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Cognition · Setup guide

How to set up Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

Set up Devin Desktop’s current editor surface, formerly Windsurf, import only the settings you need, and test the agent on a small repository before switching a team.

Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

own ide · checked October 2, 2026

~8 minBeginner
Start installOpen Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Compare itBuyer guide

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Before you begin

  • A supported macOS, Windows, or Linux environment for the desktop editor.
  • A Devin account for the current product surface.
  • Optional: JetBrains if you use the separate Windsurf-for-JetBrains plugin (not required for Devin Desktop).

Authentication

Account sign-in in the desktop app or plugin

Account: Devin account

Desktop sign-in and remote access have deployment-specific requirements. Eligible Devin Pro/Max/Teams users may link their own ChatGPT Plus/Pro plan for supported GPT usage; other models remain billed by Devin, and unavailable ChatGPT usage automatically falls back to Devin quota/extra billing.

Install or open it

1. Get the harness ready

These steps are written for beginners. On Mac, Terminal is the black/white text window where you type commands. On Windows, use PowerShell or Terminal. Use the OS tabs to hide steps that are not for your computer, then copy one command at a time.

  1. 01

    Download Devin Desktop on a Mac

    Mac

    Download the Mac installer from https://devin.ai/download, open the .dmg, move the app to Applications and launch it. If it is blocked, check the current official download and exact macOS message before changing security settings.

    Devin Desktop download
  2. 02

    Download Devin Desktop on Windows

    Windows

    Download the Windows installer from https://devin.ai/download, run the .exe, accept defaults unless you have a reason to change them, then launch from the Start menu.

    Devin Desktop download
  3. 03

    Add the Devin Desktop apt repo (Debian/Ubuntu)

    Linux

    Repository URLs still use the pre-rebrand windsurf hostnames; the package is `devin-desktop`. The tarball download does not self-update.

    bash
    sudo apt-get install wget gpg && wget -qO- "https://windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3/windsurf.gpg" | gpg --dearmor > windsurf-stable.gpg && sudo install -D -o root -g root -m 644 windsurf-stable.gpg /etc/apt/keyrings/windsurf-stable.gpg && echo "deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/windsurf-stable.gpg] https://windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3/apt stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/windsurf.list > /dev/null && rm -f windsurf-stable.gpg && sudo apt install apt-transport-https && sudo apt update && sudo apt install devin-desktop

    You should see: The installer finishes without an error. Open a new terminal before the verify step so PATH updates apply.

    If this fails
    • The install command errors, or the next verify step says “command not found”. Re-run the official install command with network access, then open a brand-new terminal window before verifying.
    Devin Desktop install
  4. 04

    Add the Devin Desktop dnf repo (Fedora/RHEL)

    Linux

    Import the signing key, add the yum repo with hourly metadata, refresh metadata with dnf check-update, then install `devin-desktop`. A package named `windsurf` still exists only as a transitional package.

    bash
    sudo rpm --import https://windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3/yum/RPM-GPG-KEY-windsurf && sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/windsurf.repo > /dev/null <<'EOF'
[windsurf]
name=Windsurf Repository
baseurl=https://windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3/yum/repo/
enabled=1
autorefresh=1
gpgcheck=1
metadata_expire=1h
gpgkey=https://windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3/yum/RPM-GPG-KEY-windsurf
EOF
sudo dnf check-update
sudo dnf install -y devin-desktop

    You should see: The installer finishes without an error. Open a new terminal before the verify step so PATH updates apply.

    If this fails
    • The install command errors, or the next verify step says “command not found”. Re-run the official install command with network access, then open a brand-new terminal window before verifying.
    Devin Desktop install
  5. 05

    Confirm the product name

    Devin Desktop is the renamed Windsurf IDE. The September 8 changelog says Cascade was removed, while current Local docs preserve existing Cascade histories and support other ACP agents. Devin Local is the primary bundled local agent; Devin Cloud is a separate surface.

    Devin Desktop

Repository or project

2. Start in the right place

Keep the first repository small, clean, and easy to roll back while you learn the harness’s permissions and context model.

  1. 01

    Open or import a repository

    Open the project folder and import VS Code or Cursor settings selectively so the first run remains easy to diagnose.

  2. 02

    Check Devin Local (not Cascade)

    Check the selected agent: Devin Local is primary, while other supported ACP agents may appear and legacy histories can remain. Enterprise requires admin enablement for Local. Check rules, workspace trust and the actual sandbox setting; Restricted Mode disables agents and hooks.

    Devin Desktop docs

First run

Trace one user flow

Use this task to test the workflow before handing over a larger repository or production responsibility.

  1. 01Select Ask or Plan for the first exploration, inspect permissions and sandbox configuration, then ask the selected agent to trace one request without a broad edit.
  2. 02Ask it to list the relevant tests and configuration files.
  3. 03Request a documentation-only patch and review the diff.

Why this is safe: It tests indexing, editor context, and agent permissions while keeping the requested change reversible.

Stop and review if

  • The agent cannot explain which files it inspected.
  • The imported settings expose unrelated workspaces or credentials.
  • A preview or generated patch changes configuration without approval.

The operating boundary

Privacy, data, and cost

The setup is incomplete until you know what the harness can see, what account pays for it, and who approves a risky action.

Privacy

Cognition's policy allows content training depending on the terms of your service; no universal no-training or zero-retention guarantee is established. Local rules, sandbox enforcement, model route and conversation-sharing settings differ by deployment. FedRAMP admin instructions apply to that deployment specifically.

Training on code: tier dependent

Enterprise and remote-development terms can differ from individual desktop usage.

Sensitive repos: Use workspace boundaries and repository ignore rules, and confirm the applicable plan’s data policy with your administrator.

Pricing

Current self-serve prices: Free $0, Pro $20/month, Max $200 and Teams $80 base plus $40/full developer seat. Paid allowance refreshes daily/weekly, with extra usage at API prices. Cloud/Desktop/CLI can share account quota; Enterprise billing is contractual.

Model: hybrid

Watch out: The price page says SWE-2 free through October 16; model docs say October 15. Treat the boundary as unresolved and check account usage. Legacy enterprise discounts are separate. Linked ChatGPT applies only to eligible GPT portions, with automatic fallback to Devin billing when unavailable.

Estimate a seat stack

When setup goes wrong

  • The plugin installs but the language server does not start.

    Restart the IDE, check network access, and review the official plugin compatibility requirements.

  • A remote-development setup behaves differently from local use.

    Confirm the selected SSH, WSL or dev-container workspace, installed agent and enterprise policy using the corresponding official remote guide; do not assume that every remote failure requires two separate plugins.

  • Imported settings create noisy or incorrect context.

    Remove broad settings and extensions, then add only the project-specific configuration you can verify.

  • You wanted a browser cloud agent, not a desktop IDE.

    That is Devin Cloud — use /ai-harnesses/setup/devin-cloud and https://app.devin.ai instead of the Desktop download.

Next steps

After the first successful run

Keep the pilot small, then compare surfaces and budget before a team rollout.

Compare harnessesBuyer guideOpen-source agents hubAI stack cost calculatorGPU inference (rent)Local GPU sizingBuyer guidesLocal open-source AI guide

Setup details change quickly. The page was checked October 2, 2026; use the official source below before installing in a managed or production environment.

Devin Desktop downloadCompare all harnesses