Official desktop app

Hermes Desktop

Name: Hermes Agent
Author: Nous Research

Hermes Desktop is Nous Research's native app for Hermes Agent on macOS (Apple Silicon) and Windows. It is not a separate product: it drives the same agent as the CLI, with the same config, keys, sessions, skills, and memory — so anything you set up in the terminal is already there. It includes Bot Mode and can connect to Hermes running on another machine or in Hermes Cloud.

Download for macOS (Apple Silicon)Download for Windows GitHub releases

Buttons open the official Nous Research download page. Free and MIT-licensed. Linux has no packaged release: install the CLI, then run hermes desktop to build and launch the app. Intel Macs are not supported by the macOS installer. Checked September 26, 2026.

Which download is which?

Hermes-Setup (.dmg / .exe) — what the Desktop page links today. The docs call it a bootstrap installer: it downloads a source install and builds the app on first run.
Bundled packages — a macOS DMG (copy Hermes.app to Applications) and a Windows .appinstaller MSIX bundle that includes Python, Node, and prebuilt interfaces, so first launch does not build anything. The MSIX needs Windows 11 22H2 or later. A Microsoft Store variant updates through the Store.
Already installed the CLI? hermes desktop builds and opens the app against your existing ~/.hermes.

Launch or build Desktop from the CLI

bash

$hermes desktop

Full platform notes: install Hermes Agent.

What Desktop adds over the terminal

Bot Mode (built in)

A Bots tab next to Sessions shows every profile as a named bot with its own chat, model, memory, skills, and routines. Bots can @mention and message each other.

Preview rail and artifacts

Render web pages, files, and tool outputs beside the chat; drag files anywhere in the chat to attach them.

In-app browser the agent can drive

Since v0.21.0 the agent can navigate, click, and read pages in Desktop's own browser tab while you watch.

Memory Graph

A zoomable map of learned memories and skills with a timeline and All / Used / Learned filters; edit or delete nodes from the /journey panel.

Quick Entry hotkey

A small composer summoned from anywhere. Enable it in Settings → Advanced → Quick Entry; the default shortcut is Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Space.

Simple or Advanced interface

Simple mode is chat-first and hides the terminal, file browser, and technical tool views; Advanced (the default) keeps everything visible.

Voice

Talk to Hermes and hear it back using the same voice mode as the other surfaces.

Terminal, files, and git review

A built-in terminal, file browser, and review/worktree panes for coding work, alongside tabs and split panes for several conversations at once.

Local, remote, or Hermes Cloud backend

The app is a client. By default it starts and manages its own local Hermes backend. Under Settings → Gateways → Connection mode you can instead choose:

Remote gateway — the URL of a hermes serve backend on a VPS or home server (default port 9119), then sign in. The backend needs an auth provider when bound to a non-loopback address; the docs recommend a private network such as Tailscale rather than the open internet. Setup details: Hermes dashboard remote access.
Hermes Cloud — sign in once and pick one of your cloud agents; no URL needed.

Chat runs over WebSocket endpoints (/api/ws and /api/pty). Messaging platforms such as Telegram run in a separate hermes gateway process that you keep running on the remote host. A laptop-local backend pauses when the laptop sleeps — for always-on use, see Hermes hosting options.

Desktop vs. terminal vs. dashboard vs. gateway

All of them share sessions, skills, memory, and config when they use the same Hermes home and profile.

Aspect	Desktop	CLI / TUI	Web dashboard	Messaging gateway
Best for	App-based chat, multi-agent work	Terminal work, scripting	Admin from any browser	Phones and team chats
Launch	App or `hermes desktop`	`hermes` / `hermes --tui`	`hermes dashboard`	`hermes gateway`
Memory	Memory Graph	`hermes journey`, files	Reset built-in stores	Agent updates it
Runs while away	Only if its backend is always on	No	While the server runs	Yes, when supervised as a service

Not tested by this site: This page summarizes the official Hermes Desktop documentation and release notes; we have not reviewed Desktop hands-on for performance or stability.

Sources: Hermes Desktop, Installation, Windows (Native) (official docs).

Next: connect a model

Desktop needs a provider like any other surface — Nous Portal, a subscription, an API key, or a local model.

Bot Mode Models & providers →