Set up Companion for Windows

Download and start

Use the official Companion download page for the Windows package, requirements, and publisher-signature information. Extract the complete ZIP into a permanent folder. Open current and run ironwood-companion.exe. Look for Ready in the status window.

The tray icon keeps Companion available after closing its status window. Use Quit from the tray menu to stop it completely. The browser cannot use Companion while it is stopped.

Start automatically when you sign in

Companion 0.1.5 and later adds Settings → Start Companion when I sign in in its status window. The current public Windows release is 0.1.8.

Check the box to create a shortcut in your Windows account’s Startup folder. Clear it to remove the shortcut. No administrator permission is needed. Companion starts after you sign in following a reboot, using the same data directory and configuration. It does not start before Windows sign-in.

This is optional and applies only to your Windows account. Closing the status window still leaves Companion running in the tray. Choosing Quit stops it for this session; clear the checkbox if you also want to stop future automatic starts. If changing the shortcut fails, Companion shows an error and restores the checkbox to the actual shortcut state.

Keep the extracted application folder in a permanent location. If you move it, clear and enable the option from the new location to update the shortcut. Clear the option before deleting the portable application.

Connect the browser

1. In Ironwood, choose Help → Companion setup… for download and installation instructions.
2. Open Help → Companion connections….
3. Set Companion name to something recognizable, such as Win11.
4. For Companion on the same computer, use http://127.0.0.1:8790 as Companion address.
5. In the Companion status window choose Show token…, then copy that value into Connection token. This is the connection credential, not a release-download credential.
6. Choose whether this connection is the Default archive and an engine provider, then choose Connect / Save.

Select Remember this connection on this device only if you want the browser to retain the address and token. Otherwise it lasts for this tab. Treat the token as a password; it authorizes access to your Companion.

Choose where games are saved

The location list in Storage information, Saved games, and Import contains Browser and your named Companion connections. Select the destination before importing or saving there. Browser and Companion archives are separate libraries; connecting does not automatically migrate or synchronize them.

Each Companion has its own archive and engine installations. Use names such as Win11 and QNAP to tell them apart. One connection can be the default archive; multiple connections can provide engines. Engine choices include the Companion name.

Use another computer

127.0.0.1 always means the computer running the browser. It will not reach a Companion on another machine. The normal Windows setup listens locally; renaming a connection does not enable network access. A remote installation needs its own reachable address, server configuration, and permitted browser origin. Do not expose the connection token or Companion port to the public internet.

The address is where Companion runs. An allowed origin is the website permitted to call it, such as https://ironwoodchess.com; adding an origin does not change the listening address. Remote/NAS setup is outside the Windows quick-start guide.

Next steps

Read Engines and storage with Companion to add an engine or import a collection. For connection failures, see Companion troubleshooting.

Backup folder

Companion 0.1.6 and later add a Backup folder setting in the Windows status window. Enter an absolute path and choose Save folder. You can also edit it through Settings → Companion connection… → Backup folder… for a connected server. Use a path on the machine running Companion, including an accessible NAS share or mounted volume. The account running Companion needs permission to read and write there.

Use Game library → Backup and Restore… to select a named Companion and create or restore a database snapshot in its backup folder. This keeps large archives out of browser memory. See Saved games and backups. These tools are included in public Windows release 0.1.8.

Update older installations

Version 0.1.8 corrects the Windows updater’s restart filename. If you have 0.1.4 or 0.1.7, perform one manual update using the current ZIP: quit the tray application, replace its application files in the same folder, and keep the configured data directory. Automatic attempts from those older versions roll back because their existing helper cannot complete restart. After the manual update, future checks use the corrected updater.