# Installation

This guide walks you through downloading, installing, and activating Exaplay 3 on a Windows PC. By the end, you will have the application running and ready for the [Quick Start Tutorial](/v3/getting-started/quick-start.md).

## What You'll Need

* A Windows 10 or 11 PC (64-bit) — see [System Requirements](/v3/getting-started/index.md#system-requirements) for full specs
* Administrator access to install software
* An internet connection (for downloading and license activation)
* Your Exaplay 3 license key (provided by your reseller or via email)

## Step 1 — Download the Installer

Download the latest `Exaplay3_Setup.exe` from the official release page.

![Download page](/files/cwcsGuzSZaUlGaORSCGH)

The installer is a single executable file, approximately 150 MB. No separate downloads are needed — all prerequisites are bundled.

## Step 2 — Run the Installer

1. Double-click `Exaplay3_Setup.exe`.
2. Windows may show a **User Account Control (UAC)** prompt — click **Yes** to allow the installation.
3. Follow the on-screen wizard. The default installation path is `C:\Program Files\Exaplay3\`.

![Installer screen](/files/P2jGKAsMQ2hHvm9jC6OA)

The installer automatically handles these prerequisites:

| Prerequisite                                    | Purpose                                      |
| ----------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **Visual C++ Redistributable** (2015–2022, x64) | Runtime libraries required by the C++ engine |
| **Microsoft WebView2 Runtime**                  | Hosts the web-based editor UI                |

Both are installed silently if not already present on your system.

::: info What gets installed?

* Application files → `C:\Program Files\Exaplay3\`
* `.vpp` file association → Double-clicking a `.vpp` project file opens it in Exaplay 3
* Start Menu and Desktop shortcuts
* Watchdog system service (monitors the engine for crash recovery) :::

## Step 3 — Launch Exaplay 3

Start the application from the **Desktop shortcut** or the **Start Menu**.

On first launch, Exaplay 3 will:

1. Create a working directory at `Documents\Exaplay3\` (in your Windows Documents folder) — this is where projects, media references, and auto-heal data are stored.
2. Start the background **Watchdog service** that monitors the engine and can automatically resume playback after a crash.
3. Open the web-based editor in a **WebView2 window**.

You will see the Exaplay 3 icon ![tray icon](/files/Fj0u6xbgie42dKOgNO1k) in the Windows system tray. Right-click it for quick access to the UI, show mode, and other options.

## Step 4 — Activate Your License

Exaplay 3 uses the **Soraco QLM** licensing system.

1. On first launch, an **activation dialog** appears.
2. Enter your **license key** in the field provided.
3. Click **Activate**.

Activation requires an internet connection. For offline environments, contact your reseller for a response file that can be imported manually.

::: tip Verify activation After activation, check **Settings → About** in the web UI to confirm your license status and edition. :::

## Step 5 — Verify the Installation

Before moving on, confirm everything is working:

* [ ] The Exaplay 3 icon appears in the system tray
* [ ] The web UI opens and shows an empty project
* [ ] The tray icon right-click menu is accessible
* [ ] **Settings → About** shows your license is active

If any of these checks fail, see [Troubleshooting → Crashes & Recovery](/v3/troubleshooting/crashes.md) for common first-launch issues.

## Uninstalling

Use **Windows Settings → Apps → Exaplay 3 → Uninstall**, or run `Uninstall.exe` from the installation folder.

::: warning The working directory (`Documents\Exaplay3\`) is preserved during uninstall so you don't lose projects. Delete it manually if you want a completely clean removal. :::

***

## Advanced: Command-Line Flags

When launching the executable from a command prompt or shortcut, you can pass optional flags to customise startup behaviour:

| Flag                | Description                                                                         |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `-log`              | Enable detailed logging to a file (useful for debugging)                            |
| `-fresh`            | Start with a clean state, ignoring any auto-heal data                               |
| `-w [ms]`           | Add a startup delay in milliseconds (useful for waiting for display initialisation) |
| `-f [path]`         | Load a specific `.vpp` project file on startup                                      |
| `-playcomp`         | Automatically play the first composition after loading                              |
| `-playcue`          | Automatically play the first cue list after loading                                 |
| `-playvideo [path]` | Directly play a video file without requiring a project file                         |
| `-ui`               | Open the web UI automatically on start                                              |
| `-autoheal-restore` | Restore playback state from auto-heal data (used by Watchdog)                       |

### Example: Kiosk Shortcut for a Specific Video

You can create a Windows desktop shortcut that opens Exaplay 3 and immediately plays a video — no project file needed. This is ideal for kiosk setups and visitor stations.

1. Right-click the Desktop → **New → Shortcut**.
2. In the **Location** field, enter:

   ```
   "C:\Program Files\Exaplay3\exaplay3.exe" -playvideo "C:\Videos\welcome.mp4"
   ```
3. Click **Next**, name it (e.g. "Play Welcome Video"), and click **Finish**.

You can combine flags — for example, add `-ui` to also open the editor:

```
"C:\Program Files\Exaplay3\exaplay3.exe" -playvideo "C:\Videos\welcome.mp4" -ui
```

::: tip Enclose file paths that contain spaces in double quotes. If the video file is not found, Exaplay 3 starts normally with an empty project. :::

***

## What's Next?

Your installation is ready! Continue to [Key Concepts](/v3/getting-started/key-concepts.md) to learn the terminology, then follow the [Quick Start Tutorial](/v3/getting-started/quick-start.md) to play your first video.


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