What's new in MovieClaw

⚠️ Install this version by hand: MovieClaw Desktop 1.0.x keeps saying it is up to date and will not offer it. Quit MovieClaw Desktop (closing its window quits it), then download MovieClaw-Windows-0.1.0-Setup-x64.exe from https://github.com/movieclaw/MovieClaw/releases/tag/windows-v0.1.0 and run it. Later versions are offered in the app.

✅ Same server requirements as MovieClaw Desktop 1.0.4, which shipped with MovieClaw Server 0.37.0.

Highlights

Your library and a full player on the PC

Watching on a computer usually meant a browser tab. Now you browse your libraries, search titles and people, keep favorites and open movie and episode details in a desktop app. Before playing you can pick the file version, audio track and subtitles; the player has resume, next episode, skip intro, playback speed, quality, picture-in-picture and media keys. Progress syncs with your server, so other devices continue where you stopped.

• Right-click during playback to open Playback info (播放信息).
• ISO images cannot be played in the Windows app yet; DVD bitmap subtitles are not shown.

Discover and subscriptions, only if you want them

Find new titles from TMDB or Douban, open title and people pages, subscribe, and follow download and import progress, without opening the web page. Both entries are off by default: go to Settings → Navigation entries and turn on Discover (发现) or My subscriptions (我的订阅).

• The choice is saved per computer, server and account.
• My subscriptions needs an account with subscription permission.
• Sites and downloaders are set up on the server's web page. Administrators can jump there from My subscriptions → Import chain (入库链路) → Open server settings (打开服务器配置).

New versions come to you, checked before installing

A few seconds after it starts, the app checks GitHub for a new Windows version and tells you when there is one. You can also check from Settings → About → Check for updates (检查更新) or the tray icon menu. Before installing, the app checks that the download is intact and looks for a digital signature.

• Installers are not code-signed yet, so the app asks you to confirm Install the unsigned update anyway (仍然安装未签名的更新).
• Known issue: the update dialog shows only the first part of the English notes, as plain text. Click Open release page (打开发布页面) for the full notes.
• Using the portable version: in-app updates download the installer, not a new ZIP. To stay portable, download the new portable-x64.zip from the release page instead.

More features and improvements

• AI subtitles for administrators: On a title's details page, administrators can click Generate AI subtitles (AI 生成字幕) to have the server make single-language or bilingual subtitles. This needs reference subtitles and an AI model configured on the server.
• Several accounts: Add accounts under Settings → Account → Add account (添加账号), and switch between them from the account button at the bottom of the sidebar.

Before you start

• Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit (x64). The installer adds Microsoft WebView2 when it is missing; the portable ZIP needs WebView2 already installed.
• On first launch, use LAN discovery (局域网发现) or enter your server's address, then sign in with your username and password.
• Known issue: the sign-in page shows "compatibility sign-in (兼容登录)" and suggests upgrading the server for device pairing. No server version supports this yet, so you can ignore it.
• Discover and My subscriptions are off by default; see above for how to turn them on.
• Settings → Friends and watch privacy needs the server plugin "服务器观看动态" (server watch presence). The plugin is not shipped with the server and has no public download yet.
• The interface is in Chinese only.
• The installer is not code-signed, so Windows usually shows a SmartScreen warning the first time you run it.

Moving from an earlier build

Apart from the points below, this version works the same as MovieClaw Desktop 1.0.4.

• Getting it: 1.0.x does not update to 0.1.0 by itself; quit it and install by hand as described at the top. The version number is lower than 1.0.4, but this build is newer.
• Your data: The server address, saved accounts and sign-in are kept. Playback settings, Discover and subscriptions switches and recent searches may also carry over.
• Name: The app is now called "MovieClaw" in Windows and "MovieClaw for Windows" under Settings → About. It may install next to "MovieClaw Desktop" instead of replacing it.
• Collections: The sidebar no longer has a Collections (合集) section. The same collections are still cards on Home in the My libraries (我的媒体库) row, and on a title's details page under In collections (所属合集).
• If you used the installer: Once the new version works, uninstall MovieClaw Desktop from Windows Settings → Apps. We recommend leaving "delete application data" unchecked, because it may also clear the new version's local settings, such as playback preferences.
• If you used the portable version: Download MovieClaw-Windows-0.1.0-portable-x64.zip from the link at the top and unzip it into a new folder. Quit the old version, run movieclaw-desktop.exe from the new folder, and once it works, delete the old folder. Your server address and accounts are stored outside the folder and are kept.

Thanks to @sexyfeifan, who built the Windows client and keeps improving it.