The DNAGedcom Client is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chromebook. Follow the instructions below for your platform.
Download the Windows installer (.msi file) from the DNAGedcom website. Double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
On first run, both your browser and Microsoft Defender SmartScreen may display warnings because the installer hasn't been downloaded by enough Windows users yet to clear Microsoft's reputation threshold. If your browser says "DNAGedcomInstaller4.msi isn't commonly downloaded," click Keep in the browser's download bar. When you launch the installer and Windows shows a blue "Windows protected your PC" dialog, click More info — that reveals a Run anyway button. This is a standard Windows security prompt for new installers and is safe to bypass.
For a detailed walkthrough with screenshots, including SmartScreen, the User Account Control prompt, and antivirus exceptions, see the Windows Installation Guide.
Download the macOS installer package (.pkg file) from the DNAGedcom website. Double-click the package to launch the installer and follow the prompts.
Because the application is distributed outside the Mac App Store, macOS Gatekeeper will require your approval before the app can run. When you see the "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" message, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.
On macOS 15 (Sequoia) and later, you may also need to grant App Management permission. The system will prompt you automatically when the application needs this access.
For a detailed walkthrough with screenshots, see the macOS Installation Guide.
Download the Linux package (.deb file) from the DNAGedcom website. Pick the AMD64 build for Intel/AMD systems or the ARM64 build for ARM-based machines. Install it with your package manager:
sudo dpkg -i DNAGedcomInstaller4_amd64.debIf you encounter dependency errors, run:
sudo apt-get install -fFor per-distribution notes, troubleshooting (dependency issues, permission issues, RPM-based distros via alien), and the full first-launch walkthrough, see the Linux Installation Guide.
Chromebook installation runs through the built-in Linux development environment. The short version: enable Linux in Settings > Advanced > Developers > Linux development environment, double-click the .deb in the Files app, and confirm the install. DNAGedcom will appear in the Chromebook launcher under Linux apps.
For step-by-step setup including which build to pick (AMD64 vs. ARM64), how to share files between ChromeOS and the Linux container, and troubleshooting, see the Chromebook Installation Guide.
Once the application is installed on any platform:
The DNAGedcom Client will notify you when a new version is available. When you see the update notification, download the latest installer for your platform from the DNAGedcom website and install it over the existing version. Your database and settings will be preserved — there is no need to uninstall the previous version first.
We recommend keeping the application up to date, as updates frequently include improvements to data gathering reliability and support for changes made by DNA testing services.