How to install cue on Mac

Before you start

These are one-time installs. If you have used Terminal before, you may have them already — the first step checks.

1. 1

   Install Git

   Apple opens a small installer.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   xcode-select --install

   You know this worked when: Git responds with a version number

2. 2

   Install Node LTS

   Choose the macOS Installer (.pkg).

   Open download ↗

   You know this worked when: Node responds with a version number

Install cue

1. 3

   Open Terminal

   Keep it open beside this page.

   You know this worked when: Terminal is open

2. 4

   Check Git and Node

   Git and the current Node LTS are required.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   git --version
   node --version

   You know this worked when: Git and Node respond with version numbers

3. 5

   Copy cue to this Mac

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   cd ~
   if [ ! -d cue/.git ]; then
   git clone https://github.com/Blueturboguy07/cue.git
   fi

   You know this worked when: A cue folder appears

4. 6

   Open the cue folder

   If it says no such file or directory, the clone step above didn't run — do that one first.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   cd cue

   You know this worked when: Your terminal prompt is inside the cue folder

5. 7

   Use the reviewed version

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   git checkout 90aa366ce27e8ae9f5b86f8cffa791338abdd9a2

   You know this worked when: Git reports the reviewed commit

6. 8

   Install dependencies

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   npm ci

   You know this worked when: The command finishes without an error

7. 9

   Build the app

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   npm run pack

   You know this worked when: dist/mac-arm64/cue.app exists

8. 10

   Put cue in Applications

   Copy the freshly built app into Applications so it's a real, launchable Mac app.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   ditto dist/mac-arm64/cue.app /Applications/cue.app

   You know this worked when: cue.app is in your Applications folder

9. 11

   Open cue

   Built on your own machine, so macOS opens it without any warning.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   open /Applications/cue.app

   You know this worked when: cue launches from its normal system shortcut

10. 12

    Allow screen and microphone access

    No cue row yet — switch on Terminal (it launched cue) under Screen Recording and Microphone.

    You know this worked when: cue opens without a permission warning

11. 13

    Add your own AI key

    Open Settings from the ••• button, pick a provider, paste the key.

    You know this worked when: cue answers a test question

If something goes wrong

Nothing here can damage your computer, and every step can be run again safely. If a command fails, the usual cause is the step before it not having finished.

Still stuck? Tell us what happened and we will fix the guide. Include the step number and we can usually reproduce it.