Karaoke releases
Find current karaoke release assets for UltraStar Deluxe on GitHub: Windows installer and portable zip, macOS ARM and Intel dmgs, and Linux AppImage on the same tag.
By Reed Hollow editorial team Current release, published September 13, 2026
Open UltraStar-Deluxe/USDX releases and confirm you are on the current tag before you download. Reed Hollow verifies asset names against that list when this guide is reviewed.
Windows assets
Prefer UltraStarDeluxe-windows-installer-*.exe for a normal install. The portable UltraStarDeluxe-windows-portable-*.zip sits on the same tag when you cannot run an installer. No winget package id was verified for this karaoke guide, so stay on those filenames.
macOS assets
Apple Silicon Macs should take UltraStarDeluxe-mac-ARM-*.dmg. Intel Macs should take UltraStarDeluxe-mac-x86-*.dmg. Both ship on the same release. Open the dmg and drag the app into Applications, then clear Gatekeeper prompts only for the file you downloaded yourself.
Linux assets
The AppImage UltraStarDeluxe-linux-*.AppImage is attached to the same tag. Many Linux users prefer flatpak install flathub eu.usdx.UltraStarDeluxe instead. Arch users can follow the AUR package ultrastardx-git listed in the upstream README.
How to read the tag
Match the tag shown on Releases with the Stamp line on this site. Versions are never typed into footers here; the live GitHub data supplies the current release label. If a mirror renames the installer, stop. Exact names beat marketing portals that rank for karaoke.
After you download
Continue on first hour, download safe, and the OS install guides under guides. Keep one update door: the same Releases page or Flatpak update.
Checksum-style renames and Softonic wrappers are common karaoke search traps. If the filename does not match the patterns above, it is not the asset this guide verified.
Related: GitHub overview, for this computer, is it safe.
Operational checklist
- Confirm tag
- Match exact asset name
- Refuse renamed mirrors
Write the tag and filename on a sticky note when you image a party PC. That note prevents “which karaoke binary is this” arguments after someone downloads a second copy under pressure. Prefer GitHub Releases over search ads every time.
When UltraStar Deluxe publishes a newer tag, re-check that installer, portable zip, both macOS dmgs, and the AppImage still exist under the expected names before you update classroom or club images. Flatpak users update with the Flathub id without touching Windows assets.
Why local karaoke still matters
A living-room PC with UltraStar Deluxe keeps pitch scoring on hardware you control. Subscription karaoke apps are convenient on phones, yet they need accounts, catalogs, and network continuity. When the room already has a TV, USB microphones, and a folder of songs you may use, the desktop path is simpler than juggling seats.
Reed Hollow documents the install door so searchers who typed karaoke find GitHub Releases or Flathub instead of Softonic-style wrappers. That is the editorial job: exact filenames, honest limits, and one update habit.
What UltraStar Deluxe is for
UltraStar Deluxe is a GPL-2.0 karaoke game. Up to six players can sing with microphones while the engine scores pitch and rhythm. Themes and party mode exist, but they are optional after a first successful night. The program does not ship a commercial catalog inside the installer, dmg, AppImage, or Flatpak. You bring song folders you may use.
Prep before guests arrive
Test one short track the day before. Confirm the microphone appears in the OS sound panel and inside UltraStar Deluxe Options. Confirm SongDir lists the titles you expect. Confirm the TV shows lyrics at a readable size. Keep a paper note with the Releases URL, Flatpak id if needed, and the song folder path.
Update and backup habits
Return to the same GitHub Releases page for the next Windows installer, portable zip, macOS dmg, or AppImage. Flatpak users run the normal update flow. Back up song folders and config before major OS upgrades. Skip third-party karaoke updaters from search ads.
Where to go next
Home install panel: home. First hour: installed. Guides hub: guides. Safety: is karaoke safe. Comparison: vs paid karaoke apps. About Reed Hollow: about.
Microphone and room notes
USB microphones are enough for most karaoke nights. Start with one reliable mic before buying a mixer. Place the TV at eye level for singers who need lyrics, and keep ambient noise low enough that pitch detection stays stable. Wireless mics work when the OS sees them as ordinary audio devices.
If scoring looks dead, check the OS input meter first. UltraStar Deluxe cannot score a device the operating system never enabled. Re-assign players in Options after you swap hardware mid-night.
Song format expectations
UltraStar-format songs typically pair audio or video with a text notes file. Broken timing usually means a bad notes file, not a broken UltraStar Deluxe build. Fix songs with community editors only after one known-good track scores correctly. Do not mass-import unmarked archives from chat threads.
Keep originals of every song folder you trust. Reimages and accidental deletes are common on shared karaoke laptops. Store licence notes beside the backup.
Teaching a new host
Walk a new host through the Releases URL, the exact Windows or macOS filename, or the Flatpak id. Then watch them add SongDir and sing one track. That ten-minute drill beats a long slide deck. Point them at download safe and first hour when they need a refresher.
Remind them that Reed Hollow is an independent guide publisher. Upstream UltraStar Deluxe remains at usdx.eu and GitHub. Bug reports for the game belong upstream.