Do I need to install Alta Star Software to use it?

Updated

No. Alta Star Software is cloud-based, so there is nothing to install. You use both products — Alta Star Forms Online and AltaStar | Close — by logging in through a web browser. The company states the tools work on desktops, laptops, and iPad Mini, iPad, or similar tablets with a modern browser.

What "no installation" means in practice

Instead of downloading and installing a program on each computer, you open a browser, sign in, and work. That has a few practical consequences:

  • Any supported device works. Windows, Mac, iPad, and similar tablets are all listed as compatible. You are not tied to one machine.
  • You need a modern browser. The requirement is a current browser, not a specific operating system.
  • Updates happen on the provider's side. Since the software runs in the browser, you are not managing local installers or version updates yourself.

Which products this applies to

Both Alta Star products are browser-based:

Product What it's for Installation
Alta Star Forms Online Preparing Florida real estate contracts (FAR/BAR and Florida Realtors® forms) None — browser login
AltaStar | Close Creating settlement and closing statements nationwide None — browser login

What you actually need to get started

  1. A supported device — desktop, laptop, iPad Mini, iPad, or a similar tablet.
  2. A modern web browser installed on that device.
  3. A login to the product you're using. The site describes access as "just log in and go," so an account is the entry point rather than a download.

Once those are in place, the workflow is the same on every device: open the browser, log in, and start working on contracts or settlement statements.

Common points of confusion

  • "Cloud-based" doesn't mean limited features. Forms Online includes electronic signatures (Premium Edition) and patented MarkupMaster® technology; AltaStar | Close includes automatic prorations, calculations, and continuation pages for complex deals — all without a local install.
  • Tablet use is explicitly supported. The FAQ names iPad Mini, iPad, and similar tablets, so you are not restricted to a desktop.
  • No installation does not mean no account. You still need to log in; the absence of installation only removes the download step.

If your device has a modern browser and you can log in, you can run Alta Star Software without installing anything.