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Overview

The GAIA desktop app gives you everything from the web — chat, workflows, calendar, integrations — in a dedicated window that lives outside your browser tabs. It’s built on Electron and uses the same UI you already know, so there’s no learning curve. Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux (x64 and ARM64).

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Download and Install

1

Get the installer

Go to heygaia.io/download and pick the installer for your OS:
  • macOS — .dmg (Intel or Apple Silicon)
  • Windows — .exe installer or portable .exe
  • Linux — .AppImage, .deb, or .rpm
2

Run the installer

Open the downloaded file and follow the prompts. On macOS, drag GAIA into your Applications folder. On Windows, you can pick a custom install location during setup.
3

Sign in

On first launch, GAIA opens a login screen. Click Sign In and your default browser handles the rest. Once you authenticate, the app picks up your session automatically via a secure deep link — no tokens to copy, no passwords to paste.
On macOS, if you see “GAIA can’t be opened because it is from an unidentified developer,” go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.

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Key Features

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Native Authentication

Sign-in works through the gaia:// deep-link protocol. Your browser handles OAuth, then passes your session back to the app. You never touch a token manually.

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Automatic Updates

Every time you launch GAIA, it checks for updates in the background. When a new version is ready, you get a prompt. You can restart right away or wait until the next time you quit — your call.
Updates come through GitHub Releases. If your company network blocks GitHub, add github.com to your allowlist so updates can get through.

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Splash Screen

A splash screen appears on startup while the app’s internal server gets ready. The main window opens once everything is loaded — usually within a few seconds.

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Dedicated Window

GAIA runs in its own window with a clean title bar (hidden inset style on macOS). External links open in your default browser, so your GAIA window stays focused on your work.

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Desktop vs. Web

FeatureWebDesktop
Chat, workflows, calendar, integrationsYesYes
Runs in a browser tabYesNo
Native OS authentication (deep link)NoYes
Automatic updatesN/A (always latest)Yes
Works offline (cached content)PartialPartial
Dedicated window with minimal chromeNoYes
Available on Linux as .deb / .rpm / .AppImageN/AYes
The desktop app renders the same UI as the web app. Every feature at app.heygaia.io is available in the desktop version.

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Tips for Power Users

Keep it running

GAIA stays out of your way as a standalone window. On macOS, closing all windows keeps the app alive in the Dock — click the icon to bring it back instantly.

Use keyboard shortcuts

Every keyboard shortcut from the web app works here too. Press / in chat to open the command palette, or use standard OS shortcuts like Cmd+T / Ctrl+T for new tabs where supported.

Check your version

Reporting a bug? Find your app version in Settings and share it with support so they can reproduce the issue on the exact build you’re running.

Reset if stuck

If the app won’t load after an update, delete the app data folder and relaunch. On macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/GAIA. On Windows: %APPDATA%/GAIA. On Linux: ~/.config/GAIA.
Deleting app data signs you out and clears local caches. You’ll need to sign in again after.

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Troubleshooting

App shows a blank screen after launch — The internal server may still be starting. Wait up to 15 seconds, then quit and relaunch if it persists. Check that nothing else is using ports 5174–5180. “Update available” prompt never appears — Make sure your network allows outbound HTTPS to github.com. Corporate proxies or firewalls can block the update check. OAuth sign-in doesn’t redirect back to the app — The gaia:// protocol needs to be registered with your OS. On Linux, this requires a .desktop file entry, which the .deb and .rpm installers handle automatically. If you’re using the AppImage, launch the app once so it can register the protocol handler.