Everything you need to know before downloading fwip for Mac, Windows, or Linux.
Quick answer
| Platform | Minimum version | Architecture |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | 12 (Monterey) or later | Apple Silicon + Intel (Universal Binary) |
| Windows | 10 (version 1809+) or later | 64-bit (x64) |
| Linux | Ubuntu 22.04+ or equivalent | 64-bit (x64) |
fwip is a lightweight desktop app. If your computer runs a modern browser, it can run fwip.
macOS
Minimum: macOS 12 Monterey (2021) Supported: macOS 12, 13, 14, 15+ Architecture: Universal Binary — runs natively on both Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) and Intel Macs. No Rosetta translation needed on Apple Silicon.
How to check your macOS version: Apple menu → About This Mac → look for the version number.
Macs that support macOS 12 Monterey (2017 and later):
- MacBook: 2017 and later
- MacBook Air: 2018 and later
- MacBook Pro: 2017 and later
- Mac mini: 2018 and later
- iMac: 2017 and later
- iMac Pro: 2017
- Mac Pro: 2019 and later
- Mac Studio: all models
If your Mac is from 2017 or later, you’re good.
Installation: Download the .dmg file, drag fwip to your Applications folder, and open it. macOS may ask you to confirm you want to open an app downloaded from the internet — click Open. The app is signed and notarised by Apple.
Windows
Minimum: Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update) or later Supported: Windows 10, Windows 11 Architecture: 64-bit (x64)
Not supported: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, 32-bit systems, ARM-based Windows devices.
How to check your Windows version: Settings → System → About → look for “Edition” and “Version.”
WebView2 runtime: fwip uses Microsoft’s WebView2 for rendering. It’s pre-installed on Windows 11 and most recent Windows 10 installations. If fwip shows an error on first launch about a missing runtime, download WebView2 from Microsoft’s website — it’s free and takes 30 seconds to install.
Installation: Download the .msi installer, run it, and follow the prompts. Windows may show a SmartScreen prompt for new software — click “More info” then “Run anyway.” The app is code-signed by Fwipit Pty Ltd.
Linux
Minimum: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or equivalent Supported: Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 36+, Debian 12+, Arch Linux (current), and other distributions with webkit2gtk 4.1+ Architecture: 64-bit (x64)
Key dependency: fwip requires webkit2gtk 4.1 or later. Distributions shipping webkit2gtk 4.0 (such as Ubuntu 20.04) are not supported.
How to check: Run apt list --installed 2>/dev/null | grep webkit2gtk in your terminal. You need version 4.1 or later.
Installation: Download the .deb package (Debian/Ubuntu) or .AppImage (other distributions). For .deb: sudo dpkg -i fwip_*.deb. For AppImage: make it executable with chmod +x fwip_*.AppImage and run it.
Hardware
fwip is lightweight. There are no heavy hardware requirements.
- RAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB recommended for batch processing large files)
- Disk space: ~150 MB for the app itself
- Processor: Any 64-bit processor from the last 8 years
- GPU: Not required — all processing is CPU-based
- Internet: Not required after installation. fwip works completely offline. An internet connection is only needed to download the app and validate your license key once.
What about mobile?
fwip’s web tools work in any mobile browser at fwip.app. The desktop app is for Mac, Windows, and Linux only. There is no iOS or Android app — and we’re not planning one. Here’s why: the web version works great on your phone already, and app store fees would add 30% to the price that we’d rather not pass on to you.
Batch processing and large files
The desktop app removes the file size limits from the web version. There’s no hard cap on file size in the desktop app — it’s limited only by your available RAM. As a practical guide:
- 100 MB files: No issues on any supported system
- 500 MB files: Works well with 8 GB+ RAM
- 1 GB+ files: Works but may be slow on systems with less than 16 GB RAM
For batch processing, fwip processes files sequentially (one at a time) to keep memory usage reasonable. Processing 100 files in a batch is normal. Processing 1,000+ files works but takes longer.
Troubleshooting
macOS: “fwip can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer” This shouldn’t happen — fwip is signed and notarised. If you see this, right-click the app → Open → click Open in the dialog. This only happens once.
Windows: SmartScreen warning New code signing certificates take time to build reputation with Microsoft. If SmartScreen flags fwip, click “More info” → “Run anyway.” The app is signed by Fwipit Pty Ltd — you can verify this in the dialog.
Linux: “webkit2gtk not found”
Install it: sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev (Ubuntu/Debian) or sudo dnf install webkit2gtk4.1-devel (Fedora).
Any platform: WASM engine fails to load Make sure you’re running a supported OS version. Older operating systems may have outdated WebView components that don’t support the WebAssembly features fwip needs.
Questions?
Email us at [email protected]. We’re a small team (okay, one person) and we reply to everything.