Install EZPlayer and Choose Your First Setup
Start by getting EZPlayer onto the computer that will run your show, then give it the right show folder. A clean first start makes the next steps—songs, controllers and scheduling—much easier to verify.
Reviewed October 29, 2026. The current public release was 0.6.12. Use the official download page to check the release available when you install. This guide covers the EZPlayer application; controller assembly and pixel power still follow the hardware's own instructions.
1. Choose the computer and its job
EZPlayer reads show files, plays audio and sends lighting data to network controllers. The controllers then drive the pixels. Keep the player computer available throughout the show window, with its storage, network and intended audio equipment connected.
The official overview supports Windows, macOS and Linux. Its Raspberry Pi guidance specifies a Pi 4 or Pi 5, a 64-bit operating system and at least 4GB of memory. The release is an application download; a Pi still needs a working operating system. USB lighting controllers and direct controller-cape operation are outside EZPlayer's stated scope. Check the official platform and output requirements.
2. Download the package for that machine
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| Machine | What to select | Check before opening it |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | The official Windows x64 installer. | Download it on the player computer and complete the installer before launching the app. |
| Mac | The DMG for Apple Silicon or Intel. | Use Apple menu → About This Mac to identify the processor. |
| Linux | The matching architecture and package format; current releases offer x64 and ARM64 options. | Use the Linux notes on the download page. The .deb route is intended for compatible Debian-family systems; AppImage prerequisites can vary by distribution. |
Start at Download EZPlayer instead of a rehosted installer. Record the installed version in your show notes. The 0.6.12 release listing is a dated reference, not a promise that it remains the newest release.
3. Decide where the layout will be maintained
The welcome screen offers two useful paths. Make this choice from the files and design you actually have.
- I have an xLights show folder: choose the existing folder containing your current layout and controller configuration. Continue with Bring an Existing xLights Show into EZPlayer.
- Connect to EZRGB Cloud: choose a permanent folder for the cloud-managed show. An empty folder suits a new installation. Continue with EZRGB cloud setup to register and download the show.
Local use can run without cloud registration. An existing xLights folder can be registered later for cloud features. Choosing cloud management also determines where future layout changes belong, so avoid switching an established show without first saving a backup. The official local and cloud first-run guides explain the two paths.
4. Use a permanent show folder
For an existing xLights show, check that you selected the working show directory, rather than a folder containing only downloaded songs. Its layout and network files are xlights_rgbeffects.xml and xlights_networks.xml. Keep your original folder protected before experimenting with a copy.
For a new cloud show, give the empty folder a recognizable name and a location you will keep. Avoid building the production show inside an unpacked installer or a temporary download folder. Write down the location so you can find it again after a restart.
The desktop app's Settings → Show Folder can change the chosen folder later; doing so reloads that folder's show. If audio lives elsewhere, record the additional Media Folder too. Folder selection belongs on the player computer; the LAN browser interface has different folder controls. See Show Folder and Media Folder settings.
5. Prove one small playback path
Once the selected setup path has supplied the files, open one known sequence. Confirm its title, duration and matching audio, then play it and inspect the preview. For a local import, use Add Songs, FSEQ Files and Audio; for a cloud show, first confirm the content has installed.
A successful preview is a useful software checkpoint. To prove the installed display, finish controller and network setup and observe the real lights. Keep one intended player in control during that test. EZPlayer's default idle blackout can send dark frames even when no song is playing; quit it before handing the same controllers back to another player, or deliberately configure that shared arrangement.
6. Check how the player will start tomorrow
On Windows and Mac, Settings → Player → Start EZPlayer when I sign in launches the app after the user signs in. It does not by itself complete a computer's power-on and sign-in process. Linux uses a different startup arrangement. Follow the startup instructions for your platform.
Rehearse the same startup process you expect on show night. Verify the right folder opens, storage and audio remain available, and the intended schedule is loaded. Save that working arrangement with the backup and recovery guide before expanding the show.
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