Install and activate

Install

• Download the installer for your system (Mac / Windows) from the “Download” section of the website or the “Downloads” page of the online console, then double-click to install.
• Mac: open the .dmg and drag SceneCut into the “Applications” folder.
• Windows: double-click the .exe and follow the prompts.
• The app ships with every component it needs. No plugins to install.
• Chrome must be installed on the computer: it is used to collect product information, log in to platform accounts, and publish.

Blocked by the system the first time it opens

The installer is not code-signed yet, so the system blocks it the first time it opens. Allow it once as described below and it opens normally from then on.

Mac

1. Double-click SceneCut in “Applications”. When the system says it cannot verify the developer, click “Done”.
2. Open “System Settings” → “Privacy & Security”, scroll down to “Security”, and click “Open Anyway” on the SceneCut row.
3. Click “Open Anyway” again and enter your computer's login password. SceneCut opens.

Windows

1. If “Windows protected your PC” appears after you double-click the installer, click “More info”.
2. Click “Run anyway” and follow the prompts.
3. If security software on the computer warns about a risk, choose “Allow” or “Trust”.

Activate

1. The first time you open the app, read the “SceneCut Software License Agreement” (click “Open full text” for the complete terms), check “I have read and agree”, and click “Agree and continue”. When the agreement is updated it appears again, and you must agree to the new version before you can keep using online services.
2. Enter your activation code under “Enter activation code” and click “Activate”.
3. An activation code can be used on only one computer at a time.
   • If you activate on a new computer while the code is in use on another one, “Use on this computer” appears. Click “Use on this computer” to switch it over; the other computer can then only view.
   • You can switch at most 3 times a month.
   • If another computer has taken over the code, open Subscription and click “Reactivate on this computer” to switch it back.
4. After activating, click “Subscription” (the card icon) in the top-right corner to see your subscription.
   • Tabs: “Overview”, “Feedback & announcements”, “Privacy”.
   • “Privacy” has two switches, “Help us improve (send anonymous usage logs)” and “Contribute to shared experience”, plus “Update channel” (“Release version” or “Early access”).
   • “Contribute to shared experience” is on by default. Turn it off and this computer stops uploading editing experience; turn it back on and uploading resumes from that moment.
   • “Overview” shows your plan, expiry date, seats, computers, and usage for the current period.
   • The buttons in the top-right corner are “Refresh”, “Change activation code”, and “Open console”. “Check for updates” is on the last line of “Overview”, next to the current version number.
5. After activating, connect a large language model first. See Connect a model.

Trial

• No activation code: on the activation page, click “No activation code? Sign up for a trial in the console”. Sign up in the online console (individual or business), claim a trial, and get an activation code. See Customer console.
• The trial lasts 7 days with unlimited videos; one trial per account and per computer.
• The trial includes a quota for voiceover, transcription, AI video, and benchmark collection.
• During the trial you also need to connect your own large language model. WorkBuddy is a good place to start.

App updates

• When a new version is available, “New version” and the version number appear in the top bar. Click it to open the “App update” dialog.
• Click “Update” to download and install. While it downloads and installs, you can click “Install in background” to close the dialog and keep working; the top bar shows “Updating”.
• When it is installed, the top bar shows “Restart to finish updating”. Click it to open the “Update complete” dialog.
  • No tasks running: the app restarts automatically after a 3-second countdown. To skip restarting now, click “Restart later”, or click “Restart now”.
  • Tasks running: the dialog shows how many tasks are still running and that restarting will interrupt them. Click “Restart later” and restart after they finish, or click “Restart now”.
• The app never updates itself unless you click “Update”.
• If the dialog says this update needs a reinstall, click “Download installer” and double-click it once it has downloaded.
• Upgrading from 0.2 to 0.3.0 requires one reinstall: after you click “Update” you are told a reinstall is needed. Click “Download installer”, or download it from the website download section. Install it over the existing app; your projects, footage, and settings stay. Later 0.3 versions update inside the app as usual.
• From 0.4.5 the online service is at the new domain scenecut.cc: any version before 0.4.5 needs the 0.4.5 or later installer from the download section, installed over the existing app once; your projects, footage and settings stay.
• 0.4.0 needs a fresh download of the installer, installed over the existing app (this version ships new fonts). When 0.3 checks for updates it shows the installer download link, or download it from the website download section. Your projects, footage and settings stay.
• If an update can’t be applied, the “App update” window says why and lets you click “Download installer” to install over the existing app. On Windows, if the app keeps showing “Restart to finish updating” after updating, download the 0.4.4 or later installer from the download section and install it over the existing app once; your footage, projects and settings are kept, and later updates will finish inside the app as normal.