Install PhraseVault® on Windows and macOS

PhraseVault® runs on Windows 10 or 11 on an x64 PC, and on macOS 13 (Ventura) or later with Apple Silicon. This guide covers the install, the first launch, and where your phrases are stored. Most people are done in about two minutes.

System requirements

• Windows: Windows 10 or 11, x64. There is no 32-bit build.
• macOS: macOS 13 (Ventura) or later, Apple Silicon. There is no Intel Mac build.
• Linux: Requires Omarchy or Arch Linux with Hyprland (x86_64). See Install PhraseVault on Linux.

Windows installation

There are three ways to install on Windows. Pick the one that suits you.

Direct download (recommended)

1. Download the installer. The file is named PhraseVault-Setup-{version}.exe.
2. Double-click the downloaded file.
3. If Windows SmartScreen shows a warning, click More info, then Run anyway. The installer is code-signed, and the warning can still appear. The SmartScreen guide explains that screen.
4. The installer finishes in a few seconds. PhraseVault is in the Start menu.

The installer places PhraseVault in your user profile (%LOCALAPPDATA%\PhraseVault\).

Microsoft Store

1. Open the PhraseVault page in the Microsoft Store.
2. Choose Get or Install.
3. Start PhraseVault from the Start menu when the install finishes.

The Store listing delivers the same EXE installer as the website. The Store doesn't sell licenses: you get the same 14-day trial, and you buy your license on the pricing page. Follow the update guide below when you're ready to install a newer version.

Winget (command line)

If you prefer the terminal, open PowerShell or Command Prompt and run:

winget install ptmrio.phrasevault

For a quiet install, useful in a deployment script, add --silent.

Updating from version 2.2.2 or earlier

Updating from PhraseVault 2.2.2 or earlier? Uninstall the old version once before installing the new one, because the installer changed. Uninstalling keeps your phrases and settings, and the new version picks them up. See the update guide for the full Windows and Mac steps.

macOS installation

1. Download the disk image (a .dmg file, not an installer package).
2. Open the disk image and drag PhraseVault onto Applications.
3. Eject the disk image, then open PhraseVault from Applications, Spotlight, or Launchpad, not from the disk image. If you do open it from the image or from Downloads, PhraseVault offers Move to Applications.
4. If macOS asks you to confirm an app downloaded from the internet, choose Open. The app is notarized.

Upgrading from PhraseVault 2.x? Follow the update guide linked above.

Allow Accessibility (needed to paste for you)

On first launch, PhraseVault asks for Accessibility access so it can paste into the app you were using. You can still open PhraseVault without it; if access isn't enabled, your phrase is copied to the clipboard and you can paste it yourself with Cmd+V.

1. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
2. Find PhraseVault and turn it on.
3. If PhraseVault was already running, choose Quit from its menu bar icon, then open it again.

PhraseVault uses this permission to identify the app you were using and paste into it.

What the first launch does

1. License agreement. Accept it to continue. If you decline, PhraseVault quits. Existing license holders who decline can keep using PhraseVault 3.x under their earlier terms: download it for Windows or macOS.
2. A 14-day trial starts on its own. No account, no license key, and no credit card. Every feature is available during the trial. After 14 days without a license, auto-paste pauses. Copy, search, and editing keep working. See what happens after the trial.
3. A window opens the first time. After that, closing the window leaves PhraseVault in the system tray on Windows, or the menu bar on a Mac, and a one-time notice says it is still running in the background.
4. Start with Windows, or Start at Login on a Mac, is on. To turn off autostart, open Settings → Preferences, switch the option off, and click Save preferences.

From any app, press Ctrl+. on Windows or Cmd+. on a Mac. Type a few letters of a phrase's name or unprotected text, use the arrow keys to select a result, and press Enter to paste it. There is no abbreviation list to memorize. Search, editing, and inserting are in how to use PhraseVault.

Where your phrases are stored

PhraseVault keeps phrases in one SQLite file on your computer. The app does not upload them.

To see the file, open Settings with the gear, open Database, and click Open Current Database Location. This opens the folder containing your active database, including when you have moved it.

You can keep your database in a Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive folder to use it on another computer. Quit PhraseVault on one computer and let the folder finish syncing before opening it on the other: PhraseVault cannot merge conflicting edits. For a shared library, read sharing phrases with your team first.

The database contains your phrases and their PIN protection information, while preferences such as your summon shortcut are stored separately. To make a backup, choose Quit from the tray or menu bar icon and copy the database file to a safe place. On a new computer, copy it across and select it under Settings → Database → Open Database to continue using your library.

Download PhraseVault and try it free for 14 days — no credit card needed.