# Install in a terminal

Install MiniCut yourself, one command at a time: download it, set up its tools, sign in and connect your agent app.

You need macOS, Linux or Windows on ARM64 or x64, 5 GB of free disk and an internet connection. To have your coding agent run these steps for you, see [Install with your agent](/docs/cli/install-with-your-agent).

## Install the CLI

1. Optional: install Python 3.12 and ffmpeg first with your package manager. `minicut setup` asks for them later if they are missing.

```bash macOS
brew install python@3.12 ffmpeg
```

```bash Linux
sudo apt install python3.12-venv ffmpeg
```

```powershell Windows
winget install Python.Python.3.12 Gyan.FFmpeg
```

2. Run the install line for your computer. In China mainland, replace `global` with `cn`.

```bash macOS, Linux
curl -fsSL https://minicut.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --region global
```

```powershell Windows PowerShell
& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://minicut.ai/install.ps1))) -Region global
```

```bat Windows CMD
curl -fsSL https://minicut.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd -Region global && del install.cmd
```

3. Wait for it to finish. It downloads a few GB and can take 30 minutes. At the end it prints `minicut:` and the full path of the command.
4. If you are on macOS or Linux, open a new terminal window. The install adds `~/.minicut/bin` to your PATH in `.zshrc`, `.bashrc` or `.profile`, and a new window reads it.
5. If you are on Windows, use the full path the install printed wherever these steps say `minicut`.

The install also adds the MiniCut skill to every agent app it finds on the computer.

## Set up the tools

1. Run setup. It makes the home folder and downloads the tools MiniCut brings. In China mainland, add `--china` to use download mirrors.

```bash Terminal
minicut setup
```

2. If setup says Python 3.12 or ffmpeg is missing, download it from [python.org/downloads](https://www.python.org/downloads/) or [ffmpeg.org/download](https://ffmpeg.org/download.html), install it, and run `minicut setup` again.
3. Optional: run `minicut setup --local-speech` to add the 1 GB of speech models. With them, the step 8 read-back runs on your computer for free.

## Sign in

1. Run the sign-in command. It opens minicut.ai in your browser and waits.

```bash Terminal
minicut login
```

2. Sign in on the page, or make an account. The command ends with `Signed in.` and the email of your account.
3. If the computer has no browser, for example over SSH, run `minicut login --device` instead. It prints an address and a code.
4. Open that address in a browser, sign in, and confirm the code.
5. Run `minicut login --complete` to finish. A code lasts 15 minutes.

## Connect your agent app

1. Run `minicut install-skill` with no flag to list the agent apps on this computer and their skill folders.
2. Add the skill to every app it found, or to one app by its name:

```bash Terminal
minicut install-skill --all-found
```

3. If you use Claude Code or Codex, write that app's allow and ask-first rules for MiniCut commands:

```bash Terminal
minicut agent-rules --app claude-code
```

## Check it worked

1. Run `minicut doctor`. It shows the free disk and the home folder, then every tool with its state, version and folder. If a tool is missing, its last line names the setup command to run.
2. Run `minicut status`. A signed-in computer shows `Signed in as` with your account, where its key is kept, and the CLI version.

## Errors

| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| `You are not signed in. Ask your agent to run minicut login.` | Run `minicut login`. This command needs a signed-in computer. |
| `Could not reach minicut.ai` | Connect to the internet and run the same command again. A signed-in computer works offline for 7 days. |
| `minicut: command not found` on macOS or Linux | Open a new terminal window, or run `~/.minicut/bin/minicut`. |
| Setup says Python 3.12 or ffmpeg is missing | Install it from the site setup names, then run `minicut setup` again. |

## Next

[Quickstart](/docs/cli/quickstart) [Overview](/docs/cli/overview)