Install Beam Bench

Beam Bench is currently distributed from beambench.com. The public beta links the macOS .dmg, the Windows NSIS setup .exe, and the Linux .AppImage.

macOS

Download the .dmg from beambench.com.
Open the disk image. Drag Beam Bench to your Applications folder.
Launch Beam Bench from Applications. Current public builds are Developer ID signed and notarized. If macOS still blocks launch, see macOS Gatekeeper blocks the app.

Windows

Download the NSIS setup .exe from beambench.com.
Run the installer. Accept the prompts. If Windows shows Windows protected your PC, that is Microsoft's reputation check reacting to a new app, not a malware detection. Click More info → Run anyway. Details: Windows SmartScreen warns about the installer.
If your machine uses a CH340 or CP210x USB-serial chip, install the appropriate driver before connecting the laser. See Windows driver issues.

Linux

Download the .AppImage from beambench.com.

Make it executable, then run it:

chmod +x Beam\ Bench_*.AppImage
./Beam\ Bench_*.AppImage

To talk to a GRBL machine over USB, add yourself to the dialout group:
```
sudo usermod -aG dialout $USER
```
Log out and back in for the group change to take effect.

After install

Launch the app.
Go to Safety before you connect a machine. This is not a suggestion.
Then walk Get Started.

If Check for updates on startup is enabled in Settings, General, Beam Bench checks on launch and shows a notification when a new version is available. Click View on the notification to open the Update dialog and read the release notes. Clicking Install and Restart in the dialog is what starts the download, installs the update, and relaunches the app. Not now snoozes the reminder for 24 hours.

Uninstalling

macOS: drag Beam Bench out of Applications. Optionally delete preferences at ~/Library/Application Support/Beam Bench/.
Windows: use Settings, Apps, Beam Bench, Uninstall.
Linux: delete the AppImage. Preferences live in ~/.config/Beam Bench/.