Right-click the downloaded .zip → Extract All… (somewhere permanent like C:\Program Files\HoverCTRL\ or your user folder — not Downloads).
Open the extracted folder and find Hover CTRL.exe.
Right-click it → Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar. For a desktop icon: right-click → Send to → Desktop (create shortcut).
First launch: Windows SmartScreen may say "unrecognized app". Click More info → Run anyway.

macOS — drag to Applications, keep in Dock

Double-click the downloaded .zip to unpack it.
Drag Hover CTRL.app into your /Applications folder.
First launch: right-click (or Control-click) the app → Open, then click Open in the Gatekeeper dialog. Double-clicking won't work the first time because the app isn't notarized yet.
Once it's running, right-click the Dock icon → Options → Keep in Dock.

Linux — extract, run, add to your launcher

Extract the archive to a permanent location:

mkdir -p ~/Apps && tar -xzf HoverCTRL-*-linux-x64.tar.gz -C ~/Apps

Run it once to confirm it works:

~/Apps/Hover\ CTRL-linux-x64/Hover\ CTRL

Add it to your application launcher — create ~/.local/share/applications/hover-ctrl.desktop:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Hover CTRL
Exec="$HOME/Apps/Hover CTRL-linux-x64/Hover CTRL"
Type=Application
Categories=Utility;
Terminal=false
StartupWMClass=Hover CTRL

It'll now show up in your app menu. Right-click → pin to taskbar/dock as usual for your distro.

First-launch warnings

The desktop apps aren't yet code-signed (we're working on it). On macOS, right-click the app → Open the first time, then confirm. On Windows, click More info → Run anyway if SmartScreen prompts you.

What you get

Frameless, always-on-top widget pinned to your screen
Global toggle: Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + H
System tray / menu bar icon for quick access
Same shortcuts, branding, and updates as the web widget — managed in your admin dashboard

Prefer to embed it?

Use the install guide for the JS snippet, or grab the WordPress plugin.

Download FAQ

›Do I need an account to download Hover CTRL?

No. The desktop app is free and requires no signup. A free account unlocks Pro features and white-label options.

›Which operating systems are supported?

Windows 10 or newer (64-bit), macOS on Apple Silicon and Intel, and Linux x64.

›How large is the download?

Builds are small — typically tens of megabytes. Exact sizes are shown next to each platform card above.

›Why isn't the app code-signed yet?

We're releasing unsigned builds during the initial launch so you can start using Hover CTRL today. On macOS, right-click the app and choose Open. On Windows, accept the SmartScreen prompt.

›How do I update Hover CTRL?

Return to this page and grab the latest build. Automatic in-app updates are on the near-term roadmap.

›How do I toggle the widget after installing?

Press Ctrl+Shift+H on Windows and Linux, or Cmd+Shift+H on macOS, from anywhere to show or hide the widget.