Run smartChord on Windows, Linux, Mac and Chromebook

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Run smartChord on Windows, Linux, Mac and Chromebook

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This tutorial is designed to help you get smartChord the ultimate Swiss Army knife for musicians – running on your computer. Whether you want to view your songbook on a large monitor during rehearsal or use the chord finders while composing, here is how to set it up.

🪟 Windows (10 & 11)

Windows users have two great ways to bring smartChord to the big screen. You can either “mirror” your phone or use an “app player.”

Option 1: The “No-Installation” Alternative – Phone Link

This is the fastest method if you already have smartChord on your phone. It simply “beams” the app from your phone onto your PC screen.

  1. Preparation: Open the Phone Link app on your Windows PC (it’s built-in, just search for it in the Start menu).
  2. Connect: Open the Link to Windows app on your Android phone. Follow the instructions to pair them (usually by scanning a QR code).
  3. Launch Apps: Click on the “Apps” tab in the Windows app. You will see a list of all your phone’s apps.
  4. Open smartChord: Click the smartChord icon. A window will pop up on your PC showing the app exactly as it looks on your phone.
  5. Musician Tip: You can “pin” smartChord to your Windows taskbar. Next time you want to practice, just click that icon, and it will automatically open the app from your phone onto your monitor.
    • Note: Works best with Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO, and ASUS devices.

Option 2: The “Stand-Alone” Way – BlueStacks 5

If you want smartChord to run entirely on your PC (even if your phone is in another room), use an app player.

  1. Download: Visit the official BlueStacks website and install the software.
  2. App Store: Open the Google Play Store inside BlueStacks and sign in.
  3. Install: Search for “smartChord” and download it.
  4. Full Screen: Press F11 to make your songbook or fretboard diagrams fill your entire monitor – perfect for reading lyrics while standing up with your instrument.

🍎 Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon)

Whether you have an older Intel Mac or a newer one with an M1/M2/M3 chip, you can run smartChord easily.

The Universal Way: BlueStacks

  1. Download: Visit BlueStacks for macOS.
  2. Permissions: During installation, macOS might ask you to “Allow” the system extension in System Settings > Privacy & Security.
  3. Setup: Once open, use the built-in Google Play Store to download smartChord.

🐧 Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.)

For Linux users, the most seamless experience is Waydroid. It runs Android apps as if they were native Linux programs.

The Pro Way: Waydroid

  1. Install: Open your terminal and follow the Official Waydroid Install Guide.
    • Quick tip: For Ubuntu/Debian, the command is usually sudo apt install waydroid.
  2. Initialize: Open the Waydroid app and choose the “GAPPS” version so you have the Google Play Store.
  3. Download: Open the Play Store from your Linux app menu, log in, and install smartChord.
  4. Musician Tip: Waydroid allows you to resize the window freely, so you can keep the Songbook or Metronome open in a small corner of your screen while you work in other apps.

💻 Chromebook

Chromebooks are the easiest because they have Android support built right in.

  1. Enable Play Store: Go to Settings > Apps and ensure the Google Play Store is turned “On.”
  2. Install: Open the Play Store icon from your shelf, search for smartChord, and install it.
  3. Optimization: Right-click the smartChord icon and select “Resizable” so you can use the app in a tablet-style layout or a full-screen window.