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System requirements

Descript is currently a desktop application that runs on Mac and Windows.

Chromebooks, iPads, Windows Surface devices, and Linux are not supported.

We're also introducing a web version of Descript that's gradually being rolled out. Learn more about Descript for Web here.

macOS System Recommendations

  Recommended specifications
Display 1920 x 1080 or greater
Network storage connection 10 Gigabit ethernet for 4K shared network workflow
Internet Speed 500 Mbps
Processor Intel® 7thGen or newer CPU (aka Kaby Lake), or Apple silicon M1 or later - avoid fan-less configurations such as MacBook Air
Operating system

macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later

Memory

  • Apple silicon:
    • 16 GB Unified Memory 
  • Intel:
    • HD media — 16 GB of RAM
    • 4K Media — 32 GB of RAM

GPU

  • Apple silicon:
    • 16 GB Unified Memory
  • Intel:
    • 4 GB of GPU Memory for HD and some 4K workflows
    • 6 GB or more for 4K and higher resolution workflows

Storage

  • Fast internal SSD for app installation and cache
  • Additional high-speed drive(s) for media

Windows System Recommendations

 

  Recommended specifications for HD, 4K, or higher
Display 1920 x 1080 or greater
Network storage connection 10 Gigabit ethernet for 4K shared network workflow
Internet Speed 500 Mbps
Processor Intel® 7th Gen (aka Kaby Lake), or newer CPU with Quick Sync – or AMD Ryzen™ 3000 Series / Threadripper 2000 series or newer CPU
Operating system

Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) version V20H2 or later

Memory

  • Dual-channel memory:
    • 6 GB of RAM for HD media
    • 32 GB or more for 4K and higher

GPU

  • 4 GB of GPU memory for HD and some 4K media
  • 6 GB or more for 4K and higher 

Storage

Fast internal SSD for app installation and cache

 

Other recommendations

  • Make sure you have at least 20GB of free hard drive space on your computer.
  • If you’re using the screen recorder, we recommend:

    • At least 16GB of DDR4 (or better) RAM
    • The GPU driver should be updated. If the driver is pre 2021 (how to check), there’s a good chance you’ll have problems, and we strongly recommend against trying the screen recorder.
    • There has to be a GPU for the recorder to operate. Currently, the recorder won’t run for systems without a GPU (i.e. servers).

Minimum system requirements

macOS Desktop

  • Minimum 8GB RAM
  • macOS 10.13 or later
  • macOS 10.14 or later required for Computer Audio recording
  • Chrome, Firefox, or Safari browser is required for authentication

Apple Silicon

Descript now offers an application version with native support for Apple Silicon (M1).

Windows Desktop

  • Minimum 8GB RAM
  • Microsoft Windows 64-bit OS (10.0 or greater)
  • Windows 10 Version 1903(May 2019 Update) or later required for Screen Recorder and Computer Audio
  • Chrome, Edge, or Firefox browser is required for authentication

Desktop Browsers (Playback and Comments only)

  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Firefox
  • Edge

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Descript available for use on other platforms such as Chromebooks, Linux, iOS or other mobile apps?

Descript is currently only available as a Windows or Mac desktop application, although you can access limited viewing and transcription submission features when logged in via a web browser at web.descript.com.

I'm seeing an error message that Descript runs best with 20GB of free space. What gives?

Though Descript can run with less than 20GB of storage, Descript runs best with 20GB or more free space on your hard drive. You can also change the location of offline files if you're out of space locally and don't want to delete data on your hard drive.

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