What “portable” means here — honestly

This is a do-it-yourself portable build made from the project’s own installer file, not a repackaged download from a third-party “portable apps” site. That distinction matters for safety: repacks can be modified, outdated, or bundled with extras, while your extracted copy is byte-for-byte the official program, because it comes out of the official installer whose SHA-256 checksum you can verify first (see Is Klavaro Safe?). You are not cracking or altering anything — an installer is an archive, and 7-Zip simply opens it instead of executing it.

What you need

• A Windows PC (the portable copy runs on Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, like the normal install).
• The official installer, klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe, from our download page.
• 7-Zip, the free file archiver, installed on the PC where you do the extraction (or any archiver that can open installer archives).
• Optionally, a USB stick to carry the finished folder.

Step by step: create Klavaro Portable

1. Download the installer from the download page, but do not double-click it.
2. Right-click the installer file and choose 7-Zip > Extract to “klavaro-3.13-win-setup\”. 7-Zip unpacks the installer’s contents into a new folder next to it.
3. Open the extracted folder and find klavaro.exe — the main program file.
4. Double-click klavaro.exe. Klavaro opens, ready to use. The first time, Windows may show the SmartScreen notice (the program is unsigned, as with the normal install); choose More info then Run anyway.
5. Set your language and keyboard layout on this first run, exactly as in the installed version.
6. Copy the whole extracted folder to a USB stick if you want it to travel. Run klavaro.exe from the stick on any Windows PC.

If 7-Zip does not offer the extract option in the right-click menu, open the 7-Zip File Manager instead, browse to the installer, and use the Extract button — the result is the same folder.

What travels with the folder — and what does not

The entire program travels: all four training modules (Basic Course, Adaptability, Velocity and Fluidness), the progress charts, the layout editor and every built-in keyboard layout, in all 30+ interface languages. What you should not assume travels is your personal history. Like most Windows programs, Klavaro keeps per-user data with your Windows account rather than inside the program folder, so your scores and preferences may not follow the USB stick to a new PC — treat the stick as “the program anywhere”, and do your chart-tracked practice on one main machine. Custom keyboard layouts are the exception worth managing deliberately: the layout editor saves them as simple text files, so copy your layout files alongside the program folder and you can load them wherever you land.

Portable vs installed: which should you choose?

Choose the portable build when you cannot or should not install software: a locked-down work or school PC, a shared family computer, a borrowed laptop, or when you want a typing tutor that lives on your keyring USB. Choose the normal install for your own main PC: it integrates with the Start menu, stays put across Windows updates, and keeps everything — program and practice data — in one expected place. Both use the identical 3.13 program; the full install path is documented in our Windows setup guide. Switching later is painless: delete the portable folder (there is nothing to uninstall) or uninstall the installed copy, and grab the other form whenever you like — Klavaro is free and open source under the GPLv3 license, so there is no licence key to move.

If the portable copy will not start

Work through the usual suspects in order. First, extract a fresh copy — a partially extracted folder is the most common cause, especially if the copy to USB was interrupted. Second, try running klavaro.exe from a folder on the PC’s own drive rather than the stick, to rule out a slow or failing USB device. Third, if SmartScreen appears, that is the expected unsigned-software notice, not an error: More info, then Run anyway. Finally, remember the portable copy needs nothing else installed — if a PC blocks it, that is the PC’s policy (common on managed school and office machines), and the answer is to practise on a machine you control, where the regular download and install will serve you better.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an official Klavaro Portable download?

No separate official portable file exists. The supported do-it-yourself method is to extract the official Windows installer with 7-Zip and run klavaro.exe from the extracted folder, as this guide shows.

Do I need administrator rights to use Klavaro Portable?

In most cases, no. Extracting the installer and running the program from a folder does not install anything, which is why the portable copy is handy on locked-down PCs. Managed work or school machines may still block unsigned programs by policy.

Can I run Klavaro Portable from a USB stick?

Yes. Copy the whole extracted folder to a USB stick and run klavaro.exe from it on any Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11 PC. Your personal scores are kept with your Windows user account, so they may not travel with the stick.

Does Klavaro Portable work on Windows 11?

Yes. It is the same official 3.13 program as the normal install, just extracted instead of installed, so it runs on Windows 11 the same way. Expect the usual SmartScreen notice on first run.

The two version numbers, explained

Klavaro’s versioning looks confusing only because the project publishes two different things:

• Windows installer: 3.13. The file klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe is the newest compiled Windows build published by the project. It is the version our download page provides, it runs on Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, and its SHA-256 checksum is published there for verification.
• Source code: 3.14. The tarball klavaro-3.14.tar.bz2, released in 2023, is the newest source code. Linux packagers build from it — for example, the Homebrew formula’s stable version is 3.14 — which is why Linux and Mac users may see 3.14 while Windows users see 3.13.

Neither group is “behind”. The Windows program and the source release are simply packaged at different times by a small open-source project, and the day-to-day typing course — the four modules (Basic Course, Adaptability, Velocity, Fluidness), progress charts and layout editor — is the same Klavaro either way.

Is there a Klavaro 3.14 for Windows?

No official one. The project has not published a 3.14 Windows installer, so any website offering “klavaro-3.14-setup.exe” or similar is distributing an unofficial build of unknown origin — exactly the kind of file our safety guide warns about. Technically, anyone can compile the 3.14 source, since Klavaro is open source under the GPLv3 license; but unless you are set up to build C/GTK+ software on Windows yourself, the sensible choice is the official, verifiable 3.13 installer. You are not missing features you need: 3.13 is the build the Windows community uses, and it is what the guides on this site document.

How to check which version you have

Open Klavaro and look at its About dialog (in the main menu / Help area), which displays the installed version. On Windows you can also check the installer’s filename before running it — the official current file is named klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe — or find Klavaro in Windows Settings under installed apps, where the version is listed next to the program name. On Linux, your package manager knows: apt list --installed | grep klavaro on Debian/Ubuntu or dnf list installed klavaro on Fedora will show the packaged version, and Homebrew users can run brew info klavaro.

Older versions

Earlier Klavaro releases remain available in the project’s SourceForge file archive, and software-archive sites keep some older Windows builds as well. There is rarely a reason to install one: an old build means an old bug set and, on Windows, the same SmartScreen experience with fewer fixes. The reasonable exceptions are troubleshooting (confirming a problem appeared between two versions) and running a genuinely ancient PC. For everyone else, “latest” means 3.13 on Windows and your distro’s current package — or the 3.14 source — on Linux, as covered in our Linux install guide.

Should you update?

If your Windows copy is older than 3.13, updating is free and quick: download the current installer from the official source, verify its checksum if you want certainty (the value is on the download page), and install it. Custom keyboard layouts you created with Klavaro’s layout editor are saved as simple text files, so keep a copy of any layout files you made before you change builds, and you can load them again in minutes. Linux users update through their normal system updates — repository and Flatpak builds are maintained by packagers, not by reinstalling from this site.

Klavaro changes slowly and deliberately — it is a mature teaching tool, not an app chasing monthly features. That is good news for learners: the version you install today is the version the tutorials describe, and your practice routine will not be rearranged by surprise updates.

The timeline at a glance

• 2023: the project publishes the 3.14 source release on SourceForge — the current source code, which Linux distributions and the Homebrew formula package.
• Current Windows build: 3.13 remains the newest Windows installer the project publishes, and the build our download page and guides document.
• Earlier releases: 3.0x-era builds (such as 3.01 and 3.09) and even older versions stay available in the SourceForge file archive for troubleshooting and historical interest.

Does Klavaro update itself?

No — and for a teaching tool, that is a feature. The Windows build has no built-in updater phoning home; if the project publishes a newer Windows installer, you download and install it manually, exactly as you did the first time (your custom layout text files can be kept and reloaded). Linux users never think about it at all: repository, Flatpak and Homebrew builds update with the rest of the system. Combined with the project’s slow, deliberate release pace, this means the Klavaro you learn on stays the Klavaro you keep — your course position, your layouts and your routine are never rearranged overnight by an automatic update.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the latest version of Klavaro?

It depends on the platform. The latest Windows installer is 3.13, and the latest source code release is 3.14 from 2023. Both are published on the project’s SourceForge page.

Is Klavaro 3.14 available for Windows?

Not as an official installer. Version 3.14 exists as source code, which Linux packagers build from. Windows users should install the official 3.13 setup file and avoid unofficial 3.14 executables from other sites.

How can I check which version of Klavaro I have?

Open Klavaro and check its About dialog, which shows the installed version. On Windows you can also find the version next to Klavaro in the installed apps list in Settings.

Why does my Linux install show a different version than Windows?

Because Linux distributions package the 3.14 source release, while the project’s Windows build is 3.13. The two tracks are packaged at different times, and the typing course itself is the same.

Where the real Klavaro comes from

Klavaro’s official home is klavaro.sourceforge.io, and its files are hosted on the SourceForge project named “klavaro”. That is the complete list of official channels: the Windows installer and the source tarball on SourceForge, packages in Linux distribution repositories (installed with commands like sudo apt install klavaro), and the Homebrew formula on macOS. This site is an unofficial guide, and our download page’s main button points straight at the official SourceForge installer — we also offer a clearly labelled mirror, and publish a checksum so you can verify the file from either source (more on that below). If a site you have never heard of offers “Klavaro premium”, an “activated” version, or a Klavaro phone app, it is not distributing the real program.

Verify your download with SHA-256 (2 minutes)

A checksum is a fingerprint of a file: if even one byte changes, the fingerprint changes completely. For the current Windows installer, the verified values are:

• File: klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe
• Size: 11,682,715 bytes (about 11.7 MB)
• SHA-256: 6d65d5671b03b4500b14edecf8eb37dd6ad6744b290385a3980172abb3b4ade1

To check your copy on Windows 10 or 11:

1. Open the folder containing the downloaded installer.
2. Right-click in an empty area of the folder and open PowerShell or Terminal there (on Windows 11, right-click and choose “Open in Terminal”).
3. Run this command:

Get-FileHash .\klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the long string it prints with the SHA-256 above. If they match exactly, your file is byte-for-byte identical to the official installer we verified. If they do not match, delete the file and download again from the official source — do not run it.

Why Windows shows a SmartScreen warning

The first time you run the installer, Windows may display “Windows protected your PC”. This is SmartScreen, and it appears because the installer is not signed with a commercial code-signing certificate — certificates cost money every year, and Klavaro’s developer gives the software away. Unsigned does not mean unsafe; it means Microsoft has no paid signature to check against. The safe way through is: download only from the official source, verify the checksum as above, then click More info and Run anyway. If you skipped the checksum and got the file from an unfamiliar site, the correct response to that warning is to stop. Our Windows setup guide covers the warning in context.

Red flags: fake downloads and fake apps

• “Klavaro” for Android or iPhone. No official mobile app exists. Anything in an app store or APK site using the name is a third-party product trading on it.
• Bundled “download managers”. Portals that make you install their own downloader first are monetising your PC, not distributing Klavaro. The real installer is a single .exe under 12 MB.
• Modified or “cracked” versions. Klavaro is free and open source — there is nothing to unlock, so any “full version free download” framing is a lure.
• Wrong version claims. The current Windows installer is 3.13; the 3.14 release is source code only. A site offering a “Klavaro 3.14 setup.exe” is not offering an official file (see the version guide).

What Klavaro itself does on your computer

Klavaro is an offline desktop program: it needs no account, asks for no sign-up, and keeps your lessons, scores and progress charts on your own machine. Its source code is public under the GPLv3 license, so its behaviour can be inspected by anyone — one reason it is trusted in school labs and on shared computers. Rated 4.7 out of 5 by SourceForge users, it has been in continuous use far longer than most typing software on the market. Download it once, from the right place, verify it, and it is simply a safe, quiet tool for learning to type.

One more check: scan the installer before running it

If you want a second opinion beyond the checksum, scan the downloaded file before running it. In Windows 10 and 11, right-click klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe and use the “Scan with Microsoft Defender” option built into the system. Multi-engine scanning services on the web offer another angle: they let you submit a file or its SHA-256 hash and see how dozens of antivirus engines assess it. The checksum remains the strongest single check — a matching SHA-256 proves your file is identical to the official installer byte for byte, which no scan verdict can improve on — but a clean scan is a comfortable belt to go with those suspenders.

If your checksum does not match

Do not run the file. A mismatch means one of two things: the download was corrupted in transit (the fix is simply to download again), or the file did not come from the official source and may have been altered (the fix is to delete it and re-download from the official SourceForge source linked on our download page). Either way, the remedy costs two minutes and the installer is under 12 MB. Never “fix” a mismatch by ignoring it — the entire value of the checksum is that a correct one is absolute proof, and an incorrect one is an absolute stop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Klavaro a virus?

No. Klavaro is a long-running open-source typing tutor distributed through SourceForge, where users rate it 4.7 out of 5 from 35 ratings. Download the genuine installer from the official source and verify its SHA-256 checksum to be certain you have the real file.

Why does Windows warn me about the Klavaro installer?

SmartScreen warns because the installer is not signed with a paid code-signing certificate, which is common for free open-source software. If your file came from the official source and its checksum matches, choose More info and then Run anyway.

What is the SHA-256 checksum of the Klavaro Windows installer?

For klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe (11,682,715 bytes), the SHA-256 is 6d65d5671b03b4500b14edecf8eb37dd6ad6744b290385a3980172abb3b4ade1. The steps on this page show how to check your download against it.

Is there an official Klavaro app for Android or iPhone?

No. Klavaro is a desktop program for Windows and Linux (with Mac routes via Homebrew, MacPorts or Wine). Any mobile app using the Klavaro name is a third-party product, not the official tutor.

Why there is no Klavaro in the browser

Klavaro is a long-running open-source project written in C with a GTK+ interface, developed by Felipe E. F. de Castro and released under the GPLv3 license. Everything the project publishes — on its official home at klavaro.sourceforge.io and on its SourceForge project page — is a desktop build: a Windows installer, Linux packages, and source code. Your lessons, scores and progress charts live on your own computer, not on a server. Nobody has ported that codebase to the web, and the project’s design (local files, local layouts, no accounts) does not need one. Any website or phone app that claims to be “Klavaro online” is not the official program — see the warning below.

If you need to practise in a browser, use these instead

These free web-based tutors are the established names in browser typing practice. We list them neutrally — none of them is Klavaro, and each suits a different goal:

• TypingClub — a guided, lesson-by-lesson course in the browser. The closest thing to a structured curriculum without installing anything.
• Typing.com — full typing courses plus tests and games, widely used by schools.
• keybr — adaptive drills that generate practice text around the letters you are slowest on; excellent for targeted speed work.
• Monkeytype — a clean, highly customisable speed test for measuring your words per minute once you already know the keyboard.

A sensible pattern is to learn the method in a structured course (TypingClub or Klavaro’s own modules) and measure yourself with short tests (Monkeytype or Klavaro’s Velocity module). What the browser options cannot easily give you is Klavaro’s combination of complete offline use, exotic and custom keyboard layouts, and zero accounts or advertising.

When downloading Klavaro is the better choice

The desktop program wins in several common situations:

• No or unreliable internet. Klavaro works entirely offline after a one-time install — school labs, rural connections and travel laptops included.
• Unusual keyboard layouts. Dvorak, Colemak (US), AZERTY, QWERTZ, Jtsuken and national QWERTY variants are built in, and the Keyboard Layout Editor can define layouts no web tutor offers.
• Your own texts. Velocity and Fluidness modules can train on any text file you supply, in any of 30+ interface languages.
• Privacy and quiet. No account, no sign-up, no ads, and your progress never leaves your machine.
• Old hardware. The Windows installer is under 12 MB and the program runs happily on Windows 7-era PCs (see the Windows guide).

Watch out for fake “Klavaro online” pages

Because the name is searched for, unrelated sites borrow it: pages promising “Klavaro online free” that are actually ad farms, phone apps using the name that the project never released (there is no official Android or iOS Klavaro), and download portals bundling the installer with extra software. The genuine program comes only from the project’s SourceForge page, your Linux distribution’s repository, or a page that links to those official sources, like our download page. Our safety guide shows how to verify the Windows file with its published SHA-256 checksum before running it.

Mac users are the group most likely to go looking for a web version, since there is no native Mac build. Before settling for a browser tutor, it is worth knowing that Klavaro does run on macOS through Homebrew, MacPorts or Wine — our Mac guide explains all three routes.

What about practising on a phone or tablet?

Klavaro has no mobile app, and touch typing itself is a physical-keyboard skill: the home-row positions, finger assignments and muscle memory the Basic Course teaches only exist on real keys. A phone’s glass keyboard cannot train them. You can open the browser tutors listed above on a tablet — especially with a Bluetooth keyboard attached, where they work much like they do on a computer — and that is a reasonable way to keep a practice streak alive while travelling. But plan your real progress on a desktop or laptop keyboard, whether that is Klavaro installed locally or a structured web course, and treat phone typing games as entertainment rather than training.

A simple routine that combines both worlds

If you like what the web tools do and what Klavaro does, they combine well. Use a browser speed test (Monkeytype or keybr) once a week as your public benchmark — a fixed, repeatable measurement of where your speed and accuracy stand. Do the actual training offline in Klavaro: the Basic Course until key positions are automatic, Adaptability for the letters that benchmark exposes as weak, then Velocity and Fluidness with texts you care about. That split plays to each side’s strength — the web for quick measurement anywhere, the desktop program for structured, distraction-free practice with your own layouts — and it costs nothing, needs no account, and works on the Windows and Linux machines most people already have.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Klavaro online without downloading anything?

No. There is no official Klavaro web version, login or cloud app. Klavaro is a desktop program for Windows and Linux that runs offline after installation.

What should I use if I need typing practice in a browser?

TypingClub and Typing.com offer structured browser-based courses, keybr provides adaptive drills for your weakest letters, and Monkeytype is a clean speed test. None of them is Klavaro, but all are reputable free options.

Does Klavaro need an internet connection?

No. After the one-time download and install, Klavaro works fully offline: lessons, progress charts and custom layouts are all stored on your own computer.

Are ‘Klavaro online’ apps and websites official?

No. The project publishes desktop builds only, through SourceForge and distribution repositories. There is no official Klavaro phone app or web app, so treat any product using the name online with caution.

Option 1: Homebrew (easiest if you already use it)

Homebrew’s core repository carries an official klavaro formula, which installs the current 3.14 release together with the GTK+ libraries it needs:

brew install klavaro

The formula ships prebuilt bottles for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs, so on most machines this is a download rather than a compile. When it finishes, launch the program from a terminal:

klavaro

Be prepared for the look: Klavaro is a GTK+ application, so it looks and behaves like a Linux program running on your Mac, not like a native macOS app. Everything works — all four training modules (Basic Course, Adaptability, Velocity, Fluidness), the progress charts, and the full set of keyboard layouts including Dvorak, Colemak (US), AZERTY and QWERTZ — it simply does not follow Apple’s design conventions.

Option 2: MacPorts

If you use MacPorts instead of Homebrew, the route is equally short. Install MacPorts first if you have not already, then run:

sudo port install klavaro

MacPorts will pull in the GTK+ stack as dependencies and build or download the port. As with Homebrew, you end up launching klavaro from a terminal, and the interface is the same GTK+ window. Choose MacPorts or Homebrew based on which package manager already lives on your machine — maintaining both just for one app is unnecessary.

Option 3: Run the Windows version with Wine or CrossOver

The third route runs the actual Windows build. Download the official 3.13 installer (klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe) from our download page, then open it with Wine or with CrossOver, the commercial, more polished Wine front-end. This route suits Mac users who already run other Windows programs this way, and it gives you exactly the build most Klavaro users have. The trade-off is an extra compatibility layer between you and the app, which is one more thing that can misbehave after a macOS update.

What you get, whichever route you pick

All three routes run the real Klavaro, written in C by Felipe E. F. de Castro and released as free, open-source software under the GPLv3 license. You get the structured four-module course, progress charts that show your speed and accuracy over time, the ability to practise Velocity and Fluidness exercises with your own text files, and more than 30 interface languages. Nothing requires an account, and the program works fully offline — useful on a Mac that travels.

When a native or web alternative makes more sense

Honesty matters here: if the idea of opening a terminal to install a typing tutor already feels like too much friction, Klavaro on a Mac may not be for you. There is no shame in that trade-off. If you just want two weeks of quick practice, a free browser tutor needs zero setup — our guide to Klavaro and online typing practice lists the reputable options and explains what each is good at. Klavaro earns its setup effort when you want a structured, offline course with unusual keyboard layouts (Dvorak, Colemak, a custom layout of your own via its layout editor) and no subscription, no ads and no account — on a Mac, that combination simply has no native equivalent in the project itself. Windows users, meanwhile, get the simple path: one installer, covered in our Windows setup guide.

Keeping Klavaro updated — and removing it

Each route updates through the tool that installed it. Homebrew users run brew upgrade klavaro (or a general brew upgrade) to move to the formula’s current 3.14-based build. MacPorts users run sudo port selfupdate followed by sudo port upgrade klavaro. Under Wine or CrossOver there is nothing to upgrade inside the compatibility layer — you simply download a newer Windows installer if the project publishes one, and install it the same way as the first. Removing Klavaro is equally plain: brew uninstall klavaro, sudo port uninstall klavaro, or delete the app from your Wine/CrossOver bottle. No route leaves behind accounts, subscriptions or background services, because Klavaro itself has none.

One more route: a Linux virtual machine

If you already run a Linux virtual machine on your Mac — in Parallels, VMware Fusion, UTM or a similar tool — there is a fourth path that needs no Mac packaging at all: install Klavaro inside the VM with the distribution’s own package manager, exactly as our Linux guide describes. This is overkill if it is your only reason to keep a VM, but for developers and students who already live part-time in Linux, it is the zero-friction option, and your layouts and practice texts can be shared with the VM like any other files. For everyone else, Homebrew remains the route we recommend first: one command, a prebuilt bottle for your chip, and the real 3.14 program at the end of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a native Klavaro app for Mac?

No. There is no official .dmg, Mac App Store listing or native macOS build. Mac users run Klavaro through the Homebrew formula, MacPorts, or the Windows version under Wine or CrossOver.

What is the easiest way to install Klavaro on a Mac?

If you already use Homebrew, run brew install klavaro. The homebrew/core formula installs the 3.14 release with its GTK+ dependencies and provides prebuilt bottles for Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

Does Klavaro work on Apple silicon Macs?

Yes, through the routes on this page. The Homebrew formula ships prebuilt arm64 bottles for current macOS versions, so Apple silicon Macs install it as a download rather than a long compile.

Will Klavaro look like a normal Mac app?

No. Klavaro is a GTK+ program, so it looks like a Linux application running on your Mac. All of its training modules, charts and keyboard layouts work, but it does not follow Apple’s interface conventions.

Install on Ubuntu, Debian and Mint

Klavaro is packaged in the official repositories, so no downloads or extra sources are needed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install klavaro

Launch it from your applications menu (look under Education or search for “Klavaro”), or run klavaro in a terminal. One honest caveat: distribution repositories sometimes lag behind the upstream project, so your repo build may be slightly older than the current 3.14 source release. For a typing tutor that changes slowly, that is rarely a problem — but if you want the newest code, build from source as shown below.

Install on Fedora

Fedora also packages Klavaro directly:

sudo dnf install klavaro

Other distributions with a klavaro package in their repos follow the same pattern with their own package manager. If your distro does not package it, Flatpak is the universal fallback.

Install with Flatpak (any distribution)

The Flatpak build works across distributions and stays independent of your system’s package versions:

flatpak install flathub klavaro

This assumes Flatpak is installed and the Flathub remote is enabled, which is the default setup on many distributions. The Flatpak route is a good choice on immutable or minimal systems, and for users who prefer sandboxed applications.

Build the latest 3.14 source yourself

The project’s current source release is 3.14, published as the tarball klavaro-3.14.tar.bz2 on SourceForge — the same file our download page links to. Building it is the standard GNU flow:

tar -xjf klavaro-3.14.tar.bz2
cd klavaro-3.14
./configure
make
sudo make install

You will need a C compiler and the GTK+ 3 development libraries for your distribution (for example, the build-essential and libgtk-3-dev packages on Debian/Ubuntu). Klavaro is written in C with a GTK+ interface, so the dependency list is short and familiar to anyone who builds desktop software. If a build step fails, it is almost always a missing development package — the error message names what configure could not find. Our version guide explains how 3.14 (source) and 3.13 (Windows installer) fit together.

First run: language, layout and the four modules

Whichever route you installed by, the first-run setup is identical. Pick your interface language (Klavaro offers more than 30), then choose the keyboard layout that matches your physical keyboard and the arrangement you want to learn — QWERTY variants, Dvorak, Colemak (US), AZERTY, QWERTZ, Jtsuken and more are included, and the built-in Keyboard Layout Editor can define anything missing and save it as a simple text file.

Work through the modules in order: Basic Course for key positions, Adaptability for random-key fluency, Velocity for speed with real words, and Fluidness for typing complete paragraphs with rhythm. Klavaro charts your progress as you go, and the Velocity and Fluidness modules can practise with your own text files, in any language.

Updating and removing Klavaro

Repository and Flatpak installs update with the rest of your system — no separate updater is involved. To remove Klavaro, use the same tool you installed it with: sudo apt remove klavaro, sudo dnf remove klavaro, or flatpak uninstall klavaro. If you built from source, keep the extracted source folder; running sudo make uninstall from it removes the files it installed.

Other distributions

Ubuntu, Fedora and the Flatpak build cover most Linux users, but they are not the whole map. Many other distributions carry Klavaro in their official or community repositories — the practical move is to search your own package manager for “klavaro” first. If a package exists, prefer it: it will arrive with the right GTK+ dependencies and update with your system. If nothing turns up, you still have two solid fallbacks that work everywhere: the Flathub Flatpak above, or building the 3.14 source tarball, which needs only a C compiler and the GTK+ 3 development libraries. Either way you end up with the same program Windows users get from the 3.13 installer — the difference between platforms is packaging, not features.

Quick fixes for common first-run issues

Three small issues account for nearly every rough first run. Klavaro does not appear in the menu: launch it from a terminal with the klavaro command — if there is a real problem, the error printed there names it, and if it opens fine, your desktop menu simply needs a relogin to refresh. The characters on screen do not match your keyboard: the layout selected inside Klavaro does not match the physical keyboard (or your system layout); set both to the same layout — QWERTY variant, AZERTY, QWERTZ or Dvorak — before practising, because the Basic Course assumes they agree. The interface text looks small: Klavaro follows your desktop’s font and scaling settings, so raise the text scaling in your GNOME/KDE/Xfce settings rather than looking for a zoom option inside the program. None of these needs a reinstall; all three are one setting each.

Why Linux users see version 3.14

If your package manager reports Klavaro 3.14 while our download page headlines 3.13, nothing is wrong. The project’s newest source release is 3.14 (2023), and Linux packagers build from source, so their packages carry that number. The newest compiled Windows installer the project publishes is 3.13. The version guide explains the two tracks in full — the short version is that Linux simply gets the newer number first because its distribution model makes rebuilding cheap.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install Klavaro on Ubuntu?

Run sudo apt update and then sudo apt install klavaro. Klavaro is packaged in the official Ubuntu repositories, so no extra downloads or sources are needed.

What is the latest Klavaro version for Linux?

The project’s latest source release is 3.14. Distribution packages are built from it, but repository versions can lag slightly behind, so check your package manager for the exact build it offers.

Can I install Klavaro without using the terminal?

On most distributions, yes: search for Klavaro in your software center app and install it from there. The Flatpak build from Flathub is another option if your distro supports Flatpak.

Does Klavaro work offline on Linux?

Yes. Klavaro is a desktop program with no account or server component. Once installed, every lesson, chart and layout works entirely offline.

What you need before installing

Very little. Klavaro is a lightweight program written in C with a GTK+ interface, and the Windows installer (klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe) is under 12 MB. Any PC that runs Windows 7 or later can run it, including older laptops and school-lab machines that struggle with modern web apps. There is no account to create, nothing to activate, and the program works fully offline once installed. Klavaro is free and open source under the GPLv3 license, developed by Felipe E. F. de Castro.

Step 1: Download the official installer

Get the installer from our download page, whose main button points to the official file on SourceForge: klavaro-3.13-win-setup.exe. Avoid copies offered by random download portals, which may bundle extra software or host outdated builds. If you want to be certain the file is genuine before running it, you can compare its SHA-256 checksum with the value published on the download page — our guide Is Klavaro Safe? walks through the check step by step.

Step 2: Install Klavaro on Windows 11 or 10

Double-click the downloaded setup file and follow the install wizard, accepting the default location unless you have a reason to change it. When setup finishes, launch Klavaro from the Start menu. There is one speed bump most Windows users meet on the way, covered next.

The SmartScreen warning is expected

Windows may show a blue “Windows protected your PC” message the first time you run the installer. This is Microsoft SmartScreen reacting to the fact that Klavaro’s developer does not buy a commercial code-signing certificate — common for free open-source software, and not a sign that the file is harmful. If you downloaded the installer from the official SourceForge source linked above (and, ideally, verified its checksum), click More info and then Run anyway to continue. We explain the full reasoning in our safety check.

Step 3: First launch — language and keyboard layout

On the first run, set two things before you start typing. First, the interface language: Klavaro ships with more than 30 UI languages, so pick the one you are most comfortable reading instructions in. Second — and more important — the keyboard layout. Choose the layout that matches your physical keyboard and the arrangement you want to learn: US QWERTY is the default for most English typists, but Klavaro also includes Dvorak variants, Colemak (US), AZERTY, QWERTZ and many national QWERTY variants out of the box. If your exact layout is missing, the built-in Keyboard Layout Editor lets you define key positions and save the result as a simple text file.

Then start with the Basic Course, the first of Klavaro’s four modules (Basic Course, Adaptability, Velocity and Fluidness). It teaches key positions before speed, which is the order that actually builds lasting touch-typing skill.

If the text looks too small on your display

Klavaro’s GTK+ interface occasionally renders small text on high-DPI (4K) Windows displays. The fix is a one-time compatibility setting:

1. Right-click the Klavaro shortcut and choose Properties.
2. Open the Compatibility tab and click Change high DPI settings.
3. Enable the override for DPI scaling behaviour and choose System (Enhanced).
4. Apply the change and relaunch Klavaro.

Prefer not to install? Run Klavaro portably

The installer is also the portable version in disguise. Instead of running the setup file, you can extract it with the free 7-Zip archiver and run klavaro.exe directly from the extracted folder — nothing is installed, and the folder can live on a USB stick. It is the best option for locked-down work or school PCs. Our dedicated guide, Klavaro Portable, gives the full step-by-step, including what does and does not travel with the folder.

Windows 7 and 8

The same 3.13 installer works on Windows 7 and 8, so an older machine makes a perfectly good dedicated typing-practice PC. Everything in this guide — SmartScreen behaviour aside (older Windows versions may not show it) — applies the same way. For an explanation of why Windows uses version 3.13 while the source code is at 3.14, see Klavaro’s latest version, explained.

Make it yours: layouts, your own texts, and progress charts

Once the basics feel comfortable, three Klavaro features reward a closer look on Windows. The Keyboard Layout Editor lets you adjust key positions and save the result as a simple text file — worth doing if you use a non-standard or programmable keyboard, or a national layout the defaults do not quite match. The Velocity and Fluidness modules can import any plain text file from your PC, so you can practise on your own writing, your study material, or text in your own language instead of the built-in samples. And the built-in progress charts plot your speed and accuracy over time, which is the fastest way to see whether a week of practice actually moved your words per minute — and which module to spend the next week on.

Using Klavaro on a work or school PC

On a machine you administer yourself, the normal install above is all you need. On a managed work or school PC, software installation is often restricted by policy. That is exactly the situation the portable route was made for: the extracted copy described earlier installs nothing and can run from a folder or USB stick. If even that is blocked, the policy is the machine owner’s call — practise on a PC you control instead, where Klavaro’s small size and offline design mean even an old Windows 7 laptop makes a perfect dedicated typing station.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Klavaro work on Windows 11?

Yes. The official Klavaro 3.13 installer runs on Windows 11, 10, 8 and 7. Download it from the official SourceForge source linked on our download page, and if SmartScreen appears, choose More info and then Run anyway.

Why does Windows say it protected my PC when I install Klavaro?

That is Microsoft SmartScreen. Klavaro is free open-source software and its developer does not buy a code-signing certificate, so Windows shows the warning for the unsigned installer. Download only from the official source and verify the SHA-256 checksum if you want certainty.

Which Klavaro version should Windows users install?

Version 3.13. It is the latest official Windows installer published by the project. The 3.14 release is source code only, so there is no official 3.14 Windows setup file.

Can I run Klavaro on Windows without installing it?

Yes. Extract the installer with 7-Zip and run klavaro.exe from the extracted folder. That DIY portable copy can live on a USB stick; our Klavaro Portable guide explains the full process and its limits.