Getting started
Install dashsquad Desktop, connect an AI provider and deploy your first squad member.
This guide tells you how to install dashsquad and start your first squad member. You do not have to write code.
Anyone can download dashsquad and create an account. You do not need an invitation.
Before you start
You must have these items:
- A Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 13 (Ventura) or later. You install dashsquad Desktop for Mac from a DMG file.
- Access to an AI model. Use one of these:
- A Claude Pro or Max subscription.
- A ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription.
- An API key from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Moonshot (Kimi) or OpenRouter.
Get an API key
If you use a Claude or ChatGPT subscription, you do not need an API key. Go to Install Desktop.
To get an API key, go to the key page of your provider:
| Provider | Key page | Key starts with |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | https://console.anthropic.com/settings/keys | sk-ant- |
| OpenAI | https://platform.openai.com/api-keys | sk- |
| https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey | AIza | |
| Moonshot (Kimi) | https://platform.moonshot.ai/console/api-keys | sk- |
| OpenRouter | https://openrouter.ai/settings/keys | sk-or-v1- |
Most providers charge for each token that a model uses. Look at the price page of your provider before you start.
Keep your API key private
Do not share your API key and do not put it in a code repository. A person with your key can use your provider account. dashsquad keeps the key encrypted on your computer.
Install Desktop
Download the app
Download dashsquad for Mac from https://www.dashsquad.ai.
Install the app
Open the DMG file. Move DashSquad to your Applications folder.
Open the app
Open DashSquad from your Applications folder. The setup wizard starts.
First-run setup wizard
The setup wizard sets up your account, your HQ, your phone and an AI provider. The HQ is the background process that runs your squad members. A bar at the top shows the steps: Account, HQ, Phone and AI provider.
Create your account
The Welcome to dashsquad screen opens. Type your email address and click Continue. dashsquad sends you a 6-digit code. Type the code in the boxes. You can also click Continue with Google or Continue with Apple.
If you click Cancel in Finish in your browser, Google and Apple stay off for up to about 3 minutes. The screen shows Google and Apple are available again in and the time left. You can use your email address during this time.
If the email address is new, the Create a password screen opens after the code. Type a password and click Create account. The line below the field tells you the minimum length. It also tells you not to use a common password. You still sign in with the code from your email. Click Show to see the password that you typed.
If the code is wrong, type it again. Click Send the code again to get a new code. Click Use a different email to change the address.
Set up your HQ
dashsquad creates an HQ on your Mac and connects it to the dashsquad relay. The screen shows three stages: Start the HQ on this Mac, Register your HQ and Connect your HQ to the dashsquad relay. This takes less than one minute. Keep the window open.
If your account already has the HQ of this Mac, the wizard does not set up a new HQ. It starts the HQ and goes to the next step.
The screen can first ask you to click a button:
- If your Mac has a dashsquad item in the keychain, the screen shows an example of the macOS keychain window. Click Set up my HQ. When macOS asks, click Always Allow. Then your Mac does not ask again.
- If your account already has an HQ on a different computer, the screen shows Your account already has an HQ. It lists your HQs by name, with the HQ version or the date that you added the HQ. Click Set up a new HQ on this Mac. Your other HQs stay on your account.
- If your account already has an HQ and a trusted iPhone or iPad, a new HQ needs approval. The screen shows Approve this HQ on your phone and a QR code. On the trusted device, open dashsquad, go to Settings → Approve a device and scan the code. Check that the Security code on the phone is the same as the HQ key on the Mac. Tap Add HQ. Refer to Approve a device.
If a different account owns the saved HQ, click Set up a new HQ. Desktop restarts. The other HQ stays on this Mac.
When the HQ is ready, the screen shows Your HQ is ready. The HQ gets the computer name of your Mac. To change it, type a new name in Name of this HQ. Your phone and your web browser show this name. Click Continue.
If the HQ cannot start, the screen shows Your HQ did not start and the reason. If the registration fails, the screen shows We could not register your HQ. Click Try again, click Show the log, or click Quit. For the reasons and their fixes, see Desktop start and Remote access.
Add your iPhone (optional)
Scan the code on the screen with your iPhone camera. Install dashsquad from TestFlight. Open the app and sign in with the same account. Select your HQ.
This screen moves on by itself when your iPhone connects. To do this later, click Skip for now. You can add a phone later in Settings > Devices.
In Desktop 0.21.0 and later, a new account sees a different screen. If your account has no trusted iPhone or iPad, the screen shows only Adding a first phone is off for now, for a security fix. Your HQ is not affected. It comes back in a dashsquad update. It shows no QR code. Click Continue to go to the next step.
Connect an AI provider
Select a provider. Then click Continue with and the provider name. Do one of these:
- For Anthropic, click Sign in with Claude to use your Claude Pro or Max subscription. Sign in in the browser. Copy the code that Claude shows. Paste it in the Paste the code here field. Click Connect.
- For OpenAI, click Sign in with ChatGPT to use your ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription. Sign in in the browser. The screen moves on by itself. Click Cancel to stop.
- For OpenRouter, click Sign in with OpenRouter to use your OpenRouter account. Sign in in the browser. OpenRouter makes a key for dashsquad. The screen moves on by itself.
- For an API key, paste the key in the Paste your key here field. Click Save the key. Click Where do I get a key? to open the key page of the provider.
The HQ keeps the key in its encrypted credential store. To do this later, click Do this later. You can add more providers in Settings > AI Providers.
Finish the wizard
The You are all set screen shows the status of your account, your HQ, your iPhone and your AI provider. If an item is not done, its row has a link to do it. Click Add your first agent. If you did not connect a provider, click Open dashsquad.
If you quit Desktop before the end of the wizard, the wizard starts again at the first step that is not done. A step that you skipped stays skipped. The step bar shows a dash, not a tick, for a skipped step. If the first open step comes after the HQ step, the screen first shows Starting your HQ. If it shows Start my HQ, click it.
If your sign-in ends while the wizard is open, the wizard goes back to the account step. It shows Your sign-in ended. Sign in again to continue setup. A sign-out also clears the steps that you skipped.
Create your first agent
- In the sidebar, click + next to Agents.
- Enter a name, for example
assistant. - Examine the displayed model and target HQ. To select another model, click Change.
- Leave Instructions (optional) empty, or enter instructions for the agent.
- Click Create and open chat.
Desktop opens an empty chat. Type a task and send it when you are ready. Creation itself sends no message.
Open Advanced only if you want to change tools, fallback models, or the workspace. Desktop starts with all optional tools selected. HQ core and plugin capabilities can also be available.
If no eligible model exists, use Add provider. Return to the same account and HQ to continue your draft.
If chat cannot open after creation, use Open chat to retry. This does not create another agent.
See Create your first squad member for the full procedure.
Chat with your agent
The HQ keeps conversation history. Desktop, web, iOS, and Android use the same history from the HQ.
If the HQ is offline, you can read conversations that Desktop already loaded. You cannot send, rename, or delete until the HQ connects again.
Connect a phone or tablet
Phones, tablets and the web app connect to your HQ through the hosted dashsquad relay. They do not connect over your local network. The setup wizard turns on remote access for your HQ.
If your HQ does not have remote access, Settings > Devices shows Set up remote access in Settings > General. To turn on remote access:
- In Desktop, click Settings > General.
- If the Account card shows Not signed in, click Sign in.
- In the HQ card, click Set up remote access.
- If the card shows Set up my HQ, click it. Desktop then registers the HQ and connects it to the relay.
Then connect your device:
Install dashsquad from TestFlight. Open the app, sign in with your dashsquad account and select your HQ. For more information, see dashsquad for iPhone and iPad.
For more information, see Remote Access.