# Install Link on macOS

Source: [https://docs.aventail.co.uk/docs/link-app/install-macos](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/docs/link-app/install-macos)

Install **Aventail Link 2.0.0** on an Apple Silicon Mac. The new package installs for your macOS user and starts its background service automatically.

[Download Link for macOS (Apple Silicon)](https://get.aventail.co.uk/releases/latest/aventail-link-desktop-macos-arm64.pkg). This is the production release. For a development or staging account, use the download offered by that Control environment.

### Install Aventail Link on your Mac

Aventail Link 2.0.0 · Apple Silicon · captures from 2 October 2026.

1.  **Open the package**
    
    Open the macOS ARM64 .pkg supplied for your Control environment, then choose Continue.
    
    [Screenshot: Introduction and Continue — close-up from Aventail Link installer.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/macos-introduction.png)
    
2.  **Install for your user**
    
    Choose Install. This package installs into your home folder and is available to your macOS user.
    
    [Screenshot: Aventail Link installation type showing 33.1 MB and installation in the home folder.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/macos-installation-type.png)
    
3.  **Finish the installer**
    
    Wait for The installation was successful, then choose Close. The separate Aventail Link Setup window opens.
    
    [Screenshot: Aventail Link installer reporting successful installation.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/macos-installation-result.png)
    
4.  **Sign in to Aventail**
    
    Select Sign in with Aventail. In the browser, check the account and organisation before approving this device.
    
    The captured 2.0.0 build opens development Control. Use the environment intended for your package.
    
    [Screenshot: Full Aventail Link Setup window at Connect, with Sign in with Aventail and the four setup stages.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/setup-connect.png)
    
5.  **Choose your models**
    
    Tick a model to start downloading it. You can leave all models unticked to deploy from Control later, then select Continue.
    
    Available models depend on your account. This capture shows the development catalogue.
    
    [Screenshot: Full Aventail Link Setup window at Models, with the account model catalogue, download sizes and Continue.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/setup-models.png)
    
6.  **Let the download finish**
    
    Selecting a model starts its download immediately. Wait for it to finish before expecting a serving toggle on the next screen.
    
    This example uses a 2.0 GB model from the development account.
    
    [Screenshot: Full Aventail Link Setup window at Models, with llama\_3.2-3B-Instruct selected and downloading at 25 percent.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/setup-downloading.png)
    
7.  **Start serving**
    
    Once the download is complete, tick the installed model to serve it on port 8100, then choose Continue.
    
    The image shows the model before its serving checkbox is turned on.
    
    [Screenshot: Full Aventail Link Setup window at Serving, with the installed Llama model, its unchecked serving checkbox, Back and Continue.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/setup-serving.png)
    
8.  **Finish setup**
    
    Check All set and the installed/serving counts, then select Finish at the bottom-right of the setup window.
    
    Redacted copy of the supplied capture. This walkthrough finished with one model serving.
    
    [Screenshot: Full Aventail Link Setup window at Finish, showing 1 installed and 1 serving and the Finish button; node name and device ID are redacted.](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/img/link/installation-2.0.0/setup-finish-redacted.png)
    

**Read the macOS installation details**

Download the macOS ARM64 `.pkg` above for production, or use the download offered by your organisation's development Control environment. Check the version before installing: **Locai Link (Legacy Aventail) 1.3.2** uses the older setup and is labelled **Locai Link** in the installer.

*Installer captured: Aventail Link 2.0.0 · Apple Silicon · macOS 26.6.2 · 2 October 2026.*

## Requirements

You need an Apple Silicon Mac, an available device slot in the intended Control account or organisation, and internet access for sign-in and model downloads. The observed package installation needed no administrator authentication.

The installer reports **33.1 MB** for the application. Models and engines need additional disk space and memory. Check [platform availability](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/docs/introduction/versions-and-supported-models) before using another architecture.

## Install the package

1.  Open the downloaded `.pkg`. The window should say **Install Aventail Link**.
2.  Select **Continue**, then **Install** for the standard installation in your home folder.
3.  Wait for **The installation was successful**, then select **Close**. Choose **Keep** if macOS offers to move the package to the Bin and you want to retain it.
4.  Continue in the separate **Aventail Link Setup** window.

This installer has no separate licence step or start-at-login choice. It installs the user service automatically. Files are stored in `~/Library/Application Support/Aventail-Link/`.

## First-run setup

The new setup has four stages: **Connect → Models → Serving → Finish**.

Select **Sign in with Aventail**. Setup opens your default browser, which may differ from the browser where you opened Control. Check the destination, account and organisation, compare the approval code with Link, then approve the device and return to setup.

1.  In **Models**, tick the model you want to run. Its download starts immediately. You can also leave all models unticked and deploy from Control later.
2.  Wait for the download to finish, then select **Continue**. In **Serving**, tick the installed model to start serving it on port **8100**.
3.  Select **Continue**. On **Finish**, check **All set** and the installed/serving counts, then select **Finish**. The captured walkthrough shows **1 installed · 1 serving**.

The build captured here opens **development Control**; the public download above is the production channel. Use a package intended for your environment; approving a device in development does not register it in production Control.

**If Locai Link (Legacy Aventail) is already installed**

Treat the move to Aventail as a new installation, not a remote 1.x update. Record the old device and required models before starting: the current installer's service setup removes the legacy runtime using its uninstaller where available. The old registration and models do not migrate. Register the new device, deploy the models again and check Control for an old offline record if legacy deregistration could not complete.

## If setup stops

| Problem | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| Setup does not open | Check the installed service using the command below. Do not open the old Locai Link (Legacy Aventail) application to configure Aventail. |
| Browser approval is interrupted | Return to Connect and retry sign-in. Keep approval codes private. |
| Wrong browser account or environment | Check both the browser URL and organisation before approving the device. Use the package intended for that environment. |
| No available device slot | Ask the account owner to make capacity available. Check whether this Mac is already registered before trying again. |
| Registered but not Online | Keep Link running and check [Link troubleshooting](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/docs/link-app/troubleshooting). Save any error message. |
| Serving says Nothing downloaded yet | Select Back and check the Models download progress. The model only appeared in Serving after its download finished in this walkthrough. |

**Recognise the download waiting state**

![Aventail Link Serving screen saying Nothing downloaded yet while a selected model is still downloading](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/assets/images/setup-serving-waiting-1dc8992c1f4d0ff298196a78f6f9b3da.png)

Check the installed version and service:

```bash
"$HOME/Library/Application Support/Aventail-Link/aventail" --version
"$HOME/Library/Application Support/Aventail-Link/aventail" status
```

`NeedsSetup` means onboarding is still required. A healthy local service does not by itself confirm registration in Control.

Next: [check serving or deploy another model](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/docs/getting-started/quickstartguide#deploy), then [connect your software](https://docs.aventail.co.uk/docs/getting-started/run-first-interface).