Frequently Asked Questions

Ferdium is a free, open-source desktop application that combines all your messaging and productivity services into one unified interface. It's a community-driven hard fork of Franz that adds many additional features while removing unwanted restrictions. Ferdium supports 100+ services including WhatsApp, Slack, Gmail, Telegram, Discord, Microsoft Teams, and many more productivity tools.

Unlike browser-based solutions, Ferdium runs as a native desktop application, providing better performance, unified notifications, and a more integrated experience. It's built with Electron and maintained by an active open-source community.

Yes, Ferdium is completely free and open source. There are no subscription fees, no premium tiers, and no hidden costs. You can download, install, and use Ferdium without any restrictions. All features are available to all users.

Ferdium is licensed under the Apache License 2.0, which means you can use, modify, and distribute it freely. The project is maintained by volunteers and funded through community donations and sponsorships.

Ferdium is available for all major operating systems:

• Windows: Windows 10 and later. Available as .exe installer or portable version.
• macOS: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and later. Available as .dmg file or direct download.
• Linux: Most distributions supported via AppImage, .deb, .rpm, or Snap packages.

You can download the appropriate version for your operating system from the official Ferdium website or GitHub releases page.

Ferdium is a hard fork of Franz, meaning it started from Franz's codebase but has since evolved independently. Key differences include:

• No restrictions: Ferdium doesn't limit the number of services you can add
• Enhanced features: Additional features like workspaces, custom services, and improved privacy controls
• Active development: Regular updates and active community development
• Open source: Fully open source with community-driven improvements
• No account required: You can use Ferdium completely anonymously
• Better privacy: Enhanced privacy features and local data storage

Ferdium maintains compatibility with Franz accounts, so you can migrate your existing Franz configuration seamlessly.

Installing Ferdium on Windows is straightforward:

1. Visit the official Ferdium download page or GitHub releases
2. Download the Windows installer (.exe file)
3. Run the installer as administrator (right-click → Run as administrator)
4. Follow the installation wizard
5. Launch Ferdium from the Start menu or desktop shortcut

If Windows Defender SmartScreen blocks the installation, click "More info" and then "Run anyway". Ferdium is safe and open source, but Windows may show this warning for new applications.

No, you don't need an account to use Ferdium. Ferdium can be used completely anonymously - all your data stays on your computer and is never sent to any server.

However, if you want to sync your settings across multiple devices, you can optionally create a free Ferdium account. This enables cloud sync for your workspaces and service configurations. The account is completely optional and Ferdium works perfectly without it.

Ferdium supports over 100 services across multiple categories:

If a service isn't in the library, you can create a custom service by adding its URL. The community also constantly adds new services through the recipes repository.

Yes! This is one of Ferdium's most useful features. You can add the same service multiple times, each with a different account. This is perfect for:

• Separating work and personal accounts (e.g., Work Gmail and Personal Gmail)
• Managing multiple WhatsApp accounts
• Accessing different Slack workspaces
• Using multiple Twitter accounts
• Any service where you have multiple accounts

Each service instance can have its own name, icon, and settings. You can organize them into different workspaces for better management.

Workspaces are Ferdium's way of organizing services by context. Think of them as different "views" of your services. For example:

• Work Workspace: Contains Slack, work email, project management tools
• Personal Workspace: Contains personal WhatsApp, Gmail, social media
• Project Workspace: Contains all services related to a specific project

To create a workspace, click the workspace selector at the top of the sidebar, then click "Add Workspace". You can switch between workspaces instantly, and each workspace only shows its assigned services, reducing clutter and improving focus.

Yes, your data is completely safe with Ferdium. Here's why:

• Local Storage: All your data (services, settings, workspaces) is stored locally on your computer
• No Account Required: You can use Ferdium without creating an account, meaning no data is sent to any server
• Open Source: The code is publicly available, so you can verify its security yourself
• No Tracking: Ferdium doesn't collect usage data or track your activity
• Direct Connections: Ferdium connects directly to service websites, not through intermediate servers

If you choose to use cloud sync (optional), your data is encrypted before being sent. However, cloud sync is completely optional and you can use Ferdium entirely offline.

Ferdium doesn't store your passwords. When you sign in to a service within Ferdium, the authentication happens directly with that service's website, just like in a regular browser. Ferdium acts as a container for web-based services.

Your login sessions (cookies) are stored locally on your computer, similar to how a browser stores them. These are stored in Ferdium's data directory and are never sent to Ferdium's servers. Each service maintains its own security standards for authentication.

Ferdium is designed to be resource-efficient. Resource usage depends on how many services you have active:

• Base Application: Approximately 100-200 MB RAM when idle
• Per Active Service: 50-150 MB RAM each
• Hibernated Services: Minimal resources (5-10 MB each)

Ferdium includes smart hibernation that automatically puts inactive services to sleep, significantly reducing resource usage. You can also manually hibernate services or enable automatic hibernation in settings. This means you can have many services added without your computer slowing down.

Ferdium itself can run offline, but the services within it require internet connectivity to function. For example:

• You can open Ferdium and view cached content while offline
• Messaging services like WhatsApp or Slack require internet to send/receive messages
• Email services need internet to sync new emails
• Most productivity tools require internet connectivity

However, Ferdium doesn't require an internet connection to run the application itself. All settings, workspaces, and configurations work offline. Only the individual services need internet access, just like they would in a browser.

If a service isn't loading, try these steps in order:

1. Reload the service: Right-click the service → Reload Service (or press Cmd/Ctrl + R)
2. Clear cache: Right-click the service → Settings → Clear Cache
3. Check internet connection: Make sure your internet is working
4. Verify service status: Check if the service website is accessible in a regular browser
5. Remove and re-add: Delete the service and add it again
6. Update Ferdium: Make sure you're using the latest version

For more detailed troubleshooting, visit our troubleshooting guide.

Notification issues are usually related to system permissions:

• Check system permissions: Make sure Ferdium has notification permissions in your system settings
• Enable in Ferdium: Go to Settings → Privacy → Enable notifications
• Per-service settings: Right-click a service → Settings → Enable notifications
• Disable browser notifications: Some services have their own notification settings within the service - disable those to avoid duplicates
• Restart Ferdium: Sometimes a restart is needed after changing notification settings

On macOS, check System Preferences → Notifications. On Windows, check Settings → System → Notifications.