Setup & Workflow

How to Set Up LaTeX on a New Mac or Windows Machine in 2026

Setting up LaTeX locally requires two things: a TeX distribution (the compiler and packages) and an editor. This guide covers the quickest path on both macOS and Windows in 2026. Or skip it all and use Bibby AI in your browser — no installation needed!

macOS: Install MacTeX

MacTeX is the standard TeX distribution for Mac. It includes TeX Live, LaTeXiT, and other tools:

# Option 1: Homebrew (recommended)
brew install --cask mactex

# Option 2: Download from tug.org
# https://www.tug.org/mactex/
# ~5 GB download, installs everything

# Verify installation:
pdflatex --version
# Should show: pdfTeX 3.x (TeX Live 2026)

Windows: Install MiKTeX or TeX Live

On Windows you have two choices — MiKTeX (auto-installs packages) or TeX Live (complete upfront install):

# MiKTeX (smaller initial download, installs packages on demand):
# Download from https://miktex.org/download
# Run the installer, choose "Install missing packages on the fly"

# TeX Live (complete install, ~5 GB):
# Download from https://www.tug.org/texlive/
# Run install-tl-windows.bat

# Verify:
pdflatex --version

Choose an Editor

After installing the TeX distribution, pick an editor:

% Recommended editors:
%
% 1. Bibby AI (browser) — https://trybibby.com
%    No local install needed, AI-powered
%
% 2. VS Code + LaTeX Workshop extension
%    Install from VS Code marketplace
%
% 3. TeXstudio — https://www.texstudio.org/
%    Dedicated LaTeX IDE
%
% Quick test — create test.tex:
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
LaTeX is working!
\end{document}
% Compile: pdflatex test.tex

💡 Tips

•If you just want to start writing immediately, use Bibby AI — zero setup time
•MacTeX/TeX Live 2026 includes everything; MiKTeX downloads packages as needed
•On Windows, add MiKTeX to your PATH if terminal commands don't work
•Run 'tlmgr update --self --all' periodically to keep TeX Live packages current

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