> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://getsoda.app/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installing Soda

> Install Soda and sign in. It takes a few minutes, and here's what to do if something gets in the way.

Getting Soda running takes a few minutes. You install the app, sign in with your work account, and Soda walks you through the rest.

Use your work email when you sign in. Soda is built for teams.

## Install Soda

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download Soda">
    Download the latest version of Soda.

    [https://getsoda.app/](https://getsoda.app/)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Drag Soda into Applications">
    Open the file you downloaded, then drag Soda onto your Applications folder.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/soda-c3260b41/oLb0MxVm2ZMDdama/images/Install-Soda-on-Mac.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=oLb0MxVm2ZMDdama&q=85&s=53dd53724ea3af295c8ede5b82a2dd63" alt="Install Soda On Mac" width="1200" height="600" data-path="images/Install-Soda-on-Mac.png" />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Soda">
    Open Soda from Applications. macOS asks if you're sure you want to open an app from the internet. That's normal for any app you download. Click **Open**.

    You only need to do this once. Soda keeps itself up to date.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Sign in with your work account

Sign in with whichever account your work email uses, Google or Microsoft.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/soda-c3260b41/bKZDbkXa5W3mcDN4/images/Sign-up-to-Soda-with-either-Google-or-Microsoft-using-your-work-account.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bKZDbkXa5W3mcDN4&q=85&s=8d92e03d5bf844fe791f5de936f67579" alt="Sign Up To Soda With Either Google Or Microsoft Using Your Work Account" width="1200" height="600" data-path="images/Sign-up-to-Soda-with-either-Google-or-Microsoft-using-your-work-account.png" />

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Google">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Click Sign in with Google">
        In the Soda window, click **Sign in with Google**. Your browser opens.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Choose your work account">
        If your browser shows more than one Google account, choose your work one.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Allow the permissions">
        Google shows what permissions Soda is asking for. Allow them. [Here's what each one means.](#what-soda-asks-for-when-you-sign-in)

        <img src="https://mintcdn.com/soda-c3260b41/7QaIw_K8-oqBn31F/images/How-to-provide-calendar-permissions-to-Soda-1.gif?s=510442ba2f4cb5bf396c11a3e95579a3" alt="How To Provide Calendar Permissions To Soda 1" width="1200" height="600" data-path="images/How-to-provide-calendar-permissions-to-Soda-1.gif" />
      </Step>

      <Step title="Close the browser tab">
        The page says **You're in**. Close the tab. A **Signed in as** notification appears in the corner of your screen.

        <img src="https://mintcdn.com/soda-c3260b41/bKZDbkXa5W3mcDN4/images/Signed-in-confirmation.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=bKZDbkXa5W3mcDN4&q=85&s=7d32a24933fb41db8583bc78b362d2f0" alt="Signed In Confirmation" width="1200" height="600" data-path="images/Signed-in-confirmation.png" />
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    Signing in with Microsoft works the same way.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Microsoft">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Click Sign in with Microsoft">
        In the Soda window, click **Sign in with Microsoft**. Your browser opens.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Choose your work account">
        If your browser shows more than one Microsoft account, choose your work one.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Allow the permissions">
        Microsoft shows what permissions Soda is asking for. Allow them. [Here's what each one means.](#what-soda-asks-for-when-you-sign-in)

        <Frame caption="Microsoft's screen listing what Soda asks for, including your calendar.">
          <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/soda-c3260b41/images/getting-started/microsoft-consent.png" alt="Microsoft Permissions requested screen for Soda showing the calendar permission" />
        </Frame>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Close the browser tab">
        The page says **You're in**. Close the tab. A **Signed in as** notification appears in the corner of your screen.

        <Frame caption="The page your browser shows when sign-in is done.">
          <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/soda-c3260b41/images/getting-started/sign-in-browser-success.png" alt="Browser page saying You're in, with the line Return to Soda, you can close this window" />
        </Frame>
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    Signing in with Google works the same way.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Tip>Nothing happening after you click a sign-in button? Check your browser, it may have opened in the background.</Tip>

## What Soda asks for when you sign in

Google or Microsoft asks you to give Soda three permissions:

* Your name, email address, and profile picture, so Soda knows who you are.
* Read-only access to your calendar, so Soda knows who you're meeting and when. It can't add, change, or delete anything on your calendar.
* Permission to stay connected, so Soda can keep your calendar up to date without you signing in every day.

## A few screens you might see

Depending on your account and your company, you might see one or both of these after signing in. If you don't, carry on.

If your Google or Microsoft account didn't share your full name, Soda shows **welcome to soda** with a **Your full name** box. Type your first and last name and click **Continue**.

If colleagues at your company already use Soda, you'll see **choose your workspace**. A workspace is your company's shared space in Soda, where you and your teammates can contribute to the same shared memory.

* **Join** gets you straight in.
* **Request Access** asks an admin, and you can keep using Soda while you wait.
* **Create a new workspace** keeps you in your own workspace, and you can join your team's later.

<Frame caption="Choosing a workspace when colleagues already use Soda.">
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/soda-c3260b41/images/getting-started/choose-workspace.png" alt="The choose your workspace screen showing the Acme workspace with Join and Request Access options" />
</Frame>

[Learn more about workspaces](/docs/account/workspaces).

## If your company needs to approve Soda

Some companies ask IT to approve new apps before anyone can sign in with a work account. If yours does, Google or Microsoft shows a screen asking for your company's approval instead. It's a company setting, and nothing is wrong with your account.

When IT reviews Soda, they'll see it asks for your name, your email address, and read-only access to your calendar. One approval covers signing in for the whole company, so nobody there sees this screen again.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Microsoft">
    Microsoft shows a screen saying **Approval required** or **Need admin approval**.

    <Frame caption="Microsoft's approval screen, with the Request approval button.">
      <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/soda-c3260b41/images/getting-started/microsoft-admin-approval.png" alt="Microsoft Approval required screen for Soda with a Request approval button" />
    </Frame>

    If there's a **Request approval** button, use it.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Click Request approval">
        Microsoft opens a box for you to say why you need Soda.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Paste in a reason">
        Copy this into the box:

        > Soda is the memory layer our customer-facing team uses. It needs sign-in and read-only calendar access.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Sign in again once it's approved">
        Microsoft lets your admins know. When they've approved Soda, sign in again.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    If there's no **Request approval** button, send your IT team the message below instead.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Google">
    Google shows a screen saying access is blocked until your organisation's admin reviews Soda.

    <Frame caption="Google's screen when your admin needs to review Soda.">
      <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/soda-c3260b41/images/getting-started/google-access-blocked.png" alt="Google screen saying access is blocked until an admin reviews Soda" />
    </Frame>

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Copy the message below">
        It tells IT what Soda is and what it asks for.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send it to your IT team">
        Use whatever channel your company uses for IT help.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Sign in again once it's approved">
        When IT has approved Soda, sign in again.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Message for your IT team

Send this to whoever approves apps at your company.

> Subject: Approving Soda for our team
>
> Hi,
>
> I'd like to use Soda (getsoda.app) at work. It's the memory layer for customer-facing teams, and signing in with my work account needs admin approval.
>
> Soda asks for my name, my email address, and read-only access to my calendar. It can't change anything on the calendar, and it can't send email.
>
> One approval covers signing in for everyone here. There's a short guide for admins: [https://getsoda.app/docs/account/approve-soda-for-your-organisation](https://getsoda.app/docs/account/approve-soda-for-your-organisation)
>
> Thanks

<Card title="Approve Soda for your organisation" icon="shield" href="/docs/account/approve-soda-for-your-organisation">
  The guide for whoever approves apps at your company.
</Card>

## Next steps

After you sign in, Soda asks for a few macOS permissions, helps you connect your email, then offers a short tour.

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Grant Soda the permissions it needs" icon="shield" href="/docs/getting-started/permissions">
    What each permission is for, and how to turn it on.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Find your way around Soda" icon="compass" href="/docs/getting-started/find-your-way-around">
    Where everything lives once you're set up.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What if I don't have a work email address?">
    Soda is built for teams, so the Google and Microsoft buttons are meant for work accounts. If you use one with a personal account, Soda shows **Soda is for teams**. Click **Back to sign in**, then sign up with your email address and a password instead. The steps are in the next question.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I sign up with email and a password?">
    This works for any email address, including ones that aren't on Google or Microsoft.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Click Trouble signing in?">
        It's under the sign-in buttons.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Click Don't have an account? Sign up">
        Soda shows the sign-up form.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enter your details">
        Type your full name, your email address, and a password. The password needs at least 8 characters, including an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, and a number.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Click Create Account">
        Soda shows **confirm your email**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Confirm your email address">
        Open the email called **Verify your email** and click **Confirm**. If it hasn't arrived, click **Resend email** in Soda.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Sign in">
        Go back to Soda and sign in with your email address and password.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I signed in with the wrong account. How do I switch?">
    Logging out clears Soda's data from this Mac. It comes back when you sign in again.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Click your name">
        Open the main Soda window and click your name at the bottom of the sidebar.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Choose Log out">
        Soda signs you out and returns to the sign-in window.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Sign in with the right account">
        Follow the sign-in steps above with your work account.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if I forget my password?">
    This is only for accounts that use an email address and a password.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Click Forgotten password">
        It's on the sign-in screen. Your browser opens. Enter your email address and Soda sends you a link.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Set a new password">
        Open the link in the email and choose a new password. This signs you out on your other devices too.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Sign in with your new password">
        Go back to Soda. It shows **Password updated. Sign in with your new password.** Sign in with it.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    For more, see [Change or reset your password](/docs/account/password).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

Still stuck? See [I can't sign in](/docs/troubleshooting/cant-sign-in), or email us at [support@getsoda.app](mailto:support@getsoda.app).


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