Install Booked Solid on a Mac (Gatekeeper) and put it in Applications

Installing Booked Solid on a Mac is two moves: drag the app into your Applications folder, then confirm the first open when macOS asks. Putting it in Applications matters more than it sounds - the built-in updater can only do its job from there.

Step 1: Drag Booked Solid into Applications

1. Open the downloaded .dmg file (usually in your Downloads folder).
2. A window opens showing the Booked Solid icon next to an Applications folder shortcut.
3. Drag the Booked Solid icon onto the Applications folder and wait for the copy to finish.
4. Eject the disk image: in Finder, click the eject icon next to the mounted Booked Solid item in the sidebar. You can then delete the .dmg file from Downloads.

Do not run the app straight from the .dmg window. It will open, but updates will not be able to install later (more on that below).

Step 2: The first open (Gatekeeper)

1. Open Booked Solid from your Applications folder or from Launchpad.
2. The first time, macOS may ask you to confirm that you want to open an app downloaded from the internet. Click Open.
3. If macOS blocks the app instead of offering an Open button, right-click (or Control-click) the Booked Solid icon in Applications, choose Open, then click Open in the dialog. You can also go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.

This confirmation only happens once. After that, Booked Solid opens like any other app.

Sign in or activate

On first launch you will see the account screen. If this is your first time, click Enter your license code and paste the code from your license email (it looks like BS-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX), then enter your email and pick a username and password. Returning users just sign in.

Why Applications matters: the "move the app" message

Booked Solid updates itself quietly in the background, but on a Mac it can only replace its own files when it is running from the Applications folder. If you launch it from the .dmg window or from Downloads, the update window will show a message asking you to move the app to Applications instead of installing the update.

If you ever see that message:

1. Quit Booked Solid.
2. Drag the app from wherever it currently lives into Applications (if you are still running from the .dmg, drag the icon from that window).
3. Eject the disk image if it is still mounted.
4. Reopen Booked Solid from Applications. Updates now install normally.

Moving the app never touches your work - your leads, files, and settings are stored separately and stay exactly where they were.

Still stuck? Submit a ticket from this help center and we'll take it from there.