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To start Old School RuneScape (OSRS), create a Jagex account, install the official client on Windows or macOS—or the official app on Android or iOS—and sign in with the same account on every device. Begin in free-to-play, finish Tutorial Island, and decide about membership only after you know you want the members-only content. RuneLite is optional and can be installed safely through the Jagex Launcher.
What you are installing
Old School RuneScape is the version of RuneScape that Jagex launched in 2013. It is a separate game profile from modern RuneScape: characters, progress and items do not transfer between the two games. When you create or select an OSRS character, make sure the game title in the launcher or app is Old School RuneScape, not modern RuneScape.
You do not need a paid subscription to create an account or start playing. The official app describes free-to-play as a way to begin, with membership available later to unlock the full MMORPG experience. That makes free-to-play the sensible starting point for a new player who has not yet decided whether OSRS suits them.
Create the right account before installing anything
Start with a Jagex account
- Open Jagex’s official account-start page and choose New account if you are creating your first character.
- Register with an email address you can access long term. Use a unique, strong password and protect the email account as carefully as the game account.
- Finish the verification and account setup screens, then use that Jagex account when you install the desktop client or mobile app.
Jagex warns that upgrading or importing an existing character to a Jagex account replaces the old RuneScape login details. Its support guidance says, “Once you’ve upgraded your character there’s no going back,” so check the email address and character you are attaching before confirming. A Jagex account can hold up to 20 RuneScape characters, but linked characters cannot later be removed. If you only want one new OSRS character, creating a new Jagex account and adding the intended character is the least confusing route.
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Do not make a second login for your phone
OSRS supports one account on desktop and mobile. The phone or tablet should use the same Jagex login as the PC. Creating a second account can leave your progress on the wrong character and does not provide a way to merge inventories or progress later.
Install OSRS on Windows or macOS
Use the Jagex Launcher
- Download the official Jagex Launcher for Windows or macOS from Jagex.
- Install and open the Launcher, then sign in with your Jagex account.
- Select Old School RuneScape from the game library.
- Choose the official OSRS client and let the Launcher complete the download.
- Press Play, sign in if prompted, and create or select the OSRS character attached to your account.
The Launcher is Jagex’s unified desktop library. Starting with the official client keeps the first launch simple and gives you a known-good baseline for troubleshooting. Let the Launcher finish updates before assuming the game will not start; interrupting an update can leave an incomplete installation.
Install RuneLite only if you want its optional features
RuneLite is an optional desktop client. Jagex documents an integrated installation path: open the Jagex Launcher, open the Play dropdown beside Old School RuneScape, select RuneLite, and allow the Launcher to download it. Jagex describes this as installing and launching RuneLite via the Launcher.
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Install OSRS on Android or iPhone and iPad
Android
- Open Google Play on the Android device.
- Search for the official Old School RuneScape app and verify that it is the Jagex-published app before installing.
- Open the app, sign in with the same Jagex account used on your PC, and choose the OSRS character you want to play.
iPhone and iPad
- Open the Apple App Store.
- Find the official Old School RuneScape app and check its publisher before downloading.
- Launch it and sign in with the same Jagex account as your desktop installation.
The official listing states that OSRS works on mobile and desktop with one account. Your character is therefore available wherever you have a supported device and a reliable connection; there is no separate mobile-only progression to maintain.
Check whether your computer or phone is supported
Jagex’s published OSRS requirements can change, so use its current support page as the final check. The versions and memory figures below are the published guidance in the supplied requirements information, not a promise that every older device will deliver identical performance.
| Platform | Operating-system version listed by Jagex | RAM listed | Client storage listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Windows 10 64-bit or newer | 8 GB | About 200 MB |
| Mac | macOS 11 (Big Sur) or newer | 4 GB | About 200 MB |
| Android | Android 9 (Pie) or newer | 4 GB | About 200 MB |
| iPhone or iPad | iOS 13 or newer | 3 GB | About 200 MB |
These figures describe the official OSRS client or app. They do not establish a specific frame rate, battery life or temperature for every model. Leave additional free space for operating-system updates and temporary files, and keep the device’s software current before troubleshooting the game.
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Complete the first session in the right order
1. Launch the game and choose the intended character
On desktop, start OSRS from the Jagex Launcher. On mobile, open the official app. Confirm the account email and character name before entering the game, especially if your Jagex account contains more than one character.
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2. Finish Tutorial Island
Tutorial Island is the opening tutorial. Complete it instead of judging the game from the login screen or leaving immediately after character creation. It establishes the basic interaction flow and gives you a controlled first experience before you explore on your own.
3. Stay free-to-play while you learn the loop
Free-to-play is sufficient to begin. Spend time learning how the interface, world and progression feel on the official client. If you stop enjoying the game during this period, you have not paid for membership you will not use.
4. Add a second device only after the first login works
Once the character loads correctly on PC or mobile, install the app on the other platform and sign in with the same credentials. This sequence makes it easier to tell whether a problem is an account-selection issue or a device-installation issue.
Free-to-play and membership: when to upgrade
What free-to-play gives you
Free-to-play lets you create the account, complete the opening tutorial and begin the OSRS adventure without a membership purchase. It is not a trial login that expires automatically; it is the appropriate starting mode for evaluating the game.
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What membership changes
Membership unlocks the expanded MMORPG experience described in the official app listing. Treat it as an expansion decision rather than a prerequisite for account creation, installation or the first tutorial.
How the character selection affects a purchase
Jagex’s account support guidance says purchases are made for a selected character, and a membership purchase applies to RuneScape and Old School RuneScape for that character. Before paying, select the exact character you intend to play. If your account contains several characters, do not assume a purchase made for one automatically applies to all of them.
Membership prices vary by currency and can change. The authoritative pages used for this guide do not provide a complete region-by-region price table for a single date, so check the live Jagex checkout for the amount and payment options shown in your country before confirming.
PC or mobile: choose the device that fits the activity
| Consideration | PC with official client or RuneLite | Android or iOS app |
|---|---|---|
| Screen and controls | Larger display and a mouse-and-keyboard interface generally make small interface targets and extended sessions easier to manage. | Touch controls are convenient but provide less screen area and input precision. |
| Portability | Best when you are seated at a desk or want a stable, wired setup. | Lets you use the same character away from the desk. |
| Power and heat | Usually draws power from the computer; a laptop can still warm up during long sessions. | Uses battery and may generate heat, particularly on older phones. |
| Client choice | You can use the official client or install RuneLite through the Jagex Launcher. | Use the official app; the documented RuneLite integration is for the desktop Launcher. |
| Progress | Uses the same character as mobile when you sign in to the same account. | Uses the same character as desktop when you sign in to the same account. |
A practical arrangement is to learn on the larger PC screen and use mobile when portability matters. Nothing in that arrangement requires a second character or a separate membership purchase for the same selected character.
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Official-client versus RuneLite
| Question | Official OSRS client | RuneLite through the Jagex Launcher |
|---|---|---|
| Best first launch? | Yes. It has the fewest choices and establishes a simple baseline. | Optional. Choose it when you already know you want its additional interface or plugin features. |
| Features | Core OSRS interface and gameplay. | Additional plugin and interface features, subject to RuneLite’s supported configuration. |
| Installation path | Select Old School RuneScape in the Jagex Launcher and choose the official client. | Open the Launcher’s Play dropdown and select RuneLite. |
| Support and updates | Delivered through the official Jagex Launcher and client. | Jagex documents launching it through the Launcher, which provides the supported entry point. |
If a problem appears in RuneLite, switch temporarily to the official client. That comparison tells you whether the issue is account or network related, or specific to the optional client.
Download and account-safety rules
- Use Jagex-owned download and support pages for the Launcher and desktop clients.
- Install mobile OSRS only from Google Play or the Apple App Store, and verify the publisher shown by the store.
- Use the Jagex Launcher route for RuneLite instead of a third-party installer.
- Never enter your Jagex email address or password into a site that is not an official Jagex login page.
- Be suspicious of “free membership,” account-recovery or giveaway pages that ask for credentials.
- Keep your email account secure because it is the recovery route for your Jagex account.
Troubleshoot the most common first-day problems
The game does not install or launch on Windows
- Check that the computer meets the published Windows 10 64-bit-or-newer and 8 GB RAM guidance.
- Restart the Jagex Launcher and let any pending client update finish.
- Confirm that you selected Old School RuneScape, not modern RuneScape.
- Try the official client before testing RuneLite. If the official client works, the problem is likely isolated to the optional client or its configuration.
The Mac, Android device or iPhone cannot run the app
Check the operating-system version first: macOS 11 or newer, Android 9 or newer, and iOS 13 or newer are the published platform versions. Also compare the listed RAM guidance—4 GB for Mac and Android, and 3 GB for iOS—and free roughly 200 MB for the client. A device that meets only the version requirement but is nearly full or heavily loaded may still have installation or stability problems.
The character appears on one device but not the other
- Sign out on the device showing the wrong character.
- Sign back in with the exact same Jagex account email used on the working device.
- Check the character-selection screen; an account can contain multiple characters.
- Do not create another character until you have confirmed which existing character holds your progress.
You are unsure whether to buy membership
Continue in free-to-play until you have completed Tutorial Island and know that you want the expanded members experience. If you do purchase, verify the selected character and the currency-specific amount in the live Jagex checkout first.
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A simple first-week setup
- Day one: Create the Jagex account, install the official client or app, sign in, and complete Tutorial Island.
- Early sessions: Use free-to-play on the device that feels most comfortable. Keep the official client while you learn the interface.
- Cross-device check: Sign in on the second platform with the same account and confirm that the intended character loads.
- Optional desktop upgrade: If you want extra interface or plugin features, install RuneLite from the Launcher’s Play dropdown.
- Membership decision: Review the members content you actually want, then buy for the selected character only if the expansion justifies the cost shown in your region.
Key facts to remember
- OSRS and modern RuneScape are separate games with separate progress.
- One Jagex account can be used on PC, Mac, Android, iPhone and iPad when the same login is used.
- Free-to-play is enough to begin; membership can wait.
- Windows 10 64-bit, macOS 11, Android 9 and iOS 13 are the published platform baselines in Jagex’s requirements guidance.
- The Jagex Launcher is the supported desktop route for both the official client and RuneLite.
- Character linking and membership purchases are account-selection decisions, so verify the character before confirming either.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
