Download & Installation

Aperture Viewer is a production-ready viewer focused on empowering visual creators through clarity, fidelity, and control. Development is active and ongoing, with regular releases aimed at enhancing stability, performance, and creative capabilities.

Download Latest Aperture Viewer for Windows

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Operating System:

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit) is recommended.
• While it may run on older Windows versions, compatibility is not guaranteed or supported.

Graphics Card:

• A dedicated graphics card (GPU) from NVIDIA or AMD is highly recommended for optimal performance, especially for advanced rendering features.
• Minimum: OpenGL 3.0 compatible graphics card.
• For best performance with advanced features: OpenGL 4.5 or higher compatible card recommended.

Memory (RAM):

• 4GB RAM Required
• 8GB RAM or more Recommended (Best) for smoother performance, especially at higher graphics settings and snapshot resolutions.

Input Devices (Optional):

• Standard keyboard and mouse required for basic operation.
• Optional Input Devices Supported:
  • 3Dconnexion Mice: Aperture Viewer supports 3Dconnexion 3D mice for enhanced camera and object manipulation.
  • Xbox Controllers: Xbox controllers are also supported for alternative navigation and control within Second Life and OpenSim.

Audio (Optional):

• Sound card and speakers or headphones are optional for audio functionality within Second Life and OpenSim. You can use Aperture Viewer without audio if desired.

Other:

• Stable internet connection for connecting to Second Life and OpenSim.

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These instructions describe how to install and run Aperture Viewer using the executable installer.

To avoid potential issues caused by leftover settings or cache data from previous versions, especially after major updates or specific hotfixes, we often recommend performing a Clean Install.

This involves backing up optional data, uninstalling the old version, manually deleting specific Aperture Viewer folders in AppData, and then installing the new version.

👉 For detailed step-by-step instructions, please see the Wiki Guide: How to Perform a Clean Install for Aperture Viewer

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Standard Installation Steps:

1. Download the Installer: Click the download link for the latest Windows AVX Alpha release from the Releases page. Save the .exe installer file to your computer (e.g., your Downloads folder).

2. Run the Installer:

   • Locate the downloaded .exe installer file.
   • Double-click the installer file to run it.

3. Follow On-Screen Instructions:

   • The Aperture Viewer Installer will guide you through the installation process.
   • Follow the on-screen prompts to choose an installation location, agree to any license terms, and complete the installation.

4. Run Aperture Viewer:

   • After the installer completes, you can usually launch Aperture Viewer from the Start Menu (Windows) or the installation directory you chose.
   • Locate and run the ApertureViewer.exe executable to launch the viewer.

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After launching ApertureViewer.exe for the first time:

1. Accept the Terms of Service: You will be presented with the Second Life Terms of Service. You must read and accept these terms to use Aperture Viewer and connect to Second Life.
2. Login Screen: You will see the Aperture Viewer login screen.
3. Enter your Second Life or OpenSim Credentials: Enter your Second Life username and password, or your OpenSim grid credentials.
4. Click "Login": Connect to the virtual world and begin exploring Aperture Viewer!

For basic usage instructions, please see the Getting Started guide.

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Having Trouble?

• Check System Requirements: Ensure your computer meets the minimum system requirements, especially the AVX processor requirement.
• Update Graphics Drivers: Outdated graphics drivers are a common cause of viewer issues. Make sure you have the latest drivers from NVIDIA or AMD for your graphics card.
• Perform a Clean Install? If upgrading, consider trying the Clean Install Guide linked above.
• See the Troubleshooting & FAQ page for common problems and solutions.
• Report Issues: If you encounter bugs or have problems, please report them on GitHub Issues.

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To ensure the integrity of your downloaded Aperture Viewer installer and confirm that it hasn't been corrupted or tampered with, you can verify its SHA-256 hash. This is a good security practice.

Steps to Verify the SHA-256 Hash on Windows:

1. Locate the Official Hash:

   • Go to the Aperture Viewer Releases page on GitHub.
   • Find the specific release version you downloaded (e.g., 1.0.0).
   • In the release notes for that version, look for the section typically titled "File Verification (SHA-256 Checksums)" or similar. This section will list the official SHA-256 hash for the installer file (e.g., ApertureOS-Release_AVX-1-0-0-78246_Setup.exe).
   • Copy this official SHA-256 hash value. It will look like a long string of letters and numbers.

2. Open PowerShell:

   • Click on the Windows Start Menu.
   • Type PowerShell and select "Windows PowerShell" from the search results.

3. Navigate to Your Downloads Folder (or where you saved the installer):

   • In the PowerShell window, you'll need to change to the directory where you saved the downloaded Aperture Viewer .exe installer.
   • For example, if you saved it in your Downloads folder, type the following command and press Enter:

     cd Downloads

   • (If it's in a different folder, replace Downloads with the correct path, e.g., cd C:\MyInstallers)

4. Calculate the Hash of Your Downloaded File:

   • Type the following command into PowerShell, replacing Your_Aperture_Installer_FileName.exe with the actual name of the installer file you downloaded (e.g., ApertureOS-Release_AVX-1-0-0-78246_Setup.exe). Then press Enter:

     Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 Your_Aperture_Installer_FileName.exe

     Example:

     Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 ApertureOS-Release_AVX-1-0-0-78246_Setup.exe

5. Compare the Hashes:

   • PowerShell will output a hash value for your downloaded file.
   • Carefully compare this displayed hash with the official SHA-256 hash you copied from the GitHub release page in Step 1.
   • The hashes should match exactly. Even a single different character means the file is not identical.

What if the hashes don't match?

• Do NOT run the installer.
• Delete the downloaded file.
• Try downloading the installer again from the official GitHub Releases page, preferably using a stable internet connection.
• If the hashes still don't match after a fresh download, please contact the Aperture Viewer team (e.g., via Discord or GitHub Issues) to report the potential issue.

Verifying the hash helps ensure you're installing the genuine, unaltered software.