Quickstart

Overview

TeX64 is a local-first LaTeX editor for macOS and Windows. Open a workspace folder, edit .tex files, build with one click, and preview PDF in an integrated viewer. Editing, building, PDF preview, SyncTeX, and math OCR work locally; Axiom AI and managed downloads use the internet.

Prerequisites

  • macOS 12 or later on Apple Silicon/Intel, or Windows 10/11 x64
  • An existing TeX distribution, or approval to install managed TeX Live
  • Internet access for Axiom, account features, and managed downloads; math OCR works offline
  • About 150 MB for TeX64 itself; allow several additional GB for a managed or full TeX Live installation

Install TeX64

  • macOS: download the Apple Silicon or Intel DMG from /download
  • Windows: after Microsoft certification, install TeX64 from Microsoft Store; Store updates are automatic
  • macOS: drag TeX64.app to Applications. Windows installation becomes available when the Store listing is certified
  • Launch TeX64 and open a workspace folder

Microsoft Store page — available after Microsoft certification

Install TeX Environment

Building requires a TeX distribution. Use an existing installation or approve managed TeX Live in TeX64.

  • Existing TeX distribution
    TeX64 detects TeX Live, MacTeX, or BasicTeX already installed on your system.
  • Managed TeX Live
    Approve the download to install TeX Live in TeX64’s app-managed folder. A full installation needs several GB of free space.

See detailed TeX distribution guide →

Getting Started in 7 Steps

  1. Launch TeX64
  2. File > Open Workspace (or drag a folder onto the app)
  3. Select the main .tex file from the file tree (TeX64 auto-detects)
  4. Click the Build button (play icon) in the toolbar
  5. PDF appears in the integrated viewer
  6. Edit source → click Build → PDF updates automatically
  7. Cmd+click on macOS or Ctrl+click on Windows in the PDF to jump to source (Reverse SyncTeX)

Editor Features

  • File Tree: collapsible directory view of your workspace
  • Tab Editing: open and switch between multiple files simultaneously
  • Split View: display editor and PDF side-by-side or stacked
  • Separate PDF Window: detach PDF viewer to a separate window for multi-monitor setup
  • Outline View: auto-generated from chapters, sections, figures, labels, citations, and TODOs. Click to jump to any item
  • Project Search: full-text search across your entire workspace (powered by ripgrep)
  • Rename Support: support for renaming files and labels throughout your project

Build System

  • Single-click build from the toolbar
  • Uses latexmk under the hood (incremental builds—much faster on subsequent runs)
  • Build output panel shows progress, warnings, and errors. Click any error to jump to that line
  • PDF auto-updates on successful build (preserves last good PDF if build fails)
  • Root file selection: auto-detect or manually select your main file
  • Build profiles: configure multiple compilation targets

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Cmd/Ctrl+B — Insert or wrap \textbf{}
  • Cmd/Ctrl+, — Open Settings
  • Cmd/Ctrl+Click (on PDF) — Jump to source code (Reverse SyncTeX)
  • Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+E — Open Block Editor

Verify Your Environment

To verify that TeX64 found all required tools, open Settings and check Environment.

  • Tools checked: lualatex, latexmk, latexindent, synctex
  • ✅ Green checkmark = found
  • ❌ Red = missing
  • If missing: use an existing TeX distribution or approve managed TeX Live, then retry diagnostics

Next Steps

Explore these guides to unlock the full power of TeX64: