Install and first launch

Scratch is in private alpha. Public downloads are not yet available; this page describes what installation will look like when the first signed build ships.

Requirements

macOS 12 Monterey or later.
Apple silicon (M-series). An Intel build is not currently planned.

Install

Download Scratch.dmg from the link on the Scratch product page.
Open the disk image and drag the Scratch icon onto Applications.
Eject the disk image.
Open Applications and double-click Scratch. The first launch may take a moment while macOS verifies the notarization signature.

The build is signed by Blade Instruments and notarized by Apple, so Gatekeeper opens it without a warning. If you see one, see troubleshooting.

First launch

On first launch Scratch:

Creates the buffers folder at the default location, ~/Library/Application Support/Scratch/buffers/ and pre-loads it with five walkthrough buffers you can clear out when you’re done. You can move this folder later in Settings → General → Buffer location.
Starts a 14-day local trial. No sign-in is required.
Asks for permission the first time it needs it (Accessibility for the global hotkey, Screen Recording for capture text). You can grant these later from System Settings if you skip the prompt.

The window opens with a short setup pane: appearance, the summon shortcut, and whether Scratch shows in the dock. Three questions, all changeable later in settings. A Skip setup link in the corner jumps to the final confirmation if you’d rather configure things yourself.

Either way, Scratch then seeds five intro buffers — welcome, keyboard shortcuts, Markdown and slash commands, capture text, and a pointer to settings. They behave like any other buffer: edit, pin, or delete them. Clear them out when you’re done with the tour.

Activate

When you’re ready to buy, paste your license key into Settings → Activation. See License and trial for the full flow.