Installing Chord.

Chord requires macOS 14 or later and an Apple silicon Mac.

Before you start

The first setup needs internet: about 2.5 GB for the AI model, plus 850 MB for optional vision support. Allow additional space for the app and installation.

If your download fails

Check your internet connection and available disk space, then retry the download from the Chord homepage. If it keeps failing, try again later.

Opening the app

Open the downloaded DMG and drag Chord into Applications. Chord is signed and notarized by Apple. The first time you open it, macOS asks you to confirm that you want to open an app downloaded from the internet. If macOS blocks it instead, see Apple’s guidance for downloaded apps. On a managed Mac, contact your administrator if installation is restricted.

Permissions

Chord’s setup asks you to choose Accessibility and Screen Recording access for the tools you want. Review these in Chord Settings → Permissions. macOS permission controls are in System Settings → Privacy & Security.