The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app is the signed Windows package of Hermes Agent and Hermes Desktop, the free, open-source AI agent from Nous Research, and you install it from the Store like any other Windows app.
The official listing is Hermes Agent on the Microsoft Store, the publisher is Nous Research Inc., and it costs nothing.
It needs Windows 11 version 22H2 or newer, it ships for both x64 and ARM64 PCs, and it carries its own Python and Node so the first launch builds nothing.
Once it's installed, the Microsoft Store keeps it updated for you.
This page is the operator walkthrough, so you'll get the exact requirements, the four install steps, how updates and the command line work, and how to get your first model running.
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Hermes Agent Microsoft Store At A Glance
Here are the facts I checked on the Store listing, the Hermes docs and the official release notes before writing this.
| Question | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| What is it? | It is the signed MSIX package of Hermes Agent and Hermes Desktop for Windows, sold through the Microsoft Store. |
| Who publishes it? | The Store lists Nous Research Inc. as both the publisher and the developer. |
| What does it cost? | The listing says it is free, and Hermes Agent itself is open source under the MIT licence. |
| Which Windows do I need? | The docs say Windows 11 22H2 or later, and the listing says Windows 11 version 22621.0 or higher. |
| Which PCs does it run on? | The Store offers x64 and ARM64 builds. |
| How big is it? | The listing puts the approximate download at about 4.3 GB. |
| What's inside? | The package includes Python, Node, supported dependencies and prebuilt interfaces, so first launch builds nothing. |
| How does it update? | Store installs update through the Microsoft Store. |
| When did it change? | v0.22.0 made the Windows desktop MSIX-only, and v0.22.3 made the Store build go live automatically when a release publishes. |
What The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store App Actually Is
Hermes Agent is Nous Research's open-source, self-improving AI agent, with persistent memory, skills it creates for itself and a messaging gateway for apps like Telegram, Discord and Slack.
Hermes Desktop is the native app it runs in on your computer.
The Store listing describes it in one line as "The agent that grows with you".
The Microsoft Store version is the same Hermes Desktop, packaged as a sealed, signed MSIX that Windows installs, tracks and updates for you.
The v0.22.0 release notes call this the threshold release, and the signed desktop packages were one of its headline changes.
Those notes say the desktop app is now a sealed, signed package that carries its own Python and Node and updates itself, so first launch builds nothing.
They also say Windows gets a signed MSIX for x64 and ARM64 through App Installer or the Microsoft Store.
In my v0.22 video above, I described this release as a front door, and the signed apps are the part that gets a brand-new user from download to first chat without touching a terminal.
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Why The Store Version Matters On Windows
The v0.22.0 upgrade notes say the Windows desktop is now MSIX-only, and the old NSIS and MSI installers are gone.
A signed package fixes three problems at once.
- Windows knows exactly what is installed, because the package is signed and sealed.
- You don't need Python, Node or Git set up first, because they ship inside the package.
- Updates are handled by the Store, so you never have to remember to run an update command.
The release notes also say a new package manager underneath Hermes builds a new environment and only switches once it passes its check, so a failed or killed update can no longer leave you half-applied.
Before You Start: The Requirements
This is the checklist I'd run through before clicking install.
| Requirement | What you need |
|---|---|
| Operating system | You need Windows 11 version 22H2 or newer, which the Store shows as version 22621.0 or higher. |
| Processor | You can use an x64 PC or an ARM64 PC, because the Store ships both. |
| Disk space | You should leave room for roughly 4.3 GB, which is the listing's approximate size. |
| Account | You need a Microsoft account signed in to the Microsoft Store. |
| Model access | You need a model provider, a Nous Portal login or a local model, which you pick after install. |
| Windows 10 | You can't use the MSIX package, so use the install.ps1 source installer instead. |
The docs are blunt about Windows 10, saying that Windows 10 source-script support does not mean the MSIX package supports Windows 10.
The Store listing also shows two permissions you should know about, which are "Uses all system resources" and writing registry entries and files that are not cleaned up on uninstall.
That makes sense for an agent that runs terminals, browsers and local models, but it's worth knowing before you put it on a work machine.
Step 1: Open The Official Store Listing
Go to the official Hermes Agent listing on the Microsoft Store.
Check that the publisher reads Nous Research Inc. before you install anything.
You can also open the Microsoft Store app on your PC and search for Hermes Agent.
Step 2: Click Get And Let Windows Install It
Click Get or Install on the listing, and Windows downloads and installs the signed package.
There's no setup wizard to click through and no folder to choose.
The docs say the package includes Python, Node, supported dependencies and prebuilt interfaces, and it does not clone a checkout or build the base runtime on first launch.
That's why the download is big, but it's also why it just works when it opens.
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Step 3: Launch Hermes And Run The Setup Chat
Open Hermes from the Start menu.
The v0.22.0 notes say a fresh desktop install now opens on a guided setup chat that runs on a free trial model, so you're talking to Hermes before you own an API key.
The notes say that setup covers your name, an accent colour, the layout, the apps to connect, plugins, a tour and up to four first tasks.
You can skip the setup and run it again later from Settings.
Step 4: Pick Your Model
Hermes doesn't lock you into one model, and the Store listing says it can be powered by numerous inference providers, by on-device models or by Nous Portal.
Here are the three routes I'd pick between.
| Route | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Nous Portal | It is Nous Research's subscription gateway, and the docs call it the recommended way to run Hermes. | People who want one login for hundreds of models. |
| Your own API key | You connect a provider such as Anthropic, OpenAI or OpenRouter with your own key. | People who already pay for a model. |
| Local models | Hermes runs open models on your own PC with a one-click llama.cpp runtime. | People who want privacy and no per-message cost. |
For local models, the docs say to open Settings, then Providers, then Local Models, then click Install runtime, pick a model and click Use.
The docs say Windows local models run on CUDA for supported NVIDIA cards, on Vulkan on x64, or on the CPU.
Hermes rates every catalog model against your GPU and RAM before you download it, so you can see what fits first.
If you want a full rundown of which brains are worth plugging in, my guide to the best Hermes Agent model covers the main options.
How Updates Work On The Store Version
This is the part that trips people up, so I'll keep it simple.
The Microsoft Store updates the Store version, and you don't run anything yourself.
The Hermes docs list a different update method for every way you can install Hermes.
| How you installed Hermes | How it updates |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Store package | It updates through Microsoft Store updates. |
| Windows sideload MSIX | It updates through the desktop Update control and Windows App Installer. |
| Managed source checkout | It updates with hermes update. |
| Docker image | You pull the new image and recreate the container with the same data mount. |
The docs say the Store variant uses its Partner Center package identity and Store updates, and it does not use the sideload feed.
The v0.22.0 notes say that inside a package, hermes update points you to the right updater instead of running Git.
The v0.22.3 notes add that the Microsoft Store build now goes live automatically when a release publishes, so Store users shouldn't sit behind the CLI for long.
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Using The Hermes Command Line From The Store App
You still get the command line with the Store version.
The docs say the MSIX execution aliases expose hermes, hermes-agent and hermes-acp.
That means you can open PowerShell and type hermes once the app is installed.
If another Hermes install is fighting over the same name, the docs suggest checking it with this command.
Get-Command hermes -All
You can switch the aliases on or off in Windows Settings, then Apps, then Advanced app settings, then App execution aliases.
The v0.22.0 notes also say packaged installs work end to end, so the agent's own terminal runs hermes and plugins with Python dependencies install inside the MSIX.
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Store, Sideload Or Script: Which Windows Install Should You Pick?
There are four ways to get Hermes on Windows, and they are not the same thing.
| Option | What it does | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store | It installs the signed MSIX, and the Store handles updates. | You're on Windows 11 22H2+ and want the easiest route. |
| Sideload MSIX | You open the .appinstaller file with Windows App Installer, which records its own update source. | You want the same package without the Store. |
| install.ps1 | It installs a source checkout under your user folder and works on Windows 10 and 11. | You're on Windows 10 or you want to tinker with the code. |
| Hermes-Setup.exe | It is a bootstrap installer that downloads a source installation and builds the desktop app. | You specifically want a source build with a desktop app. |
When I checked the Hermes website on 22 October 2026, its Windows download button pointed to Hermes-Setup.exe, which the docs describe as different from the self-contained MSIX package.
So if you want the Store version, go to the Store listing directly rather than the website button.
For the script route, the installation docs give this one-liner for PowerShell.
iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)
Fixes Store Users Should Know About
The Store version is new, and the release notes are honest about its early bumps.
- v0.21.7, released on 11 October 2026, was a rollup for the desktop app, the Microsoft Store and MSIX, and it said Store installs update through the Store.
- v0.22.1, released on 14 October 2026, shipped a handful of fixes for the Windows Store.
- v0.22.2, released on 15 October 2026, says v0.22.1 was built from the wrong commit and the Microsoft Store app could stick on "Connecting", and 0.22.2 is the fix.
- v0.22.2 also split the Microsoft Store bundle into its own release lane.
- v0.22.3, released on 21 October 2026, made the Store build go live automatically when a release publishes.
- v0.22.4, also released on 21 October 2026, stopped Desktop showing suggestion pills above the composer and lists the Store app as updating through the Store.
If your Store app ever sticks on "Connecting", check the Store for an update first, because that was exactly the 0.22.1 bug.
How To Uninstall Or Move Machines
The docs say to remove MSIX or Store installs through Windows Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps.
The hermes CLI refuses to delete package-owned code, so hermes uninstall is not the tool for the Store version.
Your conversations, memory, skills and settings live in the Hermes data folder under your user profile, and the docs warn you not to delete that folder to repair an app.
If you're moving to a new PC, the docs suggest running this first.
hermes backup
That full backup includes credentials, so keep the file somewhere safe and never share it.
The docs also mention hermes profile export, which packs one profile without credentials.
Limits And Honest Caveats
The MSIX package does not support Windows 10, so Windows 10 users need the script installer.
The download is large at roughly 4.3 GB, because Python, Node and the tools ship inside it.
The Store listing had no user ratings yet when I checked, so you can't lean on reviews.
The macOS app is Apple Silicon only in default builds, which matters if you plan to run the same setup on a Mac.
I run Hermes on a Mac, so I haven't installed the Store version myself, and everything here comes from the Store listing, the Hermes docs and the official release notes.
The good news is that you can uninstall it cleanly through Windows Settings if it isn't for you.
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See The Desktop App In Action
If you want to see what the desktop app looks like once it's running, my earlier video on the Hermes Desktop app walks through the interface.
For everything else that landed in the same release, my Hermes Agent v0.22 walkthrough covers the setup chat, connectors and local models in more depth.
If you'd rather run Hermes in the terminal on a Mac or Linux box, my one-click Hermes Agent setup guide is the faster path.
Related Reading
- My Hermes Agent v0.22 walkthrough explains the release that brought signed packages and the Microsoft Store.
- My best Hermes Agent model guide helps you pick the brain to plug in after install.
- My Nemotron 3.5 Bolt Hermes setup guide shows you how to run NVIDIA's new local model inside Hermes.
Also On Our Network
- 🌐 Seven ways a business can use the Hermes Store app
- 🌐 The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store version, scored feature by feature
- 🌐 The Hermes Store app quick start for an Agent OS
- 🌐 Which models run best in the Hermes Store app, checked on GoldieBench
FAQ: Hermes Agent Microsoft Store
Is Hermes Agent on the Microsoft Store?
Yes, Hermes Agent is listed on the Microsoft Store, published by Nous Research Inc.
It is free and installs the signed Hermes Desktop package for Windows.
What are the system requirements?
The Hermes docs say the MSIX package needs Windows 11 22H2 or later, and the Store listing asks for Windows 11 version 22621.0 or higher.
The Store offers x64 and ARM64 builds, and Windows 10 users can use the install.ps1 source installer instead.
How does the Store version update?
It updates through the Microsoft Store, and the docs say it does not use the sideload update feed.
Running hermes update inside the package points you to the right updater instead of running Git.
Is it different from the Hermes-Setup.exe download?
Yes, because the Store version is a sealed, signed MSIX with its own Python and Node.
The docs describe Hermes-Setup.exe as a different bootstrap installer that downloads a source installation and builds the desktop app.
How do I uninstall it?
Remove it through Windows Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps.
The CLI refuses to delete package-owned code, so run hermes backup first if you want to keep your data.
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About Julian
I'm Julian Goldie, an SEO entrepreneur, author and founder of the AI Profit Boardroom, which has 3,400+ members.
I help business owners scale with AI agents, automation and SEO.
- I've built a 7-figure SEO and link-building agency, Goldie Agency, with 70+ people in Bangkok.
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- I wrote the book "Link Building Mastery", which covers nine link building strategies.
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