Install Biller.app on your computer

Biller.app is the official Biller app for your Windows, Mac or Linux computer. Install it once on any computer at your outlet -- no terminal, no typing commands. It connects Biller to your printers, shows Biller in its own window, and tells you about new orders even when that window is closed.

Tap Download Biller.app on a computer and the download starts immediately for that computer's OS (Windows, macOS or Linux) -- no extra click needed. Downloads come from GitHub, from Biller's own releases. Guessed the wrong OS, or want a different computer's installer? The OS tabs in the same panel switch it any time. On a phone or tablet, Biller.app can't run there at all -- open biller.app on the computer connected to your printer instead, or tap Download for another computer if you need an installer link right from your phone.

The Download Biller.app dialog -- OS picker, and what to do after the "unrecognized app" warning

Windows

  1. On Admin -> Printers, tap Connect a computer (or Connect another computer), then Download Biller.app -- on a Windows computer this starts the download of BillerAppSetup.exe immediately.
  2. Windows will say the app is unrecognized -- this is expected (we haven't bought a certificate yet). Click More info, then Run anyway.
  3. Biller.app opens on its own after that. Back on Admin -> Printers, tap Show a pairing code to get a one-time 6-digit code, then type it into Biller.app.
  4. Done -- it starts automatically every time you sign in to the computer, puts its icon near the clock (system tray) and opens the Biller window, the same as double-clicking the desktop icon. Right-click the tray icon any time for Open Biller, Printers…, Open logs, Check for updates, Install update or Reset this computer.

Opening, updating and removing it on Windows

  • Open it -- Start -> Biller.app, or the desktop shortcut of the same name. There is only ever one Biller.app running: opening it again just brings the Biller window to the front.
  • Is it running? -- the tray icon near the clock is the answer. The icon is there whenever Biller.app is running, and disappears when it stops, so an icon is never a promise about something that has already quit.
  • Updates -- it checks for a newer version once a day, downloads it and checks the download is genuine, then tells you it's ready. It never installs anything by itself and never interrupts a service. When you're ready, right-click the tray icon and choose Install update. Check for updates in the same menu checks on demand.
  • Upgrading from version 1.2.0 -- installing the new version replaces it: the earlier start-up entry and shortcuts are removed, and this computer stays paired, so printing carries on.
  • Remove it -- Settings -> Apps -> Installed apps -> Biller.app -> Uninstall. That removes the app, both shortcuts, its automatic start at sign-in and this computer's saved pairing.

macOS

  1. On Admin -> Printers, tap Connect a computer (or Connect another computer), then Download Biller.app -- on a Mac this starts the download of BillerApp.pkg immediately.
  2. The first open attempt is blocked -- this is expected. Open System Settings -> Privacy & Security, scroll down to the message saying the Biller.app installer "was blocked to protect your Mac", and click Open Anyway.
  3. A confirmation dialog appears with Move to Bin / Open Anyway -- choose Open Anyway again to allow it.
  4. Back on Admin -> Printers, tap Show a pairing code to get a one-time 6-digit code, then type it into Biller.app.
  5. Done -- it starts automatically whenever you log in.

Biller.app does NOT show a Dock icon -- that's by design, not a bug. Look for a small "B" icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen (near the clock, wifi, battery icons). Click it any time for Open Biller, Printers…, Open logs, Reset this computer, Check for updates, Install update or Uninstall Biller.app…. It won't show up the normal way in Cmd+Tab, since it has no Dock icon -- the menu-bar icon is the place to find it once it's running.

If the menu item says Pair this computer, click it -- it opens the pairing page so you can connect with a fresh code.

We're a new developer team and haven't taken the (expensive) Apple Developer Program membership yet. This package only contains the connection to the cloud and local printing logic -- printing will not work without it.

Opening, updating and removing it on macOS

  • Open it -- it's in your Applications folder (and Launchpad) as Biller.app. There is only ever one copy running: opening it again brings the Biller window to the front.
  • Updates -- Check for updates in the menu-bar icon checks on demand; it also checks once a day on its own. Either way it only downloads and verifies -- it never installs anything by itself. When it's ready, the menu shows Install update (ready); click it to finish (macOS will ask for your password, same as any installer).
  • Upgrading from version 1.2.0 -- installing BillerApp.pkg removes the earlier app and installs Biller.app in its place; the computer stays paired.
  • Remove it -- click the menu-bar icon and choose Uninstall Biller.app..., then confirm. That clears this computer's saved pairing and removes the app; Biller isn't notified (use Reset this computer first if you also want Biller to forget this computer's printers).

Linux

  1. On Admin -> Printers, tap Connect a computer (or Connect another computer), then Download Biller.app -- on a Linux computer this starts the download of BillerApp-x86_64.AppImage immediately.
  2. The download is an AppImage -- right-click it, choose Properties -> Permissions, and turn on Allow executing file as program (or run chmod +x from a terminal), then double-click it to run.
  3. Back on Admin -> Printers, tap Show a pairing code to get a one-time 6-digit code, then type it into Biller.app.
  4. Done -- it starts automatically whenever you log in, and adds itself to your applications menu the first time it runs. Look for its icon in your system tray -- click it any time for Open Biller, Printers…, Open logs, Check for updates, Install update or Uninstall this computer. A desktop with no tray support (a headless print server, a Raspberry Pi) still prints -- it just skips the icon (and the applications-menu entry, since there's no menu to add it to).

Opening, updating and removing it on Linux

  • Updates -- Check for updates in the tray checks on demand (and once a day on its own); it only downloads and verifies. Install update finishes it once it's ready.
  • Remove it -- the tray's Uninstall this computer clears this computer's saved pairing (asks first; Biller isn't notified). To remove the app itself: delete the AppImage file, or if you installed the .deb, sudo apt purge biller-print-agent (remove instead of purge keeps the saved pairing).

Open Biller from the tray

The first item in Biller.app's tray (or menu-bar) menu is Open Biller. It opens Biller in its own window -- no tabs, no address bar -- using Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, or your default browser when neither is installed. It opens whichever Biller this computer is paired with, and you sign in there once like on any browser. Opening it again never starts a second copy -- it brings the window you already have to the front.

When the window finds Biller.app on this computer, its title shows your outlet and how many printers answer, for example Biller — Demo Diner · Printers connected: 2. A printer that is switched off or unplugged drops out of that count, so you can see it before the first bill.

The first time, Chrome or Edge may ask whether Biller.app may find devices on your local network (or access other apps and services on this device). Choose Allow -- that is how the window reaches Biller.app. If you choose Block, receipts still print, but through the Biller server instead, which needs the internet. Biller in an ordinary browser tab never asks this, and keeps printing exactly as it does today.

Reset this computer also signs this window out of Biller.

Printers…: set up printers from the tray

Choose Printers… in the tray (or menu-bar) menu to open the printer setup page for this computer, in its own window. Before this computer is paired, the same menu item reads Pair this computer and opens the pairing page. Setup needs an internet connection, because the printers you add are saved to your Biller account. After that first setup, printing to those printers no longer needs the internet (see What works offline).

The setup page also finds any printer already connected to the computer. If it found one, pick it from the list, give it a name, choose what it's used for (bills, kitchen tickets, or both), and pick its paper width -- one submit finishes both pairing AND adding that printer, so there's usually nothing left to do on Admin -> Printers afterward. No printer found yet, or want to add another one later? Choose Set up later and see Printers & printing setup for adding printers from that screen instead.

On Admin -> Printers in the Biller.app window, Set up on this computer opens the same page. If you reload the page or reopen it later and it looks like it's reconnecting, wait a moment -- it updates itself automatically once Biller.app is back in touch with Biller.

Notifications on your computer

While Biller.app is running, Biller sends new-order and other alerts straight to it, and Biller.app shows them as native Windows or Mac toasts -- even when the Biller window is closed. Click a toast to open Biller at that screen, for example the new bill.

The first time the Biller.app window opens on a computer, it registers that computer for these alerts for the person signed in. Signing out or switching outlet in that window stops them, so the next person never sees someone else's alerts. From then on, browser notifications for this computer's browser stop, so you don't get every alert twice.

If Biller.app is not running, nothing changes for your other devices: phones, tablets and other computers keep getting their notifications as before. This computer just has no alerts until Biller.app is running again, so keep it running (it starts by itself when you sign in) if you want alerts with the window closed.

On a Mac, the app is not yet signed, so macOS may show a plain notification instead. It still tells you what happened, but clicking it cannot open the bill -- open Biller.app yourself. On Linux, clicking a notification does not open the bill either; open Biller from the tray.

What works offline

Biller.app keeps the last 5 days of your outlet's data on the computer, so a dropped internet connection doesn't stop the counter:

  • Open bills open and read as normal, using what was last loaded.
  • Printing to printers saved on this PC (the ones you set up through Biller.app here) keeps working with no internet, because the receipt goes from the Biller window straight to the printer through this computer.
  • New bills can be started, saved and finished while offline, the same as on biller.app in a browser. A bill finished offline takes its invoice number from this computer's own series and syncs when you're back online.
  • A Bluetooth printer on a phone prints the receipt with no internet too. A printer saved on a different PC prints through the Biller server, so it needs the internet.
  • Kitchen tickets (KOT) still need the internet; send them once you reconnect.
  • Setting up a printer for the first time needs the internet too.

Stuck on "paired, but not connected"?

If Admin -> Printers still shows a computer as not connected, open the menu on its line in the status card and choose Pair <that computer> again for a fresh 6-digit code, or Unpair <that computer> to remove it and start over with a clean install. Unpairing one computer doesn't affect any others paired to the same outlet.

Picked the wrong printer driver, or a test print does nothing

Some computers list the same physical printer twice, under two different drivers -- picking the wrong one won't show an error, it'll just look like nothing happened. If a test print doesn't come out:

  1. On Admin -> Printers, tap the printer and choose Change driver from the "didn't print?" prompt after a test print, or open the printer's edit screen directly.
  2. Pick the OTHER detected printer for the same device and save, then try a test print again.
  3. Removing a printer works from the same edit screen, or the delete (trash) icon on Admin -> Printers.

Brand-new printer, and signing in

A printer you have just unboxed usually has no driver on the computer yet. Biller.app finds that printer anyway and marks it as needing a driver, so a new printer shows up in the list instead of an empty "no printers found" page.

Some receipt printers can print straight away, with no driver install at all -- Biller.app talks to them directly. If yours is one of these, it appears in the setup list by its name (not a technical address), and a test print works right after you pick it.

While you are signing Biller.app in:

  • Reloading the page, or going back, keeps showing the approval you are waiting for. It never lands on a "Page not found" screen.
  • The waiting screen has a Start over button, so an approval that never arrives is no longer a dead end.
  • Biller.app's window carries the Biller icon, so it is easy to find in the taskbar.