Linux digital signage.
One AppImage for x86_64 Linux: make it executable, run it, pair it with a code, and manage the screen from your browser.
A signage player for the Linux boxes you already run
Linux is a natural fit for digital signage: it's free, it runs well on modest hardware, and IT teams know how to keep it locked down. A small x86 mini PC or an old desktop running Ubuntu makes a stable, low-cost player that you never need to license.
The CastWize Linux player is a single AppImage. There's nothing to install: make the file executable and run it. It opens a full-screen kiosk window, shows a pairing code, adds itself to your desktop session's autostart, and a watchdog relaunches it if it hangs. New stable versions update silently in the background.
The player also handles a detail that trips up many Electron apps on current Ubuntu: on Ubuntu 23.10 and later (including 24.04 LTS), where AppArmor blocks the usual Chromium sandbox, the AppImage still starts normally.
Who a Linux player suits
IT teams standardised on Linux
Use your usual distribution, user accounts and remote tools; the player is just one more app.
Low-cost mini PCs
An Intel N-series or Celeron mini PC with Ubuntu is an inexpensive, capable player.
Schools and public buildings
No per-device OS licence, and hardware that can be reused for years.
How to set up a Linux signage player
- 1
Download the AppImage
Get the Linux player from the CastWize support page.
- 2
Make it executable
Run chmod +x on the downloaded file (or tick "Allow executing file as program" in your file manager).
- 3
Run it and note the code
The player opens full screen with a 6-character pairing code, valid for 15 minutes.
- 4
Add the screen in Studio
In CastWize Studio, go to Screens → Add screen and type the code. The screen comes online and plays whatever you assign.
- 5
Set up unattended running
Turn on automatic login for the signage user and switch off screen blanking. The player adds itself to the session's autostart, so it comes back after a reboot.
What the Linux player does
- Full-screen kiosk window
- Your content fills the display; no panels or browser bars.
- Autostart at login
- An autostart entry is added for the desktop session on the first run.
- Silent automatic updates
- On x86_64 Linux, new stable releases download and install themselves.
- Watchdog relaunch
- A separate process restarts the player if it hangs.
- Keeps playing through internet drops
- Media is cached locally (500 MB, checksum-verified, resumable downloads).
- Remote screenshots
- See what's on screen from Studio.
Requirements and limits
- x86_64 Linux: Ubuntu 20.04 or later, or an equivalent glibc-based distribution with a desktop session.
- At least a dual-core x64 processor, 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended) and 4 GB of free disk space for the cache.
- The player stores its device token in the system keyring. A bare kiosk session without a desktop environment may need gnome-keyring or an equivalent installed.
- This build is not for ARM boards. For a Raspberry Pi, use the separate Raspberry Pi download.
- One player drives one screen, and video plays muted.
- After a restart with no internet connection, the player needs to reconnect before it plays again.
Pricing
One flat plan: $5 per screen per month, every feature and every player included, no tiers and no contract. Your first screen is free for 30 days with no credit card. See the pricing page for the calculator.
Linux: FAQs
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Ready to put your first screen up?
$5/screen/month, first screen free for 30 days, no credit card required.