Appearance
Installation (Windows)
Truetask for Windows is a native desktop install. It ships as a single MSI that bundles PocketBase, the FastAPI API, the MCP server, and Caddy as native Windows executables. There is no WSL2, no Docker, and no Linux dependency. Once installed, Truetask runs fully offline.
This page covers the Windows native install — the recommended path if you're trialing Truetask on a laptop or running it on a single Windows machine. For multi-user production deployments on a Windows server, the Docker path is still available.
Other install paths
- macOS native install — drag-install
.dmg, menubar app - Windows native install — this page
- Docker / Server install — Linux, Mac, or Windows servers running Docker
System requirements
| Requirement | Supported |
|---|---|
| Windows 11 | x64 and ARM64 |
| Windows 10 | 22H2 x64 (compatibility floor) |
| Windows 10 ARM | Not supported |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Disk | 2 GB plus space for your data |
Two MSIs are published, one per architecture. Download the one matching your machine:
| File | For |
|---|---|
Truetask-<version>-x64.msi | Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 on Intel/AMD |
Truetask-<version>-arm64.msi | Windows 11 on ARM (Surface Pro X, Snapdragon laptops) |
Install
- Download the MSI for your architecture from the welcome email or the Client Portal.
- Double-click the file. The installer launches with a Welcome screen, then asks you to pick an install scope.
- Choose per-user or per-machine (see below).
- The installer copies files and registers the app. Truetask launches automatically when it finishes.
- The first-run window asks for an admin email and password for the Truetask account. Fill these in and click Continue.
- The server starts and your default browser opens to the local Truetask login screen.
SmartScreen on first launch
Current builds are not yet signed with an EV certificate, so Windows SmartScreen will show a warning on the first launch. Click More info → Run anyway to proceed. This warning will disappear once code signing is in place.
Install scope
The installer offers two scopes on the Welcome → Install Scope page. The payload is identical in both cases — only the install location and the registry hive differ.
| Scope | Admin required | Install location | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install just for you | No | %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Truetask\ | Personal machines, evaluation, anyone without admin rights |
| Install for all users | Yes (UAC prompt) | %PROGRAMFILES%\Truetask\ | Shared machines, IT-managed fleets |
Per-user data is always per-user
Even on a per-machine install, each user's Truetask data lives under their own %LOCALAPPDATA%\Truetask\. Two users on the same machine keep separate boards, accounts, and uploads.
License activation
The MSI does not ask for a license. License activation happens inside the Truetask web UI.
- Open your welcome email and save the attached
.licfile somewhere convenient. - After first-run setup completes, open Truetask in your browser.
- Go to Settings → License.
- Upload the
.licfile.
The signed license file is verified locally. No phone-home, no online activation.
Antivirus performance
Windows Defender's real-time scanning of the Truetask data folder can severely slow down file uploads — every chunk gets scanned. Adding the data folder to Defender's exclusion list fixes it. Truetask handles this differently depending on install scope:
| Install scope | What happens |
|---|---|
| Per-machine | The installer adds the Defender exclusion automatically (it already has elevation). |
| Per-user | Open Settings → Advanced → Antivirus performance and click the Add exclusion button. Windows will show a UAC prompt for a one-shot elevated PowerShell command. |
If you decline the UAC prompt
The Antivirus performance panel will display the exact PowerShell command. Paste it into an admin PowerShell window yourself, or follow the linked GUI steps to add the exclusion through the Windows Security app.
The same panel has a Remove exclusion button to undo cleanly.
Data and logs
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Truetask\ | Database, uploads, configuration — preserved on uninstall |
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Truetask\Logs\<process>.log | Per-process log files for PocketBase, API, MCP, Caddy |
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Truetask\ (per-user) | Application binaries |
%PROGRAMFILES%\Truetask\ (per-machine) | Application binaries |
Open the in-app log viewer from the tray menu → Logs. It's filterable by process and severity. Settings → Logs → Diagnostic bundle zips recent logs plus redacted system info into your Downloads folder — useful for support tickets.
Tray menu and settings
Truetask lives in the Windows system tray (notification area, bottom-right). Right-click the icon for:
- Start / Stop Server
- Settings — opens the settings window
- Logs — opens the in-app log viewer
- Quit
Single-instance is enforced: double-clicking the app while it's already running just focuses the existing window — it doesn't start a second copy.
Settings tabs
| Tab | Covers |
|---|---|
| General | App-wide preferences, run-at-login |
| Network | Port (default 8765), LAN sharing toggle |
| Account | Admin credentials, Windows Hello reveal |
| Updates | Current version, manual update check |
| Advanced | Antivirus performance, type-DELETE data reset |
Run-at-login
Optional. Settings → General → Run at login registers Truetask under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run — always user-scoped, even on a per-machine install. Enabling autostart never requires admin.
LAN sharing
By default, Truetask binds to loopback only. To let other devices on your network reach the web UI:
- Per-machine install — the firewall rule was added at install time. Flip Settings → Network → Share on LAN on.
- Per-user install — toggle Settings → Network → Share on LAN. The app will prompt for elevation to add the firewall rule on demand.
Windows Hello for password reveal
Under Settings → Account, you can optionally require Windows Hello (fingerprint, face, or PIN) to reveal your stored admin password. Credentials are stored via Windows Credential Manager (DPAPI) regardless.
Process watchdog
If any bundled child process (PocketBase, API, MCP, Caddy) dies unexpectedly, Truetask restarts it automatically — up to 3 times in 60 seconds. After that, the app surfaces a toast notification and the tray icon flips to a crashed state. The Logs view will show what happened.
Updates
Truetask checks for updates only when you ask it to.
- Open Settings → Updates.
- Click Check for updates.
- If a newer version exists, click Download and install.
The updater downloads the new MSI, verifies its SHA256 checksum, and runs msiexec /i <new>.msi /qb to install in place. The app relaunches when the swap completes.
No background auto-checks
Truetask doesn't poll for updates in the background. Periodic checks may be added later. For now, drop by Settings → Updates occasionally if you want the latest version.
Same-architecture upgrades (ARM64 → ARM64, x64 → x64) replace the installed product cleanly. Installing the other architecture on the same machine — for example, an x64 MSI on an ARM64 install running under emulation — leaves both versions registered. Stick to your machine's native architecture.
Uninstall
Standard Windows uninstall:
- Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find Truetask, click Uninstall.
- (Per-machine installs prompt for admin; per-user installs don't.)
Your data folder under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Truetask\ is preserved on uninstall — reinstall later and your boards come back.
To wipe all data explicitly, open Settings → Advanced → Reset all data before uninstalling. You'll need to type DELETE to confirm. This removes the database, uploaded files, and stored credentials.