Install Heron

Heron publishes installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux with each tagged release.

Download a release

1. Open Heron Releases.
2. Choose the newest release and expand Assets.
3. Download the file for your system:
   • Windows x64: .exe
   • macOS Apple silicon or Intel: universal .dmg
   • Linux x64 or arm64: .AppImage
4. Keep the accompanying SHA256SUMS file if you want to verify the download.

If you have Heron 0.5.1 or earlier, install the first release using the new update feed manually. Those versions look for update metadata in GitHub Release assets; newer releases provide it through the Heron website instead. Automatic updates resume after that installation.

No release listed?

Heron is experimental. If the Releases page has no published installer yet, you can build it from source by following the development environment guide. That process is intended for contributors.

Windows

Run the downloaded installer. Windows audio builds include ASIO® support. For low-latency work, install the 64-bit ASIO driver supplied by your audio-interface manufacturer before opening Heron.

If Windows warns about an unrecognized application, confirm that the download came from the official repository and verify its checksum before continuing.

macOS

Heron requires macOS 14.2 or later and supports Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

Install using the project-maintained Homebrew Tap:

brew install --cask minori-live/tap/heron

Heron can download and install updates from inside the application. To upgrade through Homebrew instead, close Heron and run:

brew update
brew upgrade --cask --greedy-auto-updates minori-live/tap/heron

Uninstall with brew uninstall --cask minori-live/tap/heron. This removes the application while preserving projects and application data.

Alternatively, download the Universal DMG from the release page.

Open the .dmg and move Heron to Applications. The first launch may require confirmation in System Settings → Privacy & Security, especially for an experimental or unsigned build.

Allow microphone access when macOS asks; Heron needs that permission to record from audio inputs.

Linux

Make the AppImage executable, then run it:

chmod +x Heron-*.AppImage
./Heron-*.AppImage

Your desktop audio configuration determines which devices are available. Make sure the user running Heron can access the selected device.

First launch

Heron scans the system and user VST® 3 locations, starts its isolated audio services, and opens the project workspace. A large plug-in collection can make the first scan take longer than later launches.

Continue with Your first project.