Install & first launch

This page walks you through getting Santiago running on your computer: downloading the app, installing it, signing in, and the one-time browser setup that happens the first time you open a profile. If you want to know what Santiago is before installing, see What is Santiago.

You need a paid account

Santiago is paid-only — there is no free trial. You create your account on the website and choose a plan before you can create or launch profiles. See Plans & pricing.

Before you start

1. Create your account on the website. Registration happens at santiago-browser.com, not inside the app. Sign up with your email and password, verify your email, and pick a plan.
2. Download the app for your operating system (below).
3. Sign in in the app using the same email and password.

For step-by-step account setup and choosing a plan, see Subscribe & upgrade.

Download

Download Santiago from santiago-browser.com. The site offers a separate build for each platform — pick the one that matches your computer.

Platform	Supported builds	Installer type
macOS	Intel and Apple Silicon	Disk image (.dmg)
Windows	Desktop installer	Installer (.exe)
Linux	AppImage	AppImage

Tip

On macOS, the same download works for both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. If you are unsure which Mac you have, just download the macOS build — it will run correctly either way.

See Supported platforms for more detail on each operating system.

Install

The steps depend on your operating system.

macOS

1. Open the downloaded .dmg file.
2. Drag the Santiago app into your Applications folder.
3. Open Santiago from Applications. The first time, macOS may ask you to confirm that you want to open an app downloaded from the internet — confirm to continue.

Windows

1. Run the downloaded installer.
2. Follow the prompts. Windows may show a SmartScreen prompt for a newly published version — choose More info → Run anyway to continue.
3. Launch Santiago from the Start menu or desktop shortcut when installation finishes.

Linux

1. Make the downloaded AppImage executable (right-click → Properties → Permissions → Allow executing file as program, or run chmod +x on it).
2. Double-click the AppImage to launch Santiago.

Make the AppImage runnable

chmod +x Santiago*.AppImage
./Santiago*.AppImage

Sign in

When you open Santiago, you are greeted by the sign-in screen.

1. Enter the email and password you used to register on the website.
2. Select Sign in.

Registration is on the website

The app does not have a registration form — only sign-in. If you do not have an account yet, use the Register on our website link to open santiago-browser.com and create one.

After signing in, the app checks your subscription:

• If you have an active plan, you land on your profiles list and can start working.
• If you have an account but have not chosen a plan yet, the app shows a Choose a plan prompt that links to the website to subscribe.

For the different account and license states you might see, refer to License states.

First launch: automatic browser setup

Santiago runs its own privacy browser (a Firefox-based browser called Camoufox) for your profiles. In the packaged app, this browser is bundled in and ready to go — there is nothing extra to download in normal use.

If your installation does need the browser fetched separately, Santiago downloads it once, automatically, and shows the progress while it works. You only wait for this the first time; afterwards launches are instant.

This is a one-time step

The browser download happens at most once per installation. After it completes, opening profiles no longer waits for any download.

If the automatic download is interrupted (for example, by a network drop), the app can retry the setup for you so you do not have to reinstall anything.

Verify it works

Once you are signed in and the browser setup is done, you are ready to create your first profile and open it. Follow Create your first profile for a guided walkthrough.

Staying up to date

Santiago updates itself. The app periodically checks for new versions and notifies you when one is available, so you can download and install it from inside the app — you do not need to return to the website for every release. See Updates & settings for how update notifications work and how to postpone them.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to do
App won’t open on macOS	Confirm the “downloaded from the internet” prompt; if blocked, open System Settings → Privacy & Security and allow Santiago.
Windows SmartScreen blocks the installer	Choose More info → Run anyway for the new version.
Linux AppImage won’t launch	Make sure it is marked executable (chmod +x).
Sign-in fails	Double-check your email and password on santiago-browser.com. If you can sign in on the site but not the app, the cloud service may be temporarily unreachable — try again shortly.
”Choose a plan” appears	Your account has no active subscription yet — pick a plan on the website. See Subscribe & upgrade.
Browser download fails on first launch	Check your internet connection and let the app retry; the download resumes from the app, not the website.

For more help, see Common errors and the FAQ, or contact support on Telegram.

Next steps

• Create your first profile — open your first browser profile.
• Profiles overview — understand what a profile is and how it works.
• Plans & pricing — compare Starter, Pro, and Agency.