backchannel
Windows x64
For Windows 10 or later on 64-bit Intel or AMD processors.
- Download
Backchannel-windows-x64-v0.6.1.zip. - Unzip it and run
Backchannel.exe. - If SmartScreen appears, choose More info, then Run anyway.
Release v0.6.1
Updating no longer asks who you are.
Checking for an update worked. Pressing Download update opened a window asking you to sign in to an account, for a file the download portal already hands to anyone who asks, and there was no account to sign in with. Updating is now anonymous end to end. An install on v0.6.0 can fetch this release on its own, without reinstalling. The post-call Chat meeting picker also searches by date now, matching the sidebar, and the Privacy First review panel is readable in dark mode.
Download Backchannel v0.6.1
These unsigned open-source builds are delivered through the Backchannel download portal. Downloads are open to everyone; no account or GitHub sign-in is required.
The Windows and Linux bundles include ffmpeg. On macOS, voice calibration and compressed audio imports still need ffmpeg on PATH.
macOS Apple Silicon
For Apple Silicon Macs. Intel macOS builds are not included in this release.
- Download
Backchannel-macos-arm64-v0.6.1.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-v0.6.1.tar.gz. - Extract it with
tar -xzf Backchannel-linux-x64-v0.6.1.tar.gz. - Run
Backchannel/Backchannel.
What changed
v0.6.1 is a fix release. The v0.6.0 updater could find an update and then refuse to fetch it without a sign-in, which is worth correcting on its own.
Updating needs no account
The update download is now anonymous, like every other download this project publishes. Press Download update and it downloads. There is no authorization window, no account, and no sign-in anywhere on the path. The same file was already public through the download portal; requiring a signed-in recipient for the in-app route only put a wall in front of it.
Installs on v0.6.0 are fixed too, without reinstalling
The portal side of the old handshake stopped requiring an account at the same time, so a v0.6.0 install that checks for updates can fetch v0.6.1 on its own. If you already gave up and downloaded a build by hand, nothing is lost; updates from here are in-app again.
An interrupted download says so
A transfer that stops still resumes from where it left off, and the panel now reports an interrupted download rather than blaming an expired authorization it no longer uses.
Post-call Chat searches meetings by date
The meeting picker in Chat matched names alone while the session sidebar's find box understood dates, so the same query found different sessions depending on which box you typed it into. Both now share one implementation: October, oct 8, 8, 10/8 and 2026-10-08 all work in either. Clicking into either box says that searching by date works, which was previously something you had to already know.
The Privacy First review panel is readable in dark mode
The panel listing what stops working and what keeps working kept a light background in both themes while the feature names took the dark theme's light text, so the names disappeared into the panel just as you were deciding whether to turn the switch on. It now follows the theme.
First-run notes
| Need | What to do |
|---|---|
| Release access | Nothing - downloads are open to everyone; no account or sign-in is required. |
| Provider key | Follow the guided setup on first launch, or add a key later in Admin -> Connections. Calls will not start until the transcription model has a usable credential; local ONNX transcription needs none. |
| Voice calibration | Works out of the box on Windows and Linux. On macOS, install ffmpeg and make sure it is on PATH before enrolling your voice. |
| Upgrading | An install on v0.5.3 or later updates itself in place, and from this release that no longer involves an account: it verifies the new build's signature first and waits for recording and post-processing to finish before restarting. A v0.6.0 install that was turned away at a sign-in can update now without reinstalling. An install on v0.5.2 or earlier will not see this release from inside the app: download the bundle above, quit the old version from the tray, and run the new one. Session data is stored per-user and shared by every version, and the PII Shield stays off until you turn it on in Admin -> Privacy. The Admin About tab shows a what's-new notice after upgrading. |
| Desktop launch | Backchannel opens a dedicated local app window in your default browser when it supports app windows, otherwise it uses a standard browser tab. It remains available from the system tray or menu bar. |
| Docker | Check out the v0.6.1 source tag and rebuild Compose to run the same release through containers. If you reach the stack by a DNS hostname rather than an IP address or localhost, set BACKCHANNEL_ALLOWED_HOSTS to that name in .env first. |
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.