Beyond Better Windows User Guide

Beyond Better now works the same across Windows, macOS, and Linux with a unified desktop app experience. This guide covers Windows-specific considerations and installation.

Installation

Quick Install Steps

1.
Download BB: Visit the download page and get the Windows installer
2.
Run Installer: Double-click the downloaded installer and follow the setup wizard
3.
Launch BB: Open BB from your Start menu or desktop shortcut
4.
Sign Up: Create an account or use Local-Only mode

Note: BB now uses a desktop app on all platforms. No more batch files or command-line setup required!

Getting Started

Create Your First Project

Click "Create New Project" in the BB interface
Browse to your project directory using the folder picker
Choose your project type (research, content, data, or code)
Click "Start Conversation" to begin working with BB

Learn more about project management →

Working with BB

BB uses an objectives-focused approach. Instead of asking for step-by-step instructions, share what you want to achieve:

"I want to analyze the performance data in my Excel files and create a dashboard showing trends over the last quarter."

✓ Focus on your objective, let BB handle the implementation

Learn about thinking in objectives →

Windows-Specific Considerations

File Paths

When working with file paths in BB on Windows, you'll see the familiar Windows path format:

C:\Users\YourName\Documents\MyProject\data.csv
C:\Projects\WebApp\src\components\Header.tsx

BB automatically handles path conversions and formatting, so you don't need to worry about backslashes vs forward slashes.

Common Project Locations

Popular project directory locations on Windows:

C:\Users\[YourName]\Documents\ - Personal documents
C:\Users\[YourName]\Desktop\ - Desktop projects
C:\Projects\ - Dedicated projects folder
C:\Code\ - Development projects

Performance Tips

For best performance, avoid placing projects on network drives
Windows Defender may slow down file operations - consider adding your project folders to exclusions
OneDrive sync can interfere with rapid file changes - consider pausing sync during intensive work

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

BB won't start or shows connection errors

Check that Windows Firewall isn't blocking BB
Ensure no antivirus software is quarantining BB files
Try running BB as administrator if needed

Cannot access project files

Verify the project directory path is correct
Check that you have read/write permissions for the folder
Avoid special characters in folder names

Slow file operations

Add project folders to Windows Defender exclusions
Pause OneDrive sync temporarily
Close unnecessary applications using disk resources