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Documentation Getting started Setting up Sketch

Setting up Sketch

Last updated on 19 May 2026

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Welcome to Sketch! Here’s everything you need to get up and running, starting with a 30-day free trial.

System requirements

Sketch runs on macOS only and is not supported in virtual machines (VM). Check the releases page to find the macOS version required for a specific version of Sketch — and to download a version that works with your system.

Although there are no specific requirements for RAM or processor speed, the more complex your documents, the more you’ll benefit from extra memory, CPU, and GPU power.

Some features have additional requirements:

  • Signing in as an Editor: Sketch 65 or later
  • Real-time collaboration: Sketch 71 or later, plus an active subscription
  • Single Sign-On (SSO): Professional plan, macOS 10.15, and Sketch 70.2 or later

Starting your Sketch trial

Are you a student, teacher, or part of an academic institution? Sketch is free for education. Verify your status before starting a trial.

Every Sketch trial starts with creating an account and Workspace so you can explore the Mac app and web collaboration tools. Learn more about our 30-day trial.

  1. Download and install the Mac app. If you’re unsure whether your Mac is supported, check system requirements.

  2. Create your account by signing in with Apple, Google, or your email address. If you sign up with email, enter your name and create a password on the next screen.

    An image showing the Sketch account creation screen

    Create your account by signing in with Apple, Google, or your email address

  3. Verify your email address to start using Sketch. We’ll automatically create a Workspace for you — a shared space for your documents and team — that you can manage through the web app. You’ll be assigned as an Admin and as an Editor. You can change your role at any point.
  4. And you’re done! You’ll have 30 days to try Sketch for free without adding payment details. To keep using your Workspace after the 30-day trial, choose a monthly or yearly subscription — or even a Mac-only license (in case you don’t want a Workspace). If you cancel your subscription before the trial ends, we won’t charge you anything.

Already have an account? Sign in with Apple, Google, or your email and password. If your Workspace uses SSO, select Continue with SSO instead. To sign out or switch accounts, click your avatar at the top of the sidebar and choose Sign Out.

Getting started

With your account ready, here are some good places to start.

Tutorial Start right away with this step-by-step tutorial
Open in Sketch

Installing the iOS app

With a subscription, you also get access to Sketch — View & Mirror, our iOS app. Use it on your iPhone or iPad to browse Workspaces, view documents, test prototypes, and mirror designs as you edit them in the Mac app. See the iOS app docs for how to install it, requirements, and what you can do with it.

Two iPhones showing the Sketch iOS app — one displaying the All Documents view, the other showing a document open

Browse your documents and open them on iPhone or iPad with the Sketch iOS app

Using Sketch in another language

The Mac app is available in English, Simplified Chinese, and Spanish. It will automatically follow your system language if set to one of these — or you can change the language for Sketch only without affecting the rest of your system. The web app and documentation are only available in English.

To change the system language, follow Apple’s instructions for your macOS version. To change the language for Sketch only, without affecting the rest of your system:

  1. Quit the Mac app.
  2. Go to Apple menu > System Settings > General > Language & Region.
  3. Under Applications, click +, select Sketch, and choose your preferred language.
  4. Restart Sketch.

When a document is created with the language set to Spanish or Chinese, default layer and page names are written in that language. Other collaborators using English won’t see these names translated.

Subscription or license?

Once your trial ends, there are two ways to keep going.

A subscription gives you everything — the Mac app, web app, iOS app, and a Workspace to share documents with your team. You can pay monthly or yearly, and a yearly plan saves you a year. Need SSO, invoice billing, or advanced permissions? We also offer a Professional plan.

If you just need the Mac app, a Mac-only license gives you a full year of access without a Workspace — documents are saved locally and real-time collaboration isn’t included.

See the pricing page for a full comparison.

Community and beta

Join our Community Discord to ask questions, share your work, report bugs, get news firsthand, and chat with the Sketch team.

If you want to test new features before they ship, download the Sketch beta app. You’ll need an active subscription or license to use it. Each release goes through a beta period before shipping — the Discord is the best place to share feedback. Check the changelog to see what’s new in every release.