Frequently asked questions

Does Cove provide movies or television streams?

No. Cove is a player and organizer. A new installation contains no third-party stream sources. You choose any community addons yourself and remain responsible for using them lawfully.

Do I need an account?

No. Profiles, libraries, playback, and settings work locally. An account is only needed for optional Cove cloud sync and website account management.

Which platforms are supported?

Cove publishes packages for amd64 Linux, amd64 Windows, Apple-silicon macOS, and Android 9+ phones, tablets, and televisions. Intel macOS is not supported. Android uses one APK for touch devices and TV.

Why is macOS warning about the app?

The DMG is ad-hoc signed but not notarized with an Apple Developer ID. Follow the macOS installation guide and only approve a DMG from the official Cove release.

How do updates work?

Windows and Android support verified in-app updates. AUR packages update through the package manager. Flatpak bundles, Linux tarballs, and macOS DMGs are replaced manually. See Update Cove.

Can the website tell whether my device just synced?

No. It shows a read-only snapshot of cloud rows and their newest stored timestamp. Cove does not upload device heartbeat or last-error telemetry.

Can I watch in a browser?

No. Playback remains in the native Cove applications, where mpv, native decoders, torrent handling, and isolated scraper runtimes are available.

Where should I report a problem?

Use the GitHub bug report form after checking Troubleshooting.