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Pairing connects the app to your account

Chief Live Sessions - the desktop app pairing screen Pairing links the Chief desktop app on your computer to a full Chief account, so your Live Sessions sync. The app opens a time-limited request in your browser for explicit approval. A guest identity from a shared link does not count as a full account and cannot pair a device.

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Pair a device

  1. Open the Chief app on your Mac or Windows PC. On Connect Chief, click Continue in browser.
  2. The app opens a browser page titled Connect Chief on this Mac? or Connect Chief on this Windows PC? Sign in to your full Chief account, or create one if needed.
  3. Confirm the displayed code matches the code in the desktop app. Only continue if you started the request yourself.
  4. Click Connect this Mac or Connect this PC.
Once linked, the device shows as Paired.
Important: Pairing requests expire after 15 minutes. If the browser says Pairing request expired, return to the desktop app and start again.
If the browser is using only a guest identity, it does not offer the Connect button. Choose Continue with Google, Sign in with email, or Create an account to continue with a full account. If a guest identity reaches the approval request, the page shows Couldn’t connect Chief and Sign in or create a Chief account to connect this device.

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Manage and revoke devices

Chief - the Revoke control next to a paired device in Settings Devices
Settings › Devices lists every linked device, each with when it was created — alongside the rest of your account settings. To unlink one:
  1. Find the device in the list.
  2. Click Revoke.
  3. Confirm. Revoking signs that device out immediately; you can pair it again later with a new code.
Good to know: You need to be signed in to a full account to manage devices. Signed-out users are prompted to sign in first. A guest may appear signed in after opening shared content, but still cannot generate a pairing code or connect a device.

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Updating the app

Keep the Live Sessions App current so capture keeps working. The app checks for updates automatically. On macOS, Automatic updates is on by default after pairing. You can change it from the version menu with Automatically update. When an update is ready and automatic updates are on, Chief waits until it has been idle and in the background for five continuous minutes before installing it. Chief never installs an update automatically during a Live Session. Windows continues to use the manual update flow. To install an update manually:
  • macOS or Windows: Click Restart in the Update ready message, or click the version number and choose Restart to install. Chief installs the update and relaunches automatically.
If you return to Chief after you’ve been away for a while and an update is waiting, a centered dialog titled Chief [version] is ready opens. Click Restart to update to install it now, or Later to dismiss the dialog. The newer version is not active until Chief restarts. If an update is mandatory, you must install it before you can continue. During a recording, choose Restart when session ends to defer the update or Restart now. If you choose Restart now, Chief asks Restart to update now? Choose Keep recording to return to the session or End session and restart to save and end it before updating. You can also change the app’s appearance or zoom level without restarting it.

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FAQ

Return to the Chief app and start pairing again. The new browser request remains available for 15 minutes.
Yes. Revoking only signs that device out. Start a new pairing request from the desktop app and approve it in your browser.
Confirm you are signed in to the intended full Chief account, not a guest identity. Then confirm the code in the browser matches the desktop app and the request is less than 15 minutes old. Return to the app and start again if needed.
Chief removed pairings that had been created with guest identities. The app returns to its welcome screen and shows Pairing revoked with the message This device was unpaired from your Chief account. Create a new pairing code to reconnect. Click Create new code, then sign in to a full Chief account to pair the device again.
Downloading or staging the update is not the final step. Click Restart or Restart to install and let Chief relaunch.
Chief shows the installation error beside the update control. If you see Couldn’t install the update. Please try again., try the installation again. On Windows, approve the permission prompt. On macOS, make sure Chief is running from your Applications folder. If the error continues, send the error and your app logs to Chief Support.