Install and System Requirements
Minimum OS versions, architectures, package formats, and the difference between installer and portable builds.
System Requirements
| Platform | Minimum Version | Architectures |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 10+ | x86_64, arm64 |
| macOS | 13.0+ | x86_64, arm64 |
| Linux | glibc 2.35+ | x86_64, arm64 |
| Android | 10+ | arm64-v8a |
CPUs Without AVX
Ghost Downloader is built on Qt 6.6+, which dropped support for CPUs without the AVX instruction set. If your CPU lacks AVX (common on processors from before 2011), the app will crash immediately on launch with no useful error message.
To check: on Windows, use CPU-Z and look at the instruction set list; on Linux, run grep avx /proc/cpuinfo -- any output means AVX is supported.
There is no workaround for machines without AVX.
Windows 7
The current version does not support Windows 7. An archived release compatible with Windows 7 was published in the past -- search for tags containing win7 on the GitHub Releases page. Archived releases are unmaintained and will not receive feature updates or security fixes.
Package Formats
Each release ships two packages:
| File | Description |
|---|---|
*-Setup.exe | Inno Setup installer. Installs to Program Files, creates Start Menu and optional desktop shortcuts, and cleans up registry keys and data directories on uninstall. Runs under the current user's privileges -- no administrator required. |
*.zip | Portable package. Extract anywhere and run directly. Does not touch the registry. |
Separate packages are provided for x86_64 and arm64. Make sure you download the one matching your system architecture.
Installer vs. Portable
The installer stores data (task records, settings, logs) in the system's per-user data directory (%LocalAppData%\GhostDownloader).
The portable build's data storage depends on whether a GhostDownloader directory exists next to the executable: if it does, data is written there (Portable Mode); if it does not, behavior is the same as the installer -- data goes to the system per-user data directory. To activate Portable Mode on a fresh portable build, create an empty GhostDownloader folder alongside the .exe.
You can switch between modes at runtime: Settings → Data Storage Mode, then click "Switch to Portable Mode" or "Switch to User Mode". Data is copied to the new location and the app exits -- reopen it manually.
When to use portable:
- Carrying Ghost Downloader on a USB drive or external disk
- System permissions prevent running an installer
- Running multiple independent instances on the same machine
- As a quick way to rule out installation-related problems when the installer build misbehaves