Getting started: install and first launch

This guide walks you through downloading Genie, installing it on your Mac, and getting past the first-launch setup so you're ready to start working on your canvas.

Written By Deva

Last updated About 2 months ago

Download and Install

  1. Download the DMG from deva.me. You'll get a file like Genie-x.x.x.dmg.

  2. Open the DMG and drag the Genie icon into your Applications folder.

  3. Launch Genie from Applications or Spotlight (⌘ Space → type "Genie").

On first launch, macOS may show a security prompt since Genie is downloaded from the internet. Click Open to proceed.

Granting Permissions

Genie needs a few macOS permissions to work properly. You'll be prompted for each on first use, but you can also grant them proactively in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

PermissionWhy It's NeededHow to Grant

Microphone

Voice control (push-to-talk recording)

System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone → Enable Genie

Speech Recognition

On-device speech-to-text

System Settings → Privacy & Security → Speech Recognition → Enable Genie

Accessibility

Menu bar integration, keyboard shortcuts, Sidekick screen reading

System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility → Enable Genie

Input Monitoring

Keyboard event handling for agent commands

System Settings → Privacy & Security → Input Monitoring → Enable Genie

Tip: Genie uses a stable app identity (ai.deva.Genie), so your permission grants survive app updates — you only need to do this once.

Your First Canvas

When Genie opens for the first time, you'll see:

  • A blank canvas with a dotted grid background

  • A toolbar on the left for drawing tools

  • A workspace switcher at the top center showing your active canvas name

  • A minimap in the bottom-right corner

The canvas is infinite — scroll to pan, pinch to zoom (or use ⌘+ / ⌘-). There's no edge to fall off.

Adding Your First Node

Press ⌘K to open the Command Palette. From here you can:

  • Spawn an agent — Select Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Shell to drop a new terminal node onto the canvas.

  • New Browser — Add a web browser pane.

  • New Note — Create a text scratchpad with Markdown support.

  • New Studio — Preview a local file or localhost dev server.

  • New Music — Drop a SomaFM radio player for ambient tunes.

Select an option and the node appears at the center of your viewport. Drag it wherever you like.

Workspace Autosave

Everything you do on the canvas is automatically saved:

  • Save location: ~/Library/Application Support/Genie/workspace.json

  • Save frequency: Every 2–3 seconds after a change, plus on quit

  • What's saved: All nodes, their positions, canvas zoom/pan state, and settings

You never need to manually save. Close Genie, reopen it, and everything is exactly where you left it.

Automatic Updates

Genie includes Sparkle-based auto-updates. When a new version is available:

  • You'll see an update notification

  • Click to download and install — Genie restarts with your workspace intact

  • Update checks happen automatically (configurable frequency)

Settings

Open Settings via Genie → Settings (⌘,). Three tabs are available:

  • General — Choose your default agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or Shell)

  • Voice — Select your speech-to-text backend (Apple on-device, OpenAI Realtime, or Deva)

  • Agent — Customize auto-prompt injection and telemetry preferences

Troubleshooting First Launch

"Genie can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" → Right-click the app → Open → Click Open in the dialog. This only happens once.

Voice commands aren't working → Check that Microphone and Speech Recognition permissions are granted in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

Canvas appears blank or frozen → Try ⌘0 (reset zoom to actual size) or ⇧⌘0 (fit to content).

What's Next?