How to Install Engauge Digitizer on Windows, Mac & Linux
⚡ Quick Answer
On Windows, download the portable ZIP, extract it, and run engauge.exe — no installation needed. On macOS, install via MacPorts (sudo port install engauge-digitizer). On Linux, install from your distribution’s repository or compile the latest v12.9.1 source from GitHub.
Install on Windows 10 / 11
- Download: Get the v12.1 portable ZIP from our download page.
- Extract: Right-click the ZIP file and choose “Extract All”. Pick any folder you like — your Documents folder works fine.
- Run: Open the extracted folder and double-click engauge.exe. That is all; there is no setup wizard.
- SmartScreen: If Windows shows “Windows protected your PC”, click More info and then Run anyway.
- Missing DLL?: If you see an error about VCRUNTIME140.dll, install the Visual C++ Redistributable (x64) from Microsoft and restart Engauge.
Install on macOS
There is no direct .dmg download anymore. The reliable method is MacPorts:
- Install MacPorts: Download it from macports.org and follow its installer.
- Install Engauge: Open Terminal and run:
sudo port install engauge-digitizer
After installation, launch Engauge from your Applications folder. On Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3), MacPorts handles the architecture automatically.
⚠️ Note: If macOS says the app “cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified”, right-click the app icon, choose Open, and confirm. You only need to do this once.
Install on Linux
The most up-to-date Engauge code targets Linux. Two options:
- Distribution package (easiest): check your distro’s repository — e.g. sudo apt install engauge-digitizer on Debian/Ubuntu or the equivalent on Fedora/Arch. Package names vary by distribution.
- Build from source (latest v12.9.1): clone github.com/akhuettel/engauge-digitizer and compile with Qt6 using qmake, following the INSTALL file in the repository.
Verify Your Installation
- Launch: Start Engauge Digitizer.
- Test import: Drag any chart image into the window — the Axis Wizard should appear.
- Done: If the wizard opens, your installation works. Continue with our auto-tracing guide to digitize your first curve.
💡 Tip: Keep the portable Windows folder on a USB stick or in cloud storage and Engauge runs on any PC without reinstalling — handy for lab computers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need administrator rights to install Engauge Digitizer on Windows?
No. The Windows version is a portable ZIP archive — just extract it to any folder (for example your Documents) and run engauge.exe. No installer and no admin rights are required.
Windows says “Windows protected your PC”. Is the download safe?
This warning appears because Engauge is free open-source software without a paid code-signing certificate, not because it is harmful. The code is public on GitHub for anyone to audit. Click “More info” and then “Run anyway” to proceed.
Which version should I download?
For Windows, download the v12.1 portable ZIP from our download page — it is tested and ready to run. The latest upstream source code is v12.9.1 (June 2025) on GitHub, which Linux users can compile themselves.
Why is there no .dmg installer for macOS?
Apple’s notarization requirements made direct .dmg distribution impractical for this volunteer-run project. The recommended macOS method is installing via MacPorts with the command: sudo port install engauge-digitizer.
I downloaded Engauge but I don’t see the exe file. Where is it?
You probably downloaded the source code ZIP from GitHub (labeled “Source code (zip)”) instead of the ready-to-run build — that archive contains code, not the program. Get the v12.1 portable ZIP from our download page: extract it and run engauge.exe inside.
Ready to try it yourself?
Download Engauge Digitizer free and follow along with this guide.
Download Engauge Digitizer