App Installation & Setup

1. 1

   Unzip the download

   Double-click the downloaded Band-Fans-mac-arm64.zip to extract it, then double-click the extracted .dmg file to mount it.

2. 2

   Drag to Applications

   In the window that opens, drag the Band-Fans icon into the Applications folder shortcut.

3. 3

   Handle the Gatekeeper warning

   The first time you open Band-Fans, macOS will warn that it can't be checked for malicious software. On older macOS versions, right-click the app and choose Open, then click Open Anyway in the dialog. On current macOS (Sequoia and later), that dialog only offers Move to Trash / Done — instead, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to the Security section, and click Open Anyway next to the blocked Band-Fans message. Enter your Mac password, then open Band-Fans again and click Open Anyway in the dialog that appears. You only need to do this once.

4. 4

   Launch Band-Fans

   Open Band-Fans from your Applications folder or Launchpad. A loading screen will appear briefly while the server starts.

5. 5

   Complete first-time setup

   Enter your band name and any other details on the setup screen. This is stored locally on your computer.

6. 6

   Connect your account (optional)

   If you have a band-fans.com account, enter your API key in Settings → Account to enable show data sync and your public profile. Find your API key in your Dashboard → Settings.

1. 1

   Unzip and run the installer

   Double-click the downloaded Band-Fans-windows-x64.zip to extract it, then double-click the extracted .exe installer.

2. 2

   Handle the SmartScreen warning

   Windows may show a SmartScreen warning. Click More info then Run anyway. This only happens once.

3. 3

   Complete the installer

   Follow the installer steps. You can choose the installation directory or leave it at the default.

4. 4

   Launch Band-Fans

   Open Band-Fans from the Start menu or desktop shortcut. A loading screen will appear briefly while the server starts.

5. 5

   Complete first-time setup

   Enter your band name and any other details on the setup screen.

6. 6

   Connect your account (optional)

   Enter your API key in Settings → Account to enable show data sync. Find it in your Dashboard → Settings.

1. 1

   Download the AppImage

   Download the Band-Fans-linux-x64.zip file from the download page, then extract the .AppImage file to a convenient location such as your home folder or Desktop.

2. 2

   Make it executable

   Right-click the AppImage file, choose Properties, open the Permissions tab, and check Allow executing file as program. Alternatively, run in a terminal: chmod +x Band-Fans-*.AppImage

3. 3

   Launch Band-Fans

   Double-click the AppImage to launch. A loading screen will appear briefly while the server starts. No installation or root access is required.

4. 4

   Complete first-time setup

   Enter your band name and any other details on the setup screen. Everything is stored locally on your computer.

5. 5

   Connect your account (optional)

   Enter your API key in Settings → Account to enable show data sync. Find it in your Dashboard → Settings.

Running Your First Show

1. 1

   Make sure fans are on your WiFi

   Fans need to be connected to the same WiFi network as the computer running Band-Fans. This can be your venue's WiFi, your phone's hotspot, or a dedicated router.

2. 2

   Create a show

   In the app, go to Shows and click New Show. Enter the venue name and date.

3. 3

   Add songs to your setlist (optional)

   Go to Setlist to add songs from your library. You can skip this and run with no fixed list if you prefer.

4. 4

   Start the show

   Click Start Show. The app will display a QR code and the local URL fans can use to connect.

5. 5

   Display the QR code

   Show the QR code on a screen, a TV, or print it out. Fans scan it with their phone camera — no app download required.

6. 6

   Manage the show

   From the app you can see song requests, run polls, send announcements, and track who's connected in real time.

7. 7

   End the show

   Click End Show when you're done. If you're connected to the internet, show data will sync to your band-fans.com account automatically.