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Install LightBurn

Computer Requirements

Current versions of LightBurn run on the following operating systems:

  • 64-bit Windows 7.0 or later
  • macOS 10.13 or later
  • 64-bit Ubuntu Linux 20.04 or later

LightBurn does not require a powerful computer for most work, although more memory is helpful for designs with a lot of images. As with most things, a faster computer will make it easier to work with large images or complex graphics.

Support for older operating systems

Previous versions of LightBurn going back to version 0.6 are archived on our website.

  • macOS users running versions older than 10.13 should download LightBurn 1.6.03, which supports macOS 10.11 or newer.
  • Users limited to 32-bit versions of Windows should download LightBurn 1.5.06, which is the final 32-bit release of LightBurn.
  • Ubuntu 18.04 users unable to upgrade to a more recent operating system should download LightBurn 1.2.01, which is the last release compatible with Ubuntu 18.04.
  • LightBurn 1.7 will be the final LightBurn version available for both Linux and macOS versions prior to 11.

Download LightBurn

To ensure you get the most recent version of LightBurn, download LightBurn directly from the Download / Trial page at lightburnsoftware.com. On this page, you'll find links to download the current version of LightBurn, as well as links to previous versions of the software and public beta versions.

When you've completed the download, you should see the file in your "Downloads" folder or a manually selected folder.

Installation Directions.

Choose your operating system below for additional installation help.

Windows Installation

Windows Installation

Installation works the same way as most Windows software. Start the installer by double-clicking the file you downloaded from the LightBurn website. Windows may ask if you trust us first.

Click Next, then click Install to begin the installation process. When it completes, you'll see the following screen with options for installing drivers, viewing the change log, and launching LightBurn.

Installing Drivers

If you have never installed LightBurn on this computer before, you might need to install drivers. This is not necessary when updating an existing installation.

  • The FTDI driver is mostly used by DSP controllers, like Ruida and TopWisdom.
  • The EZCAD2 driver is used by supported Galvo devices using EZCAD2 boards. Read more on our Galvo Installation page.

Start LightBurn however you usually do to begin using the software.

macOS Installation

macOS Installation

Installing on M1 or newer Macs

To install LightBurn on an ARM-based Mac (using an M1 chip or later), you must have Rosetta installed.

In most cases, Rosetta is automatically installed on ARM-based Macs, and manual installation is unnecessary. If Rosetta is not installed, you'll be prompted to install it when you attempt to open LightBurn.

Installation works the same way as most macOS software. After downloading the DMG file, open the file and drag LightBurn into your Applications folder.

Notarization bypass for LightBurn 1.1 and earlier

Versions before 1.2 were not notarized to be recognized by your computer as coming from a trusted developer. If you installed an older version, you'll need to follow the steps below the first time you run LightBurn:

  1. Open a Finder window.
  2. Browse to the Applications folder.
  3. Right-click or two-finger tap the LightBurn icon.
  4. Choose Open from the menu.
  5. When macOS asks if it should open the program, say yes to add an exception allowing your computer to run LightBurn normally. Once this is done, you will not need to repeat the process unless you reinstall LightBurn.

Video walkthrough

Ubuntu Linux Installation

Linux Installation

Additional Compatibility Information

LightBurn is tested on Ubuntu Linux, and current releases are officially supported on Ubuntu 20.04 and 22.04.

  • Ubuntu 18.04 users unable to upgrade to a more recent version should download LightBurn 1.2.01, the last release compatible with their operating system.
  • Ubuntu 20.04 users can use any of the installation methods described below.
  • Ubuntu 22.04 users will need to use the AppImage to run LightBurn.
AppImage

Using AppImage

LightBurn is now available as an AppImage for easier setup and increased compatibility. To use the LightBurn AppImage:

  1. Download the AppImage file.
  2. Add the user to the dialout and tty groups.
  3. Make sure libfuse is installed.
  4. Make the file executable.
  5. Double-click the AppImage file to run it.
Add User to Dialout and TTY

Info

In the command below, $USER doesn't need to be replaced with your username. It's a standard system variable, and if entered exactly as shown below will automatically refer to the logged-in user's username.

Open a terminal and run the following command. When complete, be sure to log out and log back in to refresh permissions:

sudo adduser $USER dialout && sudo adduser $USER tty
Install libfuse

Ubuntu 22.04 does not have the FUSE library, which prevents AppImage from working as expected. To install the library, use the following command in the terminal:

sudo apt install libfuse2
Graphical method to make the AppImage file executable:
  1. Right-click on the .appimage file.
  2. Select Properties.
  3. Go to the Permissions Tab.
  4. Check the Allow executing file as program box.
Command line method:

Replace <AppImage File> with the actual .appimage file and run the following:

chmod u+x <AppImage File>
AppImage Troubleshooting
  • Make sure you've logged out and back in after adding the current user to the dialout and tty groups.
  • If you're having trouble with the AppImage, you may find this guide from itsfoss.com useful: itsfoss.com/cant-run-appimage-ubuntu/.
  • Our support team is also available to help. When reaching out to support, please include in your message that you're using AppImage on Linux, and which Linux version you're using.
Traditional Installation

Using .run Or .7z Installer

Info

In step 1 below, $USER doesn't need to be replaced with your username. It's a standard system variable, and if entered exactly as shown below will automatically refer to the logged-in user's username.

  1. Open a terminal and run the following command:
  2. sudo adduser $USER dialout && sudo adduser $USER tty
  3. IMPORTANT! Log out and log back in (this refreshes the permissions we just added).
  4. Download the Linux 64-bit version, either the .run file or the .7z file and follow the appropriate steps below.
.run installer
  1. Open your terminal and cd to the directory you downloaded the file to.
  2. Run bash ./LightBurn-Linux64-v*.run
  3. It will now automatically install and create a program listing in your desktop environment.
.7z installer
  1. Extract the folder wherever you want LightBurn to exist.
  2. Right click AppRun → Properties → Permissions → "Allow executing file as program"
  3. Double-click AppRun inside your LightBurn folder.

For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.