backchannel
Windows x64
For Windows 10 or later on 64-bit Intel or AMD processors.
- Download
Backchannel-windows-x64.zip. - Unzip it and run
Backchannel.exe. - If SmartScreen appears, choose More info, then Run anyway.
Release v0.2.0
Private early access, grounded chat, and Linux
Backchannel v0.2.0 captures early-access requests in Cloudflare D1 behind a Cloudflare Access-protected operator page, grounds meeting chat in briefings, saved insights, and speaker-attributed transcripts, and ships a portable Linux x64 bundle beside the Windows and macOS builds.
Download Backchannel v0.2.0
These are unsigned open-source builds attached to the GitHub release. Downloads require authenticated access to the private repository; anonymous requests return 404. The first run includes the normal Windows SmartScreen or macOS Gatekeeper prompts.
macOS Apple Silicon
For Apple Silicon Macs. Intel macOS builds are not included in this release.
- Download
Backchannel-macos-arm64.zip. - Unzip it and move
Backchannel.appwherever you keep apps. - Right-click
Backchannel.appand choose Open the first time.
Linux x64
A portable bundle for 64-bit Intel or AMD Linux systems.
- Download
Backchannel-linux-x64.tar.gz. - Extract it with
tar -xzf Backchannel-linux-x64.tar.gz. - Run
Backchannel/Backchannel.
What changed
This release focuses on operating the private preview, grounding chat in real meeting context, and reaching Linux desktops.
Private early-access administration
Early-access requests are captured in Cloudflare D1 and reviewed through a Cloudflare Access-protected operator page. Interest-request failures now report clear reasons.
Grounded meeting chat
Chat answers draw on briefings, saved insights, speaker-attributed transcripts, and recent follow-up context, with hardened chat-context construction.
Linux desktop bundle
A portable Linux x64 tarball ships beside the Windows x64 and macOS arm64 bundles. It is not a package-manager installer; extract it anywhere and run it.
First-run notes
| Need | What to do |
|---|---|
| Provider key | Add a Gemini key in Admin -> API Keys after launch. Add OpenAI only if you route agents to OpenAI. |
| Desktop launch | Backchannel opens a browser at a local localhost address and remains available from the system tray or menu bar. |
| Linux data location | The portable Linux bundle stores per-user data in ~/.local/share/backchannel. |
| Audio imports | WAV, FLAC, and OGG work out of the box. MP3 and M4A imports need ffmpeg on your PATH. |
| Diarization | The desktop app uses the improved lightweight diarizer. Use Docker Compose for optional Sortformer diarization. |
| Docker | Check out the v0.2.0 source tag and rebuild Compose to run the same release through containers. |
Start with the desktop app or self-host the stack
Both paths run Backchannel on your machine. Choose the desktop bundle for the fastest start, or Compose for maximum control.