ChengYoung

Install & update

Install ChengYoung, verify the installer, and stay up to date with in-app updates.

System requirements

  • Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit). The UI runs on the built-in WebView2 runtime, which is included by default on Windows 10/11.
  • Disk space: about 500 MB (app itself; local model files are downloaded on demand, see "Local models & providers").
  • Installs per-user — no administrator rights required.

Download & install

  1. Open the download section on the homepage and click "Free download" to get ChengYoung_<version>_x64-setup.exe.
  1. Verify integrity (recommended): download SHA256SUMS.txt from the same release page and run in PowerShell:

Get-FileHash .\ChengYoung_1.13.0_x64-setup.exe -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the output with the matching line in SHA256SUMS.txt before installing.

  1. Double-click the installer and follow the prompts (you can choose the install location); the app starts automatically when setup completes.
  1. On first launch you will pick a model — run fully offline with a local model, or connect your own cloud provider (see Quick Start).

The ChengYoung main window after installation

The app checks for updates on startup; you can also check manually: Settings → Updates → Check for updates.

  • When a new version is available, the page shows the version number and release notes. Click to download and install in one step: the app exits automatically, upgrades, and relaunches — no manual steps needed.
  • Update packages are signature-verified to prevent tampering; updates are downloaded only through the official release channel.
  • Your current version is always visible under "Settings → App → About & help".

Manual install or reinstall

When in-app updates are not an option (for example, offline environments):

  1. Get the new installer from the download section and verify its SHA256.
  1. Fully exit the app first — including the system tray icon (right-click the tray icon and choose Exit). A running app locks its files and the upgrade will fail.
  1. Double-click the new installer to install over the existing version. Settings, session history, and downloaded models are all preserved.

Uninstall & data cleanup

  • Uninstall ChengYoung from Windows "Settings → Apps → Installed apps".
  • App data (sessions, settings) lives in your local user directory (%APPDATA%\ChengYoung); delete that folder after uninstalling if you want a complete cleanup.
  • ChengYoung collects nothing: uninstalling never sends data to any server. See Privacy & data for details.

Something wrong?

For install or update issues, check the FAQ first; the in-app diagnostic report (Settings → App) can be exported for troubleshooting.

This page is adapted from upstream open-source documentation (Apache-2.0) with modifications; see /legal/provenance for sources and changes.