Installation

Download

Download the latest installer from the Downloads section of your portal. Two installer types are available:

| Installer | Platform | Use when | |---|---|---| | .dmg | macOS | Standard installation | | .pkg | macOS | Silent/enterprise deployment | | .exe | Windows | Standard installation | | .msi | Windows | Silent/enterprise deployment |

Always download the latest version unless you have a specific reason to pin to an older release.

macOS Installation

1. Open the downloaded .dmg file
2. Drag Stem Director to your Applications folder
3. Eject the disk image
4. Open Stem Director from Applications or Spotlight

On first launch, macOS may show a Gatekeeper warning. If so:

1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security
2. Scroll to the bottom and click Open Anyway next to the Stem Director entry
3. Confirm by clicking Open in the dialog that appears

Stem Director is code-signed and notarised by Apple. The Gatekeeper prompt only appears the first time you open a newly downloaded application.

Windows Installation

1. Run the downloaded .exe installer
2. Accept the licence agreement and follow the installer steps
3. Choose your installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\Stem Director)
4. Click Install
5. Launch Stem Director from the Start menu or desktop shortcut

Windows Defender SmartScreen may show a warning on first run. Click More info → Run anyway. Stem Director is signed with a valid code signing certificate.

Licence Activation

Stem Director requires an active licence tied to your account.

Online activation (recommended)

On first launch:

1. Click Sign In on the welcome screen
2. Enter your Stem Director account email and password
3. Your licence is verified and activated automatically

An internet connection is required for activation only. After activation, Stem Director works fully offline.

Licence limits

Each licence covers:

• 1 primary machine
• 1 backup machine (running in redundancy mode only)

If you need to move your licence to a new machine:

1. Sign in to your portal account
2. Go to Licences → Manage Devices
3. Deauthorise the old machine
4. Install and activate on the new machine

Offline activation

For machines with no internet access, contact support@stemdirector.com for an offline activation code.

Updating

Stem Director checks for updates on launch when internet is available. To update:

1. Click the update available banner at the top of the main window
2. Stem Director downloads the update in the background
3. Click Restart and Update when prompted — the update takes effect immediately

Updates are minor-version compatible — your show files will always open in newer versions. Major version migrations (if any) will be communicated well in advance.

Uninstalling

macOS: Drag Stem Director from Applications to Trash. To remove all data files:

rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/StemDirector

Windows: Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find Stem Director, and click Uninstall. The installer removes the application and registry entries. Show files in your Documents folder are not removed.