Hermes Agent Microsoft Store install is the new way to get Hermes on Windows. Since v0.22, the Hermes desktop app ships as a signed MSIX package for x64 and ARM64 that you can get through the Microsoft Store or Windows App Installer. It needs Windows 11 22H2 or newer, carries its own Python and Node, and updates itself.
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That means no Git, no building anything on first launch, and no hunting for dependencies. You install it like any other Windows app.
I run Hermes every day inside my Agent OS, with a profile per model. Here is what the Store package is, how to install it, how it compares to the other two Windows routes, and what to check when something looks off.
If you want step-by-step Hermes courses and the Agent OS zip, the AI Profit Boardroom is $69/mo with daily updates and four coaching calls a week.
What changed in v0.22
The v0.22.0 release notes call this signed desktop packages, the Microsoft Store, and one package manager. The desktop app is now a sealed, signed package that carries its own Python and Node and updates itself, so first launch builds nothing.
A few things to know from those notes:
- Windows gets a signed MSIX for x64 and ARM64, through App Installer or the Microsoft Store.
- Windows desktop is MSIX-only now. The old NSIS and MSI installers are gone.
- It needs Windows 11 22H2 or newer.
- Inside a package, hermes update points to the right updater, whether that is App Installer, the Store or macOS.
- Packaged installs work end to end. The agent's terminal runs hermes, Uninstall explains OS removal, and Python-dependency plugins install inside MSIX.
For the full list of what shipped, read my Hermes Agent v0.22 breakdown.
How the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store package works
The docs describe the MSIX as a bundled desktop that is separate from the source install script. The package includes Python, Node, supported dependencies and prebuilt interfaces. It does not clone a checkout or build the base runtime on first launch.
Provider access and optional integrations can still need network access. So you still connect a model after install.
The Store version has its own identity. Per the docs, Microsoft Store packages have separate Store ownership. The Store variant uses its Partner Center package identity and Store updates, and it does not use the sideload feed. The App Installer version is the sideload route, and it records its own update source.
Once installed, the MSIX gives you three command aliases: hermes, hermes-agent and hermes-acp. So the CLI works from your terminal too, not just the desktop window.
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Store vs App Installer vs PowerShell script
There are three ways to get Hermes onto Windows. Here is how they line up, based on the docs.
| Route | What you get | Windows version | How it updates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store | Signed, sealed desktop package with its own Python and Node | Windows 11 22H2 or later | Microsoft Store updates |
| App Installer (sideload MSIX) | Signed universal bundle, records its update source | Windows 11 22H2 or later | The desktop Update control and Windows App Installer |
| PowerShell install script | A source checkout with the hermes CLI added to your User PATH, desktop optional | Windows 10 or 11 | hermes update |
My take is simple. If you are on Windows 11 and want the desktop app, use the Store or App Installer. If you are on Windows 10, or you want a source checkout you can switch between stable and main, use the PowerShell script.
Not sure what the desktop app adds over the plain agent? Read Hermes Agent vs Hermes Desktop.
📺 Watch: Hermes AI Agents Just Went Portable
How to install from the Microsoft Store
- Check your Windows version. You need Windows 11 22H2 or later. Windows 10 is not supported by the MSIX package, even though the source script runs there.
- Get the package. Install Hermes from the Microsoft Store, or download it from the Hermes website.
- Open the app. First launch does not build anything. The runtime is already inside.
- Connect a model. Hermes v0.22 opens new desktop installs on a guided setup chat that runs on a free trial model, so you can talk to Hermes before you own an API key. Then add your own provider.
- Test the CLI. Open a new terminal and run hermes. The MSIX alias should answer.
For the App Installer route, open the downloaded .appinstaller file with Windows App Installer. It installs the signed MSIX bundle and records the update source. My full walkthrough is in the Hermes Desktop installation guide.
Setting Hermes up for a team or a business? Book a free AI strategy session and we can plan it out.
Updates on the Store version
This is where the Store build is easiest. You do not run anything. The Microsoft Store handles updates.
The docs are clear on a few points:
- The app and its bundled base runtime update together.
- Your user data stays outside the package, so updates do not wipe it.
- hermes update inside a bundled runtime does not run Git against package files. It points you to the right updater.
- A broken or unavailable update check must not be read as already up to date.
Stable and canary desktop bundles are separate applications. Installing canary does not replace stable, including on Windows with MSIX. Each keeps its own desktop state. Changing channels means installing the other app, not flipping a setting.
Troubleshooting
These come straight from the docs. Simplest move first: ask your agent. Paste "check why the hermes command is not working on this Windows machine and tell me what to change" into Hermes and let it look.
- The hermes command runs the wrong install. Another installation can shadow the MSIX alias. Run Get-Command hermes -All in PowerShell to see every copy. You can turn aliases on or off under Windows Settings, Apps, Advanced app settings, App execution aliases.
- It will not install on Windows 10. The MSIX needs Windows 11 22H2 or later. Use the PowerShell script on Windows 10.
- You ran Hermes-Setup.exe and it started building things. That is a different bootstrap installer. It sets up a source checkout through the scripts. It is not the self-contained MSIX.
- An update check came back unknown. The docs say an unknown result is not a claim that the package is current. Check again through the Store.
- You want to remove it. For MSIX or Store installs, use Windows Settings, Apps, Installed apps. The source uninstaller does not apply here.
For plugins, Python-dependency plugins install inside MSIX since v0.22. So the Store build is not a cut-down version.
Is the Store build right for you?
If you want Hermes on a Windows 11 laptop with no setup pain, yes. It is the cleanest route Hermes has shipped on Windows.
Once it is running, the real value is what you build on top: profiles, skills, scheduled jobs and messaging. The Agent OS guide shows how I put that together, and Goldie Bench helps you pick which model to plug in.
Inside the AI Profit Boardroom ($69/mo) you get the Hermes courses, my Agent OS zip and daily updates whenever a release like v0.22 drops.
FAQ
Is Hermes on the Microsoft Store official?
Yes. The v0.22.0 release notes list the Microsoft Store as one of the signed desktop package routes, and the Hermes docs cover Store installs and Store updates.
Does the Store version work on ARM64?
Yes. The release notes say Windows gets a signed MSIX for x64 and ARM64.
Do I need Python or Node installed first?
No. The package is sealed and carries its own Python and Node, plus supported dependencies and prebuilt interfaces.
How do I update the Store version?
Through Microsoft Store updates. Inside the package, hermes update points to the right updater rather than pulling code itself.
Want a hand building your Windows agent setup? Grab a free AI strategy session. Or if you are planning a bigger rollout, book a free AI strategy session and we will map it. The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store package is the easiest way to start.
