Installation Guide

This guide will walk you through downloading and installing the Ardot desktop client.

System Requirements

macOS

Item	Minimum Requirement
OS	macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later
Architecture	Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) or Intel
Disk Space	1.2 GB available (including runtime cache)
Network	Internet required for first login

Windows

Item	Minimum Requirement
OS	Windows 10 version 1809 or later
Architecture	x86-64 (ARM64 is not supported)
Disk Space	1.5 GB available (including runtime cache)
Graphics	Direct3D 11 compatible GPU
Permissions	Administrator privileges required for installation
Network	Internet required for first login

Download Ardot Desktop

Choose the version that matches your device:

Platform	Architecture	Download
macOS	Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)	Ardot_latest_macOS_arm64.dmg
macOS	Intel	Ardot_latest_macOS_x86_64.dmg
Windows	x86-64	Ardot_Setup_latest_x86_64.exe

How to check your Mac chip type? Click the Apple menu → About This Mac. If it shows "Apple M series" under Chip, select the Apple Silicon version. If it shows Intel, select the Intel version.

How to check your Windows architecture? Press Win + Pause to open System info and confirm "System type" is "64-bit operating system". The Ardot Windows client ships only as x86_64.

Installation Steps (macOS)

1. Open the Installer

Double-click the downloaded .dmg file and wait for macOS to mount the disk image.

2. Drag to Install

In the window that appears, drag the Ardot icon into the Applications folder.

3. Check for Updates

After installation, it is recommended to check for the latest version to ensure the best experience and access to new features.

Manually check for updates:

1. Open the Ardot client.
2. Click the Ardot menu in the top-left corner → Check for Updates.
3. If a new version is available, follow the prompt to download and install it. The application will restart automatically after the update is complete.

It is recommended to check for updates regularly to ensure you are always using the latest version with performance improvements and new features.

4. Sign In

• On first launch, visit the Ardot website to register an account (or sign in if you already have one).
• Use your account credentials to log in within the client.

Installation Steps (Windows)

1. Run the Installer

Double-click the downloaded Ardot_Setup_latest_x86_64.exe. When Windows shows the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click "Yes" to grant administrator privileges — the installer needs admin rights to write Ardot into Program Files\Tencent\Ardot and register a system-wide auto-start entry for the local font helper.

2. Complete the Wizard

Follow the wizard step by step:

1. Choose the installer language (Simplified Chinese / English).
2. Read and accept the license agreement.
3. Choose the install location (default C:\Program Files\Tencent\Ardot, recommended).
4. Tick Create a desktop shortcut (optional).
5. Click Install and wait for the files to be copied.

The installer automatically detects and closes any running Ardot process — you don't need to quit it manually.

3. Launch the Client

After installation, tick Launch Ardot and click Finish. Shortcuts will be created on the desktop and in the Start menu.

4. Check for Updates

The Ardot Windows client has a built-in updater and checks for updates automatically on startup.

Check manually:

• Title-bar menu: click the menu button in the top-right corner of the window and choose Check for Updates... from the dropdown.
• System tray: right-click the Ardot icon in the Windows tray → Check for Updates.

When a new version is detected, the client downloads it silently in the background. Once ready, the tray menu shows Restart to Update — click it to finish the upgrade. No need to rerun the installer.

5. Sign In

• On first launch, visit the Ardot website to register an account (or sign in if you already have one).
• Use your account credentials to log in within the client.

Verify Installation

After signing in, you should see the Ardot home screen. Try opening or creating a design file — if the editor loads successfully, the installation is complete.

Uninstall (Windows)

You can uninstall Ardot in any of the following ways:

• Settings → Apps → Installed apps → search "Ardot" → Uninstall.
• Control Panel → Programs and Features → select "Ardot" → Uninstall.
• Run unins000.exe directly inside the install folder.

Uninstalling removes the application files, the desktop/Start-menu shortcuts, the font-helper auto-start registry entry, and local cache data under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Ardot.

Having Issues?

If you encounter any problems during installation or usage, please refer to the FAQ.