Installation: The Main Flow for Windows and Mac, Done in 5 Minutes
This page walks you through the main flow of WorkBuddy installation: download the installer from the official website → Windows / Mac installation → log in by scanning a QR code with WeChat → confirm you can check for updates. The installation itself takes about 5 minutes to complete; the installer size is between 356–429 MB, and download time depends on your network speed.
WorkBuddy is a desktop client, not a web tool in the browser—so "installing it" is the first step to using it. In the previous lesson you already distinguished the four names WorkBuddy, CodeBuddy, QClaw, and OpenClaw; in this lesson you only install the genuine WorkBuddy itself: the installer from the official website workbuddy.cn.
Let's clarify two routes first, so you don't waste time on the wrong page:
- UnionTech UOS / Kylin users: your installation method is the system's built-in app store—go directly to 1.2b Alternative Installation Methods
- International edition users (workbuddy.ai): the download entry and account system are both different—see 5.5 International Edition
What You'll Be Able to Do After This Lesson
- Download and install WorkBuddy from the official website on a computer running Windows 10 or later (x64) or macOS 12 or later
- Mac users can choose the right ARM64 / X64 installer and drag WorkBuddy into the "Applications" folder (official warning: without dragging it in, it cannot auto-update)
- Log in by scanning a QR code with WeChat, and be able to explain who the personal login and enterprise login entries are each for
- After installation, manually check for updates and switch the interface language as needed
- Know which devices can't install it (Win7/8/8.1, Windows 11 ARM64), and which page to check when installation fails
Your Current Struggle
- Searching "WorkBuddy download" brings up a pile of third-party download sites, and you don't know which one is the official installer—afraid of getting an old version or a tampered package
- I'm on a Mac, chips come in M-series and Intel, and installers come in ARM64 and X64—download the wrong one and you've waited 400 MB for nothing
- Halfway through installation you start to second-guess: should I change any of the options the Windows wizard asks about? Can I delete that .dmg after dragging on Mac? Login jumps to the browser—if it gets stuck, which step counts as success?
When to Use This Approach
When you need to:
- Install the WorkBuddy desktop client on your own Windows or Mac computer and get to work
- Confirm your device meets the official system requirements and choose the installer matching your chip
- Log in for the first time: scan a QR code with WeChat and choose the right personal / enterprise entry
And you don't want to:
- Deploy a server or configure an API Key just for an AI office tool
- Install software from download sites of unknown origin
- Find out after installation that it can't auto-update, or that login gets stuck in endless retries
🎒 Preparation Before You Start
- You've finished reading 1.1 What Is WorkBuddy, and confirmed that what you're installing is Tencent's AI office workbench WorkBuddy (official site workbuddy.cn)—don't mix it up with QClaw
- A computer that meets the requirements (Step 1 will check them one by one): Windows 10 or later (x64) or macOS 12 (Monterey) or later
- A WeChat account that can scan QR codes (login is primarily via WeChat QR code, with phone number / email / SSO also supported)
- Network and disk space: installer 356–429 MB; the official diagnostic tool treats free disk space below 3 GB as a warning and below 1 GB as a failure, so make sure to leave enough
- 8 minutes of reading time, plus the download time for the installer
Core Idea
WorkBuddy installation has a main flow of just four steps: download → install → log in → check for updates. The official site's "Download Now" gives you the matching installer for your device, so there are really only three key choices to make—choose the right installer, install it in the right place, and choose the right login entry:
| Key Choice | How to Choose | Consequences of Choosing Wrong (Official Position) |
|---|---|---|
| Installer package | Windows uses a unified x64 build; Mac is split by chip into ARM64 / X64 | The ARM64 package cannot run on Intel Macs |
| Install location (Mac only) | Drag it into the "Applications" folder before launching | Running it directly from the .dmg puts it on a read-only disk image, so it cannot auto-update later |
| Login entry | Personal users use the personal login; those who purchased the enterprise edition use the enterprise login | The official site provides two separate entries for personal users and enterprise edition users |
Download channels also differ across devices, so find your match first:
| Your device | Download channel | Which page to go to |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10+ (x64) / macOS 12+ | "Download Now" on the official website | This page |
| UnionTech UOS / Kylin V10 | System app store | 1.2b Alternative installation methods |
| Need WorkBuddy historical versions | Official historical version archive page (direct link) | 1.2b Alternative installation methods |
Why is WorkBuddy login done in the browser? The official design is: after you click the login button in the client, the browser automatically opens the workbuddy.cn login page, where you check the User Service Agreement and Privacy Policy on the current page, scan the QR code with WeChat, and the entire login is completed on the current page with no redirects; once the page shows the login succeeded, just return to the client.
Follow along with me
Step 1: Check the system requirements and confirm your device can install it
Why: Both official installation guides contain the same note — "Systems that do not meet the above requirements will fail to launch WorkBuddy." Spend 30 seconds checking first, so you don't download several hundred MB only to find it won't install.
Check against the official environment requirements one by one:
| System | Official requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 or later, supports x64 | Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 are not supported |
| macOS | macOS 12 (Monterey) or later | To check the version: click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen → About This Mac |
Windows ARM64 devices need special attention: the official FAQ explicitly states "The current version does not yet support ARM 64 architecture Windows 11" and recommends switching to a supported device environment or waiting for a later version; the installation guide puts it as "Support for ARM64 devices is subject to the current version's documentation."
Comparing the two, treating it as "not yet supported" is the safer call — if it won't install, don't force it.
You should see: Your system falls within the required range. If any requirement is not met, don't download yet; switch to a supported device. For troubleshooting ideas, see 1.3 What to do if it won't install.
- I checked against the table above and confirmed my system meets the requirements (Mac users also checked their system version)
Step 2: Go to the WorkBuddy official website and download the installer
Why: "Download Now" on the official website provides the installer matching your device; getting it from the official channel means the version and files won't go wrong.
Steps:
- Open the WorkBuddy official website, click "Download Now", and select Windows or Mac.
- Wait for the download to finish. The official "Start Your First Task" page describes the entry point as "Hover over 'Download WorkBuddy' and select the version matching your current device" — the wording differs slightly, but both refer to the download entry on the official website.
- Mac users: if the browser pops up a confirmation dialog, choose to allow the download.
Don't pick the wrong Mac installer version; the official documentation gives clear rules:
| Your chip | Choice | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M-series (Apple silicon) | Mac ARM64 | The version for M-series chips |
| Intel chip | Mac X64 | The ARM64 package cannot run on Intel Macs |
| Website doesn't recognize your device | X64 is provided by default | The X64 package can run on M-series via Rosetta, offering broader compatibility |
Download size reference (v5.9.3 official figures): Windows x64 about 429.3 MB, macOS Apple silicon about 356.1 MB, macOS Intel about 384.5 MB. Slow downloads are due to the file size — don't cancel midway.
You should see: The WorkBuddy installer appears in your downloads folder — on Windows it's .exe, on Mac it's .dmg.
- The installer download is complete, on the order of several hundred MB
For detailed steps, you can refer to the official documentation: Windows Installation Guide, Mac Installation Guide.
Step 3: Windows users: complete the WorkBuddy installation wizard
Why: Windows uses a standard wizard-based installation; the official guide provides a complete step list, and following the default options will get it installed. There are only two places worth paying attention to.
Follow the wizard (steps from the official Windows installation guide):
- Double-click the downloaded installer to launch the setup program
- Check "I agree to this agreement" and click Next
- Choose the installation path (with the default path you can click Next directly), then click Next
- Confirm the Start Menu folder and click Next
- It is recommended to check "Create desktop shortcut" and click Next
- Confirm the settings are correct and click Install
- When installation finishes, click Finish to exit the installation wizard
💡 If "Choose install user" appears in the wizard
The official "Start Your First Task" page mentions a "Choose install user" step in the wizard and recommends selecting "Install for me only." The two official documents describe the wizard steps slightly differently (the installation guide does not list this step); if you encounter it, follow the official recommendation, and stick with the defaults for the rest.
You should see: the wizard completes, and WorkBuddy appears in the Start menu; if you checked the desktop shortcut option, there is also one on the desktop.
(Mac users: skip to step 4.)
Step 4: Mac users: drag it into "Applications" and then launch
Why: the official Mac guide includes a prominent warning—if you double-click the .dmg and run it directly from the disk image, WorkBuddy will run from the read-only disk image, and it will not be able to auto-update afterwards. So "drag into the Applications folder" is not optional; it is mandatory.
Steps (from the official Mac installation guide):
- Double-click the downloaded
.dmgdisk image file to open the installation window - Drag the WorkBuddy icon into the Applications folder
- Wait for the copy to finish
- Eject the mounted WorkBuddy disk image; the
.dmginstaller in your downloads folder is no longer needed and can be deleted
Afterwards, open WorkBuddy via Launchpad, or search with Command + Space.
You should see: WorkBuddy in the "Applications" folder, and it launches normally when double-clicked.
(Windows users: step 3 already covered the installation; go straight to step 5.)
Step 5: Log in by scanning the WeChat QR code, and pick the right personal / enterprise entry
Why: logging in is the first thing to do after launching; the official flow completes login in a browser page, and once the scan succeeds you can return to the client and start using it.
Steps:
- Launch WorkBuddy and click the login button
- The browser automatically opens the login page on the official website (workbuddy.cn)
- In the login popup, check the User Service Agreement and the Privacy Policy
- Scan the WeChat QR code to complete login; phone number, email, SSO, and other methods are also supported
- Once the page shows the login succeeded, return to the client
Choosing the login entry: the official "Start Your First Task" page states, "Individual users should choose a personal login method, and users who purchased the enterprise edition should choose an enterprise login method." Individual users (including the free trial edition) can simply use personal login.
💡 Download and installation are free of charge
WorkBuddy works right after installation: without a subscription you are on the trial edition, with 500 base credits per month (free). For credit rules and plans, see 2.6 Credits and Pricing.
You should see: the client enters the main interface, no longer the login page.
- WeChat QR scan succeeded and the client displayed the main interface
If the browser fails to open after clicking login, login fails, or the client is unresponsive: do not retry endlessly. The official FAQ lists three common causes (no default browser set, insufficient permissions on the account folder, security software blocking); step-by-step troubleshooting is in 1.3 What to Do If Installation Fails.
Step 6: Wrapping up: check for updates and interface language
Why: a fresh install is not necessarily the latest version; confirming the update channel works also verifies that Mac installed it in the right place.
Steps:
- Click the avatar at the bottom left → Check for Updates. Official note: if you are already on the latest version, no action is needed; if a new version exists, the system will automatically download and complete the upgrade.
- To switch the interface language: click the avatar at the bottom left → Settings → General → Language.
Mac users, take one extra look: if checking for updates fails, or a "cannot auto-update" prompt appears at launch, it means WorkBuddy is still running directly from the installer (disk image). The official fix—click the "Move to Applications" button in the prompt to move it in one click, or open the folder and manually drag WorkBuddy into the "Applications" folder, then relaunch it from "Applications".
You should see: a "You are on the latest version" prompt, or an automatic upgrade completed. At this point, the WorkBuddy installation is fully finished.
Checkpoint ✅
- WorkBuddy is installed: on Windows you can see it in the Start menu / on the desktop; on Mac it is in the "Applications" folder
- WeChat QR code login succeeded and the client shows the main interface; the personal / enterprise entry was chosen per the official guidance
- Mac users: WorkBuddy is launched from "Applications", and "Check for Updates" runs normally
- Avatar at the bottom left → Check for Updates shows "You are on the latest version" or completed an automatic upgrade
- I know that next time installation or login fails, I can go to 1.3 What to Do If Installation Fails and troubleshoot against it
Pitfall warnings
❌ Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1, or Windows 11 ARM64 devices: downloaded but won't install
Symptom: the installer is over 400 MB, but installation or launch fails.
Why it's wrong: the official Windows installation guide explicitly does not support Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1; ARM64 Windows 11 is listed in the official FAQ as "not supported in the current version", with a recommendation to switch to a supported device environment or wait for a later version to add support.
Correct approach: switch to a Windows 10 or later (x64) or macOS 12 or later device before installing. ARM64 Windows users should follow the official FAQ's conservative wording and wait for a version update; do not trust repackaged installers from unknown sources.
❌ On Mac, double-clicking and running directly from the .dmg, then being unable to auto-update
Symptom: checking for updates fails, or a "cannot auto-update" prompt appears at launch.
Why it's wrong: the official Mac installation guide warns—running directly from the disk image means WorkBuddy runs on a read-only disk image and will not be able to auto-update afterwards.
Correct approach: drag it into the "Applications" folder first, then launch. If you've already hit this, no reinstall is needed: click the "Move to Applications" button in the prompt to move it in one click, or manually drag WorkBuddy into "Applications", then relaunch it from "Applications".
❌ Mac: wrong installer for the chip—an Intel machine installed the ARM64 package
Symptom: the downloaded WorkBuddy-darwin-arm64-*.dmg won't run on an Intel Mac.
Why it's wrong: the official docs state that the ARM64 package cannot run on Intel Macs; conversely, the X64 package can run on M-series chips via Rosetta, giving broader compatibility—which is why the official site defaults to the X64 version when the device can't be identified.
Correct approach: click the Apple icon at the top left of the screen → About This Mac and confirm the chip type. M-series → ARM64 package; Intel → X64 package; unsure → X64, which runs on both chip families.
❌ Endlessly retrying when login is stuck
Symptom: clicking login does nothing, the browser won't open, nothing changes after scanning—so you keep clicking and scanning over and over.
Why it's wrong: the official FAQ lists only three common causes—no default browser set; insufficient permissions on the WorkBuddy account folder; security software blocking (Huorong, 360 Safety Guard, PC Manager, Windows Security, and others may all block it by mistake). Retrying a hundred times will still fail on these problems.
Correct approach: stop, go to 1.3 What to Do If Installation Fails and troubleshoot the three official FAQ causes one by one; you can also run the client's built-in "Diagnostics Tool" self-check first (see the advanced tips below).
Advanced tips (optional)
🔧 After installation, first run the "Diagnostics Tool" self-check once. Open WorkBuddy, open the "Diagnostics Tool" from the Help menu, and click Start Check: it performs a one-click check of the network, system resources, security software, environment information, and crash logs, presents the results visually, and automatically generates a .txt diagnostic report (saved in the log directory logs/self-check/, keeping the most recent 10 reports).
If login fails or the connection is abnormal, run the self-check first before reporting; for personal accounts, only the check items in the "Network" group are shown by default.
🔧 Connect your phone too—once the computer is set up, the second half begins. Official support covers connecting the WorkBuddy Mini Program and the WorkBuddy App, plus remote channels such as the WeChat assistant, WeChat customer service account, WeCom assistant, QQ bot, Feishu, and DingTalk bot—for a configuration overview see 5.1 Assistant Overview; for the full hands-on guide to dispatching tasks remotely from your phone, see C2 Remote Control from Your Phone.
Lesson Summary
✅ You have completed the main flow of installing WorkBuddy: "Download Now" on the official website → Windows wizard installation / Mac drag into "Applications" → WeChat QR code login → check for updates to confirm the latest version.
✅ All three key choices are backed by official sources: pick the installer by chip (for Mac, choose X64 if unsure); on Mac you must drag into "Applications" or auto-update won't work; choose Personal Login / Enterprise Login based on your account type.
✅ Login supports WeChat QR code (primary), phone number, email, and SSO; the entire login process happens in the current web page, returning to the client upon success.
✅ When installation fails, you now know where to look across three main directions: system requirements (step 1 on this page), the three categories of login issues in the official FAQ, and the client Diagnostics Tool—for full troubleshooting see 1.3 What to Do If Installation Fails.
Review of key choices:
| Decision Point | Recommended Approach | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Download channel | "Download Now" on the official site workbuddy.cn | Official Windows / Mac installation guides |
| Windows system version | Windows 10 and above (x64) | Official installation guide: Win7/8/8.1 not supported |
| Mac installer | M series → ARM64; Intel → X64; if unsure → X64 | Official Mac installation guide |
| Mac installation location | Drag into the "Applications" folder before launching | Official warning: running directly from the .dmg prevents auto-update |
| Windows "Choose Install User" | Install for me only | Recommended by the official "Start Your First Task" |
| Windows desktop shortcut | Recommended to check | Recommended by the official Windows installation guide |
| Login entry | Personal Login; Enterprise Login for those who purchased the enterprise edition | Official "Start Your First Task" |
| Login method | WeChat QR code as primary; also phone number / email / SSO | Official Windows / Mac installation guides |
Next Lesson Preview
With the main flow installed, the next lesson follows the syllabus to cover two backup installation routes: Alternative Installation Methods: UnionTech UOS, Kylin, and Historical Versions.
You will learn:
- For UnionTech UOS and Kylin V10 users: the complete steps to search for and install WorkBuddy in the system's built-in app store
- Where to download WorkBuddy historical versions: the official archive page provides direct links to installers for each version
- When you need to install an old version, and how to choose between an old version and the new version
If your Windows / Mac installation went smoothly, you can skip 1.2b entirely and go straight to 1.4 Your First Task: From One Sentence to a Deliverable; if you got stuck during installation, first go to 1.3 What to Do If Installation Fails to troubleshoot by comparison.