Oberleaf
A LaTeX editor that runs on your own laptop. Same workflow as Overleaf — live PDF preview, instant equation rendering, project history — with no compile queue, no 60-second timeout, and nothing leaving your machine.
Free and open source. Setup installs Git, Node.js and MiKTeX for you if they are missing.
Prefer a single file? Download Oberleaf-Setup.bat — your browser will warn you about the file type.
wingetSimple 1-Click Installation
Download & Extract
Grab Oberleaf-Setup.zip above, then right-click it and choose Extract All. Keep both files in the same folder.
Run the Setup
Double-click Oberleaf-Setup.bat. The interactive wizard lets you customize your installation folder and shortcut preferences, and displays live progress as components configure.
Write & Compile
Oberleaf opens ready to write. Projects are kept safe in Documents\Oberleaf Projects with 1-click Explorer reveal, live daemon status, and clean uninstallation in Windows Settings.
Already installed? You are already covered.
Oberleaf checks GitHub for a newer version a couple of seconds after it starts and offers the update in a dialog. Accepting it stashes anything you changed locally, pulls the latest code and reinstalls dependencies. Your work lives in Documents\Oberleaf Projects and is never touched by an update. Re-downloading the installer is only necessary if the app will not start at all.
Recently shipped
- •Errors that point at the right line. TeX reports a fault where it finally gave up, not where you made the mistake. Oberleaf now reads your source alongside the log, explains the error in plain English, and offers a one-click fix for the common ones — a missing
\usepackage, a matrix used outside math mode, a stray delimiter. - •Font maps checked on first run. A fresh MiKTeX install can leave pdfTeX's font table unbuilt, which kills any document using
microtypewith a message that explains nothing. The dependency doctor now compiles a probe document to detect it and prints the exact command that fixes it. - •No more phantom errors. A previous run's log could survive into the next compile, so a mistake you had already fixed kept being reported. Every build now starts from a clean log.
- •Safer sharing and safer saves. Invite links now carry a per-session token, so a shared workspace is reachable only by the people you sent the link to. Switching files or closing the window also flushes any unsaved edit to disk first, instead of dropping it.
Why SRM AP Scholars Choose Oberleaf
Eliminate the frustrations of cloud compile quotas and slow remote queues.
No Compute Timeouts
Cloud Overleaf cuts you off after 60 seconds on free accounts. Oberleaf runs locally on your CPU with zero timeout limits.
Instant Equation Preview
KaTeX live math tooltip renders math equations immediately beneath your cursor with 0ms latency as you type.
100% Offline & Private
Your research papers, patents, and sensitive data stay on your laptop. Write on flights, trains, or during hostel Wi-Fi downtime.
Sub-Second Compilation
Compiles standard 1–2 page papers in under 1 second using your machine's multi-core CPU and native SSD cache.
Desktop & Explorer Integration
1-click desktop and start menu shortcuts, live bottom status bar with daemon/compiler telemetry, and instant reveal in Windows File Explorer.
Overleaf Compatibility
Import and export your Overleaf `.zip` projects seamlessly. Includes IEEE conference and thesis templates out of the box.
Blocked by Windows or your antivirus?
Oberleaf is free and open source, so it is not code-signed — a signing certificate costs more per year than this project has ever spent. Windows treats every unsigned installer with suspicion, which produces the warnings below. All of them are safe to dismiss, and you can read every line of the installer on GitHub before running it.
"Windows protected your PC" (blue box)
Click More info, then Run anyway. This is SmartScreen reacting to a new file, not a virus detection.
The browser refuses to save the .bat file
Chrome and Edge block .bat downloads by default. Use the .zip button above instead — it contains the same two files and downloads without complaint.
Antivirus quarantined the file
Some scanners flag any script that installs software. In Windows Security open Protection history, find the Oberleaf entry and choose Allow on device, then run setup again. If your college laptop is managed by IT and you cannot override it, clone the repository from GitHub and run npm install instead.
The window closed instantly
Fixed — the setup window now stays open until you close it and prints the reason for any failure. If you are still seeing this, you are running an old copy: download it again from the button above. Every run also writes a log to %TEMP%\oberleaf-setup.log; send that file when reporting a problem.
Installs fail with a permissions error
Right-click Oberleaf-Setup.bat and choose Run as administrator. Without it, Git, Node.js and MiKTeX are installed for your user account only, which some managed machines disallow.