HELP FILE

Steps for Installing on Windows

Installing the full-featured GoToWebinar desktop app onto your computer allows you to get the most out of your meetings. Note that when you start or join a webinar, the GoToWebinar software download will begin automatically unless you are on an unsupported system or if the organizer has scheduled a Webcast webinar. In that case, you will be taken to the browser-based Web App.

If you are on a Mac computer, see Steps for Installing on Mac.

About the installation package

Once the desktop app is installed, you will be able to join and start future webinars more quickly by avoiding the extended download process. When you install GoToWebinar, you will download two components.

  • GoToWebinar desktop app – This is the main software that you use to join and start webinars.
  • GoTo Opener – This is the "helper" application that launches you into active webinars.

Download the desktop app

To save you time, we've designed the desktop software to automatically install itself when you join a session. When you click Download below, you will be launched into the waiting room of a test meeting.

Important: This is not a live session. As soon as you see the "Waiting for Olivia the Organizer" screen, you can close the app.

Windows

Mac

  1. Organizers can also start a webinar (or attendees can join a webinar) to initiate the software download. Once the web browser launches, you will see the following: 

    • If the GoTo Opener application is not installed (either first time joining or it was removed), then the GoToWebinar Opener.exe file will automatically start downloading. Continue to Step #2.
    • If the GoTo Opener application is already installed, then some or all of the following steps will be skipped. The web browser will automatically start the Opener app, which will then launch the GoToWebinar app (or install it again, if needed). Skip down to Run the desktop app once installed for more details.

  2. If the GoTo Opener application is not already installed, then the GoToWebinar Opener.exe file will automatically begin downloading. Depending on which web browser you are running, you can complete the download as follows:

    • Mozillea Firefox - Click Save File when prompted by the "Opening GoToWebinar Opener.exe" dialog (click restart the download in the browser window if needed). Click the Dowloads button in the tooler and select GoToWebinar Opener.exe, then click Run if prompted.

    • Google Chrome - When the download finishes, click GoToWebinar Opener.exe at the bottom of the page to open the file (click restart the download in the browser window if needed). Click Run when prompted.

    • Internet Explorer - Click Run when prompted (click launch GoToWebinar again in the browser window if needed).

  3. The GoTo Opener application will be automatically installed, along with the Web Deployment browser plugin (click Yes if prompted by User Account Control). GoToWebinar will be automatically launched.
  4. Once the download is done, you'll be able to join future webinars even faster! See Run the desktop app once installed for more information about joining future webinars.

    Note: If customers remove the GoTo Opener application at a later time, they'll need to go through the entire download process again. We don’t recommend that customers do this if they frequently join support sessions, as they will lose the benefit of faster join times.

Run the desktop app once installed

Once the GoTo Opener application has been installed, you will not need to download it again (unless you remove it). The next time you join a webinar, you'll be prompted with additional dialogs from the web browser requesting permission to start the GoTo Opener and/or GoToWebinar app on your behalf.
  • Mozilla Firefox - You may be prompted to choose an application to use (either the GoTo Opener application or the GoToWebinar application). Select the "Remember my choice for GoTo opener links" checkbox to avoid being prompted by the dialog again when joining future sessions and click OK. The GoTo Opener app will start as shown in Step #3 above.
  • Google Chrome - Chrome may request your permission to open an external application (i.e., the GoTo opener application or the GoToWebinar desktop app) by prompting you with an "External Protocol Request". Select the "Rememebr my choice for GoTo Opener links" checkbox to avoid being prompted by the dialog again when joining future sessions and click Open GoTo Opener. The GoTo Opener app will start as shown as Step #3 above.
  • Internet Explorer - If you're running Internet Explorer v9 or newer, you will not be prompted by any additional dialogs. If you're running Internet Explorer v8 or older, you will be prompted to manually launch the applications. Click Launch GoToWebinar in the web browser and Run in the Application Run dialog. The GoTo Opener will start as shown as Step #3 above.