /S /allusers

/currentuser

Install for only the current user. This is the default silent install behaviour.

rocketchat-4.12.0-win.exe /S /currentuser

/disableAutoUpdates

Disable automatic updates for the desktop app after the installation.

rocketchat-4.12.0-win.exe /S /disableAutoUpdates

MSI installer (.msi)

The MSI installer is ideal for enterprise deployments using Group Policy, SCCM, Intune, or other deployment tools.

To install Rocket.Chat desktop app using the MSI installer:

  1. Download the .msi installer file asset for your preferred release from the Desktop app releases repository (for example, rocketchat-4.12.0-win-x64.msi).

  2. Go to your CMD or Powershell and navigate to the directory that has the .msi file.

  3. Use the /S command to install the desktop app silently for the current user :

    msiexec /i rocketchat-<version>-win-x64.msi /quiet

    For example, msiexec /i rocketchat-4.12.0-win-x64.msi/quiet.

  4. After it’s executed, Rocket.Chat desktop app is fully available on your system.

To uninstall the Rocket.Chat desktop app:

msiexec /x rocketchat-<version>-win-x64.msi /quiet

Silent installation for Rocket.Chat desktop app on macOS can be done using the PKG installer.

PKG installer (.pkg)

The PKG installer supports silent installation using the macOS installer command.

To install Rocket.Chat desktop app using the PKG installer:

  1. Download the .pkg installer file asset for your preferred release from the Desktop app releases repository (for example, rocketchat-4.12.0-mac.pkg).

  2. Go to your terminal and run this command:

    sudo installer -pkg <path-to-pkg> -target <volume>

    1. sudo: Runs the command with administrator privileges

    2. -pkg <path-to-pkg>: Specifies the pkg package you want to install

    3. -target <volume>: Specifies the target destination for the installation. Use / to specify the main disk as the target.

    For example, to install the desktop app to the main disk:

    sudo installer -pkg rocketchat-4.12.0-mac.pkg -target /

  3. After it’s executed, Rocket.Chat desktop app is fully available on your system.

To customize your installation, you can explore any of the following options:

Flag

Description

Example

/-verboseR

Get real-time feedback during the installation process as the package is executed.

sudo installer -pkg rocketchat-4.12.0-mac.pkg -target / -verboseR

-dumplog

Get logs from the installation proccess and save to a file. It’s useful for debggin

sudo installer -pkg rocketchat-4.12.0-mac.pkg -target / \
-dumplog 2>&1 | tee /tmp/rocketchat-install.log

/-allowUntrusted

By default, macOS rejects any package that isn't signed by a recognized developer or has an expired security certificate.

Use this flag to bypass those checks if you’re certain that the package is safe.

sudo installer -pkg rocketchat-4.12.0-mac.pkg -target / -allowUntrusted

Ubuntu/Debian (.deb)

To install Rocket.Chat desktop app silently on Ubuntu or Debian devices:

Download the .deb installer file asset for your preferred release from the Desktop app releases repository (for example, rocketchat-4.12.0-linux-amd64.deb).

  1. For basic installation, run:

    sudo dpkg -i rocketchat-<version>-linux-amd64.deb

  2. To install using apt, run:

    sudo apt install ./rocketchat-<version>-linux-amd64.deb -y

  3. For non-interactive installation:

    export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
sudo apt install ./rocketchat-4.11.1-linux-amd64.deb -y

  4. For silent uninstallation:

    sudo apt remove rocketchat-desktop -y
sudo apt purge rocketchat-desktop -y # To also remove configuration

Override settings in Rocket.Chat desktop

You can customize the Rocket.Chat desktop app's default behavior using a configuration override file. This is useful for enforcing organization-wide settings such as disabling automatic updates, hiding the tray icon, or restricting users to a single server.

How to apply overrides

  1. Locate your user preference directory for Rocket.Chat similar to any of these below, depending on your operating system:

  • ~\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Rocket.Chat\

  • ~\Program Files\Rocket.Chat\Resources\

  • ~/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Rocket.Chat/

  • /Library/Preferences/Rocket.Chat/

  • /home/<username>/.config/Rocket.Chat/

  • /opt/Rocket.Chat/resources/

  1. In that directory, create a new file named  overridden-settings.json .

  2. Add only the settings you want to override. For example, to create a single server mode and prevent the user from adding new servers:

    {
  "isAddNewServersEnabled": false
}

    You can also include multiple overrides in the file like this:

    {
  "isAddNewServersEnabled": false,
  "isTrayIconEnabled": false,
  "isMinimizeOnCloseEnabled": false
}

Any setting defined in this file will take precedence over the app's defaults and any individual user preferences whenever the app is launched.

Settings you can override

Setting

Description

isReportEnabled

Toggles whether bug reports are automatically sent to developers.

isInternalVideoChatWindowEnabled

Open video calls in an internal window instead of a browser when enabled.

isUpdatingEnabled

Determines if the user is permitted to update the application.

doCheckForUpdatesOnStartup

When true, the app automatically checks for updates at launch.

isMenuBarEnabled

Toggles the visibility of the top menu bar.

isTrayIconEnabled

Toggles the visibility of the tray icon. It overrides isMinimizeOnCloseEnabled.

isAddNewServersEnabled

When false, the Add Server buttons and shortcuts are disabled.

isFlashFrameEnabled

Enable flash frame notifications

isMinimizeOnCloseEnabled

If true, clicking close (X) minimizes the app to the taskbar.

After installing your desktop or mobile app, login to start using Rocket.Chat.

Rocket.Chat versions receive support for six months after release. End-of-life for any version is the last day of the month when support ends.