Overview and Signup

The Computer desktop app extends the browser experience with capabilities that require a native client: reading and writing files on your machine, running local skills, generating artifacts into a per-session working folder, and staying reachable from any application via the global keyboard shortcut (⌘+. on Mac, Ctrl+. on Windows). This article covers the desktop app in full: installation, the chat interface, the canvas, settings, skills, usage tracking, sessions, and human-in-the-loop controls.

System requirements

• macOS: macOS 12 (Monterey) or later, Apple Silicon or Intel.

• Windows: Windows 10 (64-bit, version 1903) or later.

An active internet connection is required for authentication and agent calls. Local skills may also require shell access and locally installed runtimes depending on the skill.

Install

📝 Note: If you have already installed the app by following the setup steps in the onboarding flow, you can skip to Starting a chat.

1. Download the app for your platform from the Download App prompt in the web app, from Settings → Desktop App, or directly from devrev.ai/computer/download.

2. Run the installer. On macOS, drag Computer to your Applications folder.

3. On first launch, macOS displays two permission prompts:

   • Accessibility: Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and enable Computer. This permission is required for the global keyboard shortcut and for local skill execution.

   • Local Network Access: Allow Computer to access the local network if prompted.

4. Open the app. It launches in a small Login window.

5. Choose how to sign in:

   • Email / password: Use the Login or Sign up tab.

   • Social: Sign in with Google or another configured provider.

   • SSO: Enter your organization's SSO domain.

6. If your profile is not yet complete, the Get Started questionnaire appears. Fill it in to land directly in the main window.

Auto-updates and the tray icon

The app checks for updates automatically on launch and in the background. To trigger a manual check, right-click the tray icon (system tray on Windows, menu bar on macOS) and choose Check for Updates, or use Computer → Check for Updates in the macOS app menu.

The tray icon is always present while the app is running and provides quick access to:

• Open Computer: Bring the main window to the front.

• Check for Updates: Trigger a manual update check.

Global shortcut

The global shortcut is one of the primary advantages of the desktop app: it opens a compact Computer input window from any application without switching focus away from your current work. Press the shortcut, type your request, and Computer responds in the background or in the canvas when you return to the app.

The default shortcut is ⌘+. on macOS and Ctrl+. on Windows. To change it, go to Settings → Preferences and update the Global shortcut field. On macOS, the shortcut requires Accessibility permissions, which are granted during installation.

Start a chat

When you open the app, you land on the full chat surface. It has three main areas:

• A left navigation panel with chat history.

• A central composer where you type your message.

• A right-side canvas that shows generated files, to-dos, and the artifact viewer.

Each chat has an automatically generated title. Click the title to rename it.

Window modes

The desktop app opens in Normal window mode by default, which shows the full three-panel layout: navigation, chat, and canvas. The canvas is only available in Normal window mode.

When you invoke Computer using the global keyboard shortcut (⌘+. / Ctrl+.), a compact overlay window opens. This overlay is designed for quick input and does not include the canvas or chat history panel. To access the full layout, open the main app window from the tray icon or taskbar.