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MindCanary Linux Alpha Install Guide

Status: early limited Linux alpha.

MindCanary is a private local journal for noticing how your routines change over time. It is not a medical, diagnostic, emergency, prediction, or treatment product.

The current alpha is for Pop!_OS, Ubuntu, and similar Debian-based Linux systems. Chrome is optional. You can use MindCanary with check-ins only.

Before You Install

MindCanary currently:

  • stores data locally on your computer;
  • does not require an account;
  • does not require a subscription;
  • does not send product telemetry;
  • does not include hosted sync or AI;
  • does not store URLs, page titles, page text, search terms, screenshots, keystrokes, or raw browsing history.

Please do not send personal exports, database files, or screenshots with private values when asking for help.

Your data stays local. You can export it. You can remove it.

Install

  1. Download the .deb file from the GitHub Release.
  2. If you are testing the optional Chrome connector, also download MindCanary-Chrome-Extension_<version>.zip.
  3. Open the folder where you downloaded it.
  4. Double-click the .deb file and install it with your system software installer.
  5. Open MindCanary from your app launcher.
  6. Add one check-in.

If double-click install does not work, open a terminal in the download folder and run:

sudo apt install ./MindCanary_<version>_amd64.deb

Update An Existing Install

Close MindCanary, then install the newer .deb the same way as the first one. Your local profile is kept across package updates. Creating an encrypted backup first is recommended while the app is in alpha.

From a terminal in the download folder:

sudo apt install ./MindCanary_<version>_amd64.deb

Reopen MindCanary and confirm your prior History is present. Report an update that does not preserve it before doing any cleanup or reinstall experiments.

First Minute

After opening MindCanary:

  • the local daemon should become Running;
  • check-ins should be Ready;
  • Chrome may say Not connected or Disabled. That is okay for this alpha.
  • login startup can be changed later from Sources.

The useful first test is simple:

  1. Add a check-in.
  2. Close MindCanary.
  3. Open MindCanary again.
  4. Confirm the check-in still appears in daily history.

Optional Chrome Connector

The Chrome connector is optional. MindCanary works with check-ins only.

For this alpha, Chrome is packaged as an unpacked extension because the Chrome Web Store listing is not ready yet. This is less polished than a normal store install, but it lets you test browser aggregates without copy/pasting extension IDs.

When the connector is enabled, it records low-detail aggregates such as tab switches and open-tab counts in 15-minute periods. It does not store URLs, titles, page text, search terms, or browsing history.

To install the bundled Chrome connector:

  1. Install and open the MindCanary desktop app first.
  2. Unzip MindCanary-Chrome-Extension_<version>.zip.
  3. Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions.
  4. Enable Developer mode.
  5. Choose Load unpacked.
  6. Select the unzipped chrome-extension folder itself, not the parent folder and not the .zip file.
  7. Open the MindCanary extension popup. It should show local status, enabled signals, queue state, and whether the native host is connected.
  8. In MindCanary, open Sources. Chrome may take up to one 15-minute period to deliver the first aggregate batch.

If Chrome says the extension is disabled, removed, or not connected, MindCanary still works with check-ins and computer activity. Removing the extension is controlled by Chrome; the desktop app cannot remove browser-owned extension storage for you.

Export Or Remove Your Data

Inside MindCanary, use the local data controls to:

  • export local records to a folder you choose;
  • clear local records;
  • review app-owned local removal.

Exports are readable files. Keep them private. They stay wherever you save them; MindCanary will not silently delete exported folders or backups later.

The Data page also has a support-information preview. It is designed to avoid private record values, but you should still review it before copying anything into an email or chat.

Removing the Linux package does not automatically remove your local records. If you want to remove local MindCanary data too, use the app's local removal flow first, then uninstall the package.

To uninstall the package:

sudo apt remove mindcanary

What Feedback Helps

Useful alpha feedback:

  • Did installation work?
  • Did the first check-in make sense?
  • Did anything feel scary, clinical, guilt-inducing, or confusing?
  • Did you understand that Chrome is optional?
  • Did the app feel useful before it had several days of history?
  • What operating system and version are you using?

Send non-sensitive feedback through this repository's GitHub Issues.

The bundled FEEDBACK.md has a short report template that avoids collecting private MindCanary records. The Data page can also preview non-sensitive support information; review it before choosing to copy and send it.

Do not send personal exports, databases, browser extension storage, or screenshots containing private records unless you intentionally remove private values first.

Known Limitations

  • Linux only for now.
  • Chrome connector setup uses a manually loaded unpacked extension until the Chrome Web Store listing is ready.
  • Pattern explanations need enough comparable local history.
  • Missing days are shown as missing, not treated as zero.
  • Removing the extension is separate from removing local MindCanary records.
  • Local encryption cannot protect against malware running as the same unlocked OS user.
  • Support is best-effort during the early alpha.