🪟 Getting Started
Install on Windows
BazaarPOS Desktop installs as a normal per-user Windows program — no admin rights required — then walks you through a one-time setup wizard (choosing whether this PC runs everything, just the till screen, or just the backend) before landing on the same phone-number sign-in every BazaarPOS platform shares.
📍 Menu path: Getting Started → Install on Windows
👤 Who uses it: Shop owner or whoever is setting up the till PC
Overview
The Windows installer is a standard NSIS setup file, downloaded from the Downloads page for your product (BazaarPOS, or a variant like BazaarPOS Bakery/Restaurant/etc.). It installs per-user (no admin elevation needed for the app itself) into your own Windows account, with a Desktop shortcut and Start Menu entry.
The very first time you open the app, it shows a one-time Setup screen asking which mode this PC should run in: Full (this PC runs both the till screen and the backend — the normal choice for a single-PC shop), Client Only (this PC is an extra till connecting to another PC that already runs Full or Server Only), or Server Only (this PC only runs the backend, with no till screen of its own — used for a dedicated back-room PC).
That same setup step can optionally generate a secure local HTTPS certificate for the app and, if you allow a one-time Windows permission prompt, install it so other devices trust it and add a friendly local address. This step is entirely optional — the app works fine if you skip it.
After setup mode is chosen, you land on the same phone-number sign-in screen used on every BazaarPOS platform (Desktop, Android, and the web trial). See Sign Up & Log In for that part — it is identical here.
Once logged in once, BazaarPOS works fully offline — the only time this Windows install needs the internet is that first sign-in/activation, and again only if it has been more than two weeks since it last successfully checked in.
Before You Start
- A Windows 10/11 PC (64-bit). No admin account is required to install or run the app day-to-day.
- A working internet connection for the one-time first sign-in only.
- If this PC will run Full or Server Only mode for more than one till/device, note this PC's local network (Wi-Fi/LAN) address — other tills and the mobile app will need it.
Step-by-Step Guide
1 Download and install
- Go to the Downloads page on the BazaarPOS website and download the Windows installer for your product.
- Run the downloaded file. If Windows shows a blue "Windows protected your PC" screen, this is expected (see Troubleshooting below) — click More info, then Run anyway.
- Follow the installer prompts. No admin password is needed. You can change the install folder if you want; the defaults are fine for almost everyone.
- Launch BazaarPOS from the new Desktop shortcut or Start Menu entry once the installer finishes.
2 Complete the one-time setup wizard
- On first launch, choose a mode: Full for a single-PC shop, Client Only if another PC in your shop is already running Full/Server Only, or Server Only for a dedicated backend PC with no till screen.
- If offered, decide whether to set up a secure local address for this PC — useful mainly if you plan to run more than one till or connect the mobile app over your shop Wi-Fi. This may show a single Windows permission prompt; it is safe to allow, and safe to skip.
- The app then starts its backend and opens to the sign-in screen.
💡 You only see this wizard once per install. To redo it (e.g. you picked the wrong mode), you would need to reinstall or reset the app's local configuration — there is no in-app "change mode" screen for this today.
3 Sign in for the first time
- Enter your phone number and country, then the one-time code (OTP) sent to it — this needs internet, but only this once.
- If you are a brand-new customer, you'll be asked your name and business name, then shown available plans — pick the free trial to get started immediately.
- Set a local password when prompted. From now on, this device can sign in with just that password, even fully offline.
💡 This is the exact same sign-in flow described in Sign Up & Log In — Windows Desktop, Android and the web trial all share one login screen and one account system, not separate accounts per platform.
4 Connect additional tills or the mobile app to this PC
- Only relevant if this PC is running Full or Server Only mode and you want other devices to connect to it.
- On the other Windows PC (running Client Only mode) or in the mobile app's server setup, enter this PC's local network address.
- The first time another device connects, Windows may show a Firewall prompt asking whether to allow BazaarPOS on Private networks — allow it, or those other devices/printers will not be able to reach this PC.
5 Add AI features (optional, separate installer)
- AI features (ask-your-data chat, receipt/invoice/label scanning, smart search, business insights) ship as a separate, optional installer named "BazaarPOS AI" on the Downloads page.
- Download and run it after your main BazaarPOS install — it automatically finds your existing BazaarPOS installation and adds the AI service to it.
- Once installed, turn AI features on from inside the app under Settings → AI Features.
💡 You do not need this installer at all if you don't plan to use AI features — the core POS app works completely normally without it.
Every Field & Button, Explained
| Field / Button | What it does |
|---|---|
Full mode | This PC runs both the till screen and the backend server. The right choice for almost every single-PC shop. |
Client Only mode | This PC only shows the till screen and connects to another PC's backend over your local network — used for a second, third, etc. register. |
Server Only mode | This PC only runs the backend, with no till screen shown — used for a dedicated back-room PC that other tills connect to. |
Secure local address setup | An optional step that sets up HTTPS for this PC on your local network, so other devices trust the connection. Entirely optional and skippable. |
Phone number sign-in | The same account system used on every BazaarPOS platform — see Sign Up & Log In for the full flow. |
BazaarPOS AI (separate installer) | An optional add-on installer for AI chat, document scanning and business-insight features — not required for core billing/inventory use. |
Tips & Best Practices
- If you only have one PC in your shop, always pick Full mode — Client Only and Server Only are only useful once you have more than one device.
- Write down this PC's local network address (shown during setup, or later under Settings → Network) if you plan to add more tills or the mobile app later — it saves a trip back to this screen.
- The app works fully offline after the first sign-in — you do not need to keep this PC connected to the internet day-to-day, only every couple of weeks to revalidate your license.
- Keep the AI installer separate on purpose — skip it if your shop doesn't use AI features, since it is a much larger download.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Windows shows "Windows protected your PC" / an "Unknown publisher" warning when I try to install.
This is expected — the installer is not yet code-signed with a paid Windows publisher certificate, which is common for smaller software vendors and is not a sign of a problem. Click "More info", then "Run anyway" to continue installing.
Windows Firewall popped up asking to allow BazaarPOS.
Allow it, at least on Private networks — this is what lets other tills, the mobile app, and network thermal printers on your shop Wi-Fi/LAN reach this PC. If you dismissed it by mistake, look for BazaarPOS under Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall.
A network thermal printer isn't printing from this PC.
Network thermal printers communicate on a specific port that your firewall or router may be blocking — check that nothing on your network is blocking outbound connections to your printer's IP address before assuming the printer itself is faulty.
I can't sign in — it says I need an internet connection.
The very first sign-in on any device needs internet once, to verify your phone number and activate your license. After that first successful sign-in, the app works offline. If it has been more than about two weeks since this device last connected to the internet, it will ask to reconnect briefly to revalidate before letting you in again.
AI features (the AI Assistant button, document scanners) don't show up even though my plan includes them.
AI ships as a separate "BazaarPOS AI" installer, downloaded and run separately from the main app. If you haven't installed it yet, download it from the Downloads page, run it, then turn AI features on under Settings → AI Features.
The app is behaving oddly and I want to check the logs before contacting support.
BazaarPOS keeps its own log files on your PC (under your Windows user's AppData folder, in a BazaarPOS\logs subfolder) — these are useful to attach if you contact support about a startup or connection problem.
I picked the wrong setup mode (Full/Client/Server) during the first-run wizard.
There is currently no in-app screen to redo this choice — you will need to reset the app's local configuration or reinstall to see the setup wizard again. Take a moment to pick the right mode the first time.