Installation Guide

Welcome to InsightLens! This guide will help you install and set up the application on your computer.

System Requirements

Before installing InsightLens, ensure your system meets these minimum requirements:

Windows

  • OS: Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
  • RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
  • Storage: 500 MB free space for application
  • Additional: 1 GB for survey data storage

macOS

  • OS: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
  • RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
  • Storage: 500 MB free space for application
  • Additional: 1 GB for survey data storage

Linux

  • OS: Ubuntu 18.04+ / Debian 10+ / Fedora 32+ / other modern distributions
  • RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
  • Storage: 500 MB free space for application
  • Additional: 1 GB for survey data storage

Download InsightLens

  1. Visit the InsightLens releases page
  2. Download the appropriate installer for your operating system:
    • Windows: InsightLens-Setup-1.0.0.exe
    • macOS: InsightLens-1.0.0.dmg
    • Linux: InsightLens-1.0.0.AppImage

Installation Steps

Windows Installation

  1. Download the installer file
  2. Run InsightLens-Setup-1.0.0.exe as Administrator
  3. Follow the installation wizard:
    • Accept the license agreement
    • Choose installation directory (default is recommended)
    • Select additional tasks (desktop shortcut, start menu entry)
  4. Launch InsightLens from the desktop shortcut or Start menu

macOS Installation

  1. Download the DMG file
  2. Open InsightLens-1.0.0.dmg
  3. Drag InsightLens.app to your Applications folder
  4. Right-click on InsightLens in Applications and select “Open”
  5. Confirm opening the application (macOS security prompt)

Note: If you see a security warning, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and click “Open Anyway”

Linux Installation

  1. Download the AppImage file
  2. Make executable: 
    chmod +x InsightLens-1.0.0.AppImage
  3. Run the application: 
    ./InsightLens-1.0.0.AppImage
  4. Optional: Create a desktop entry for easier access

Post-Installation Setup

After installation, you’ll need to complete the initial setup:

1. First Launch

  • InsightLens will create a default database in your home directory
  • The welcome screen will guide you through basic configuration

2. Database Location (Optional)

  • Choose where to store your survey database
  • Consider using a cloud-synced folder for automatic backups
  • Default location: ~/InsightLens/surveys.db

3. AI Setup (Optional)

If you plan to use AI features:

  • Configure your AI provider (OpenAI, Claude, or local)
  • Add your API key in Settings
  • Test the connection

Verification

To verify your installation:

  1. Launch InsightLens
  2. Check the About page (Help > About) for version information
  3. Test basic functionality by exploring the dashboard
  4. Import sample data if available

Troubleshooting Installation

Windows Issues

Problem: “Windows protected your PC” message

  • Solution: Click “More info” then “Run anyway”

Problem: Installation fails

  • Solution: Run installer as Administrator
  • Alternative: Temporarily disable antivirus software

macOS Issues

Problem: “InsightLens can’t be opened because it’s from an unidentified developer”

  • Solution: Right-click the app and select “Open”
  • Alternative: System Preferences > Security & Privacy > “Open Anyway”

Problem: Application won’t start

  • Solution: Check Console.app for error messages
  • Alternative: Reinstall from fresh download

Linux Issues

Problem: AppImage won’t run

  • Solution: Ensure FUSE is installed: sudo apt install fuse
  • Alternative: Use --no-sandbox flag

Problem: Database permission errors

  • Solution: Ensure write permissions in home directory
  • Alternative: Choose different database location

Uninstallation

Windows

  1. Use “Add or Remove Programs” in Windows Settings
  2. Find “InsightLens” and click “Uninstall”
  3. Follow the uninstall wizard

macOS

  1. Drag InsightLens.app from Applications to Trash
  2. Delete application data: ~/Library/Application Support/InsightLens

Linux

  1. Delete the AppImage file
  2. Remove application data: ~/.config/InsightLens

Next Steps

Once installation is complete:

  1. Complete First Run Setup - Configure your preferences
  2. Explore the Dashboard - Get familiar with the interface
  3. Import Your First Survey - Start analyzing data

Getting Help

If you encounter issues during installation:

Next: First Run Setup