# Installation and getting started
This guide is intended for Windows, macOS, and Linux users because TrueConf client applications for desktops are cross-platform and have the same features and UI.
If you are just starting to get acquainted with video communication from TrueConf, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with brief instructions on how to start working with the application. Afterwards, you will be able to supplement your knowledge from this documentation as you work more actively with video communication.
# TrueConf desktop client application features
Please note that the features listed below are available when the application is connected to the most recent versions of TrueConf Server or TrueConf Enterprise. If you connect to older versions of the video conferencing server or to the TrueConf Online cloud service, some of the following features may not be available.
For more details, check the comparison table for TrueConf Server and TrueConf Online.
Single Sign-On/Active Directory Federation Services (SSO/AD FS) authorization in the application
Ability to set up connection via proxy, including the use of system settings and manual configuration
Automatic discovery of available servers
Enjoy 4K (Ultra HD) video calls and conferences with a frame rate of 60 fps
Call VoIP users, landline and mobile phone numbers and send DTMF commands
Call SIP/H.323 and RTSP devices
Point-to-point video calls can be run directly between the users bypassing the server
Conferences with up to 1500 participants (up to 1600 when UDP Multicast mode is used on the server)
Video communication modes: one-on-one call (point-to-point) and conferences of different types: all on screen, video lecture, smart meeting, and moderated role-based conference.
Ability to organize events with simultaneous interpretation which makes it possible for users to select one of the audio tracks with the required language
Hold both private video conferences and public webinars that can be joined by guest participants
Schedule conferences, create virtual rooms, and send email invitations to meeting participants
Quick call-to-conference escalation
Create conferences protected from unauthorized connections with a PIN
Change the PIN or identifier of an ongoing conference if you are the owner
Start meetings instantly and save their templates
Add and remove participants while the conference is in progress
Control participants’ cameras and microphones, change devices or adjust microphone sensitivity
Mute microphones for all participants except the selected one
The owner can lock an ongoing conference from new participants
Select and manage multiple conference participants
Move participants to the waiting room to manage access to a conference
Set mandatory registration for webinar guests
View detailed analytics about a conference (available only to the owner)
Highlight active speakers in the video window layout with a customizable color frame and set up microphone sensitivity level
Conference moderators can set a mandatory video layout for all participants, as well as individual layouts for each user, including SIP/H.323 endpoints and browsers
Configure your own video layout
Set video layout background
Automatically enlarge speakers in a meeting
Remote desktop control
PTZ camera control: both your local camera (via UDP/RTP/Q.922/H.224/H.281 protocols) and remote cameras of other participants
Meet both with guests and users registered on TrueConf Server
Join conferences without signing in to the application
Attendees can push to talk or send a request to become a speaker in role-based conferences, while moderators can appoint or remove speakers from the podium
Switch between a smart meeting and moderated role-based mode without interrupting the conference
Take polls or share reactions in conferences
Show slides and images in a separate media stream to all participants, including in-browser connections and SIP/H.323 endpoints over H.239/BFCP protocols
Share your desktop or application windows (the self-view can be displayed right next to content so that it could be visible in video recordings, streams and on the devices that do not support H.239/BFCP protocols)
Flexible customization of the content sharing scene: background removal (only the speaker will be displayed), it is possible to select the position and size of the self-view
Annotate over the shared screen
Stream audio when sharing content or showing slides
Stream video files to a conference
Stay focused on your meeting when sharing your content or switching to other windows thanks to a customizable widget with quick conference controls
Control how the recording of an ongoing conference will be saved on the server and download the video file when this meeting is over (available only to the owner)
Video recording of calls and conferences (it is possible to select the video format, resolution and the folder where the file should be saved)
Select a user (or users) who will be allowed to record you
Built-in player for video recordings
Full address book support (adding and deleting contacts and groups, editing contact information, searching and blocking contacts)
Exchange messages and share files in personal and group chats. Your messages will be delivered even if your partner is currently offline
Configuration of automatic file downloading
Built-in tool for viewing videos, images and PDF files in a text chat
Create group chats that can be escalated into a group conference with all chat participants in one click.
Chat history, including group chats of the meetings that have already finished
Appoint chat moderator
Transfer chat ownership to another participant
Configure display settings for chat notifications
Show/hide previous chat history from new participants
Disable notifications from private and group chats
Compress images sent to a chat if necessary
Text formatting in chats
Ability to check which of chat participants have read your message
Ability to share a contact in a private or group chat
Enjoy built-in algorithms of echo/noise cancellation and automatic gain control (AGC)
User status tracking (it is possible to enable notifications that will be displayed when certain contacts change their status to online)
Set a virtual background (select one of the default backgrounds or add a custom one)
Blur the background
Use face tracking during meetings (available for one and multiple participants)
Optional network speed limitation templates or manual settings
Try built-in tools for testing the quality of server connection
Change app notification settings
Configure the main menu: choose the elements to be displayed and select how they should be displayed during calls and conferences
A wide variety of hotkeys for managing app features (hotkeys can be remapped if necessary)
Ability to select from multiple power-saving modes (balanced and maximum saving)
# Installing the application
Before installation, make sure your computer and network connection meet our system requirements depending on the desired video quality.
To get started with TrueConf client application, download it from the guest page of your TrueConf Server instance (please contact your server administrator to find out its URL address) or from our official website:
Before using the client application, make sure that your operating system and graphics card driver is up to date. Please note that we recommend downloading the drivers from the manufacturer's official website (Intel (opens new window), Nvidia (opens new window), AMD (opens new window)).
# Connecting the application to the server
This guide shows how to use TrueConf desktop client applications. TrueConf for Windows is taken as an example.
When TrueConf client application is launched for the first time, it will automatically detect a TrueConf Server instance in the local network and display a dialogue window for connecting to it.
Only TrueConf Server 4.5 + instances can be automatically detected.
By default, the application connects to TrueConf Online cloud service.
To switch to a corporate TrueConf Server instance, click the Change button.
In the window that opens, switch to TrueConf Server/ TrueConf Enterprise in the Connect to the server section and enter the IP address or FQDN of your video conferencing server. Click the Connect button.
If connection is successful, you will see the text hint Connected to TrueConf Server in the Network state section in the upper part of the window.
# Signing in
Depending on the settings of the video conferencing server to which you will connect and your location (e.g., the corporate network or the Internet), you may have to use one of the following authorization options:
If a user account is disabled on the side of TrueConf Server, the authorization will not be completed, and the corresponding message will be displayed. In case of such problems, please contact your server administrator.
# Authorization with login and password
Click the Sign in button on the home page.
In the authorization window, enter your TrueConf ID (username) and Password. If you don't know your login details, please ask your server administrator to provide you with them.
# SSO authorization
SSO (Single Sign-On) is a technology that allows a user to sign in to multiple applications or web services with the same login information.
In this case it will enable users to sign in to TrueConf client application without entering the login and password if they have already signed in to the operating system. However, two requirements have to be met:
You will need to be authorized in the OS with the domain account (specified on the LDAP server).
TrueConf Server to which you are connected should be integrated with the LDAP server from part 1.
This feature is available not only on Windows (where Active Directory is used as the directory service), but also on Linux.
If these conditions are met, you will be automatically signed in to TrueConf application once it is started.
# AD FS authorization
Click the Sign in button on the home page.
The AD FS authorization window will be displayed on the screen. Type your domain login and password (contact the server administrator to receive them). Next, click Sign in.
Once you have signed in, your user account information will be displayed in TrueConf client application.
If the administrator has configured authorization with login/password and AD FS on the side of your TrueConf Server, you will be offered multiple authorization options when you click Sign in. You will see the window for entering the login, however, in the bottom, next to the or sign in with block, there will be the button 
for authorization via AD FS.
In addition to AD FS, your company may use another provider like Keycloak for implementing two-factor authentication.
The general application login scheme described for AD FS will remain the same when using another provider.
# Offline mode
You can sign in to your application and use some of its features in offline mode.
If connection to the server is lost and you have previously signed in to the client app, you will still be able to use some of its features in offline mode. For example, you can view the history of received messages or type a message that will be sent when connection is restored. When working in offline mode, you will be unable to make calls, use instant messaging, or upload and download media files.
When connection with the server is restored, you will automatically reconnect to it and be able to continue working online.
# Joining a conference as a guest
You can join a conference without signing in to the client application. To do it:
Click the Join conference button on the application home page.
Enter the link to a conference or its ID in the form field.
Users can join a conference by its ID only if they are already connected to the server on which this meeting will be hosted. So, connection with a link will be a more flexible solution.
3. Enter the guest name under which you will join the conference and configure your devices. Next, click Join.
Guest connections are available only for public conferences.
# Exiting the application
By default, 
(exit button) minimizes the application to tray. You also can change this button action in Settings → Preferences → General. To exit the application, you need to:
Right-click on the application icon in the tray (lower right corner on the screen)
Select Exit.
# User roles
All TrueConf users can be divided into the following categories:
User – a user account registered on TrueConf Server. Please note that a conference can be created only by users authorized in the client application or in the personal area.
Guest – an unauthorized user who joins a TrueConf meeting. Guest access is supported only in public web conferences (webinars). Guest can be assigned with a moderator or speaker role. These roles are described below. Check the corresponding section to learn how to join a conference as a guest.
SIP, H.323 and RTSP devices – SIP/H.323 endpoints that participate in a meeting (but are not registered on TrueConf Server), and RTSP streams (for instance, for IP camera broadcasting).
# User roles in video conferences
All users and guests (for public meetings) who participate in a TrueConf conference are called participants. They can take part in a conference and at the same time communicate with each other via chat, reactions and audio remarks (in moderated role-based conferences). Every participant is publicly displayed in the list of participants and cannot be hidden. Conference participants can be assigned with the following privileges.
Moderator is the participant who can manage the conference. This person can:
invite participants to the podium during a moderated role-based conference
pin participants on the podium during a smart meeting
control the devices of any meeting participant
select an audio track for participants in a conference with simultaneous interpretation
Unlike the owner, there can be multiple moderators in a TrueConf conference. They can be appointed by the conference owner or any moderator.
A guest or a participant from a federated TrueConf Server can also be appointed as moderator.
Owner is the user who created a conference, or who was appointed as the owner by administrator when creating or editing a new conference. When the owner joins the conference, this user automatically get the following rights:
All of the moderator rights described above
Ability to view the conference analytics
Ability to control how the video recording of a conference will be saved on the server.
Ability to download the video recordings of the event saved on the server.
A moderator cannot remove the owner from the conference.
Operator – the user who gets conference moderator privileges in any meeting hosted on their TrueConf Server instance. This role can be useful when an experienced user is required to help organize the conference.
In addition to the moderator rights, the operator can:
join any conference protected by PIN without having to enter it
join locked conferences.
Unlike the moderator rights, the rights of an operator cannot be transferred via federation. It means that if you are an operator on your TrueConf Server, you will not become an operator when joining a conference hosted on a different server (with a different address).
Speaker – an active participant of the conference who has the right to present during the meeting.
The speaker rights can be given to different participants depending on the conference mode:
In all-on-screen mode each participant is a speaker.
In video lecture mode there can be only one speaker (teacher) who can be seen and heard by other participants (students). However, you can add another speaker by promoting a participant to the role of a moderator. This participant will also be displayed in the layout.
In moderated role-based mode any participant can become a speaker by sending a corresponding request to the conference owner or moderator. The moderator can also invite a participant to the podium. The maximum number of speakers on the podium can be set when creating a conference.
In smart meeting mode, any participant can become a speaker if his/her voice activity is detected or if this user starts sharing content. In this case, the participant who keeps silent longer than others or started content sharing earlier (when the microphone is muted) will be removed from the video layout. The number of “spots” available on the podium is limited and can be set when the conference is created. The moderator can “pin” any participant on the podium to make sure that this participant is not accidentally removed from the layout even if he/she keeps silent.
Interpreter – an active participant in the conference, granted the necessary rights for performing simultaneous interpretation. He/she selects the language for translation from the assigned language pair (e.g., English-Spanish). The interpreter can be heard by all attendees who have selected the language being translated, but he/she is not visible in the video layout (in the participant list, the interpreter is displayed in a separate section Interpreters).
Please note that to appoint interpreters, you have to activate the simultaneous interpretation feature in advance when creating a conference.