Installation & Setup
Get Sorta installed and ready to use on your Mac
Installation & Setup
Getting Sorta up and running takes just a few minutes.
System Requirements
- macOS 13.0+ (Ventura or later)
- Apple Silicon or Intel Mac (Universal binary)
- 2GB free disk space for the app
- macOS file system (HFS+ or APFS)
Installing Sorta
Step 1: Download
- Visit filesorta.com/download
- Click the download button
- The .dmg file will download to your Downloads folder
Step 2: Install
- Open the downloaded
.dmgfile (double-click it) - Drag the Sorta icon to the Applications folder
- Wait for the copy process to complete
- Eject the disk image (it will appear on your desktop)
Step 3: Launch
- Open Applications folder
- Find Sorta and double-click it
- You may see a security prompt — click Open
- Sorta will launch and appear in your menu bar (top right of screen)
Initial Permissions
When you launch Sorta for the first time, you may be asked to grant permissions.
Sorta needs a few permissions to work properly:
- Full Disk Access — So Sorta can access your project folders
- Accessibility — So Quick Access features work in file dialogs
When prompted:
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
- Add Sorta to the requested permission
- Restart Sorta after adding permissions
After granting permissions, Sorta will guide you through the first-time setup process.
Verification
After installation, verify everything is working:
- Check menu bar — You should see the Sorta icon in the top right
- Click the icon — You should see a popover with your projects
- Check Applications — Sorta should appear in your Applications folder
Updating Sorta
Sorta checks for updates automatically. When an update is available:
- You'll see a notification in the app
- Click Update to download and install
- The app will restart automatically
- Your projects and settings are preserved
Troubleshooting
"Cannot open Sorta" (security warning)
- Open System Settings → General → Security & Privacy
- Find Sorta in the recent apps list
- Click Open Anyway
- Launch Sorta again
Sorta doesn't appear in the menu bar
- Try restarting your Mac
- Open Applications folder and launch Sorta again
- Check if it's already running (you might have hidden the menu bar)
Permissions keep getting requested
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
- Scroll down and remove Sorta from all permission lists
- Restart your Mac
- Launch Sorta and grant permissions again
Next Steps
After installation and permissions are set, Sorta will guide you through the onboarding flow:
- Complete the first-time onboarding — Set up your personalized file organization system
- Learn about working with projects — Create and manage additional projects
- Explore Sorta's features — Tour the app's capabilities