The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app is the free, signed Windows package of Nous Research's open-source Hermes Agent, and my verdict is that it is now the best way to run Hermes on a Windows 11 PC.
You'll find it on the official Microsoft Store listing for Hermes Agent, where Nous Research Inc. is the publisher and the price is free.
It needs Windows 11 22H2 or newer, it ships for x64 and ARM64, it carries its own Python and Node, and the Store updates it for you.
The catches are real, because it won't run on Windows 10, it's a big download, and its first week had a "Connecting" bug that a patch had to fix.
Below I score every part of it from the Store listing, the Hermes docs and the official release notes, then give you my final verdict.
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The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store Verdict In One Table
These are my scores out of 5, based on the Store listing, the Hermes docs and the official release notes rather than my own install.
| Feature | Score | Why it got that score |
|---|---|---|
| Signed, sealed package | 5/5 | The app is a signed MSIX that Windows installs and tracks properly. |
| Built-in Python and Node | 5/5 | The package ships its own runtimes, so first launch builds nothing. |
| Store updates | 4.5/5 | The Store handles updates, and v0.22.3 made new releases reach it automatically. |
| Command line access | 4.5/5 | Execution aliases give you hermes, hermes-agent and hermes-acp in any terminal. |
| Local models on Windows | 4/5 | Local Models is on by default and supports CUDA, Vulkan and CPU. |
| x64 and ARM64 support | 4.5/5 | Both chip types get a native build from the Store. |
| First-run setup chat | 4.5/5 | A free trial model lets a new user talk to Hermes before buying an API key. |
| Uninstall and data safety | 4/5 | Removal goes through Windows Settings, and the CLI refuses to delete package code. |
| Windows version support | 2/5 | Windows 10 is not supported by the MSIX package at all. |
| Download size | 2.5/5 | The listing's approximate size is about 4.3 GB. |
| Early reliability | 3/5 | v0.22.1 shipped from the wrong commit and the Store app could stick on "Connecting". |
| Overall | 4/5 | It is the best Windows install for Hermes today, with clear limits on older PCs. |
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What The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store App Is
Hermes Agent is Nous Research's open-source AI agent, and Hermes Desktop is the native app it runs in.
The Store listing calls it an open-source, self-improving autonomous AI agent framework that can run on numerous inference providers, on on-device models or through Nous Portal.
The Microsoft Store app is that agent, packaged as a signed MSIX for Windows.
The v0.22.0 release notes made it official, saying Windows gets a signed MSIX for x64 and ARM64 through App Installer or the Microsoft Store.
The same notes say the Windows desktop is now MSIX-only and the old NSIS and MSI installers are gone.
| Listing detail | What the Store shows |
|---|---|
| Publisher | The publisher is Nous Research Inc. |
| Price | The app is free. |
| Category | It is listed under Business. |
| Minimum OS | It needs Windows 11 version 22621.0 or higher. |
| Builds | It ships x64 and ARM64 builds. |
| Approximate size | The approximate size is about 4.3 GB. |
| Age rating | It is rated PEGI 3. |
| Listing release date | The listing's release date is 9 September 2026. |
| Last update | The listing was last updated on 21 October 2026. |
How To Install The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store App
Installing it is the easiest part of the whole review.
- Open Hermes Agent on the Microsoft Store and check the publisher reads Nous Research Inc.
- Click Get or Install and let Windows install the signed package.
- Open Hermes from the Start menu and run the guided setup chat.
- Pick a model from Nous Portal, your own API key or Local Models.
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.
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Feature By Feature: The Hermes Store App Reviewed
The signed package scores 5 out of 5
The v0.22.0 notes describe the desktop app as a sealed, signed package that carries its own Python and Node and updates itself.
Underneath, a new package manager owns every pinned, hash-checked tool and builds a new environment before switching to it.
The notes say a failed or killed update can no longer leave you half-applied.
That is exactly what a non-technical Windows user needs, so it gets full marks.
Store updates score 4.5 out of 5
The docs say the Store variant uses its Partner Center package identity and Store updates, and it doesn't use the sideload feed.
The v0.22.0 notes add that inside a package, hermes update points you to the right updater, whether that's App Installer, the Store or macOS.
The v0.22.3 notes say the Microsoft Store build now goes live automatically when a release publishes.
I've knocked off half a point because the docs don't say how quickly the Store itself delivers a published update to your PC.
Command line access scores 4.5 out of 5
You don't lose the terminal by picking the Store version.
The docs say the MSIX execution aliases expose hermes, hermes-agent and hermes-acp.
If another Hermes install shadows those names, the docs tell you to check with Get-Command hermes -All.
You can toggle the aliases in Windows Settings, then Apps, then Advanced app settings, then App execution aliases.
The v0.22.0 notes also say the agent's own terminal runs hermes and plugins with Python dependencies install inside the MSIX.
Local models score 4 out of 5
The docs say Local Models is on by default in the desktop app on macOS, Windows and Linux.
You open Settings, then Providers, then Local Models, click Install runtime, pick a model and click Use.
On Windows, the docs list CUDA for supported NVIDIA targets, Vulkan on x64, or CPU.
Hermes rates every catalog model against your GPU and RAM and picks the highest-quality build that fits.
It loses a point only because your results depend heavily on your graphics card.
x64 and ARM64 support scores 4.5 out of 5
The Store offers both an x64 build and an ARM64 build.
The docs note that on Windows ARM64, the pinned Chromium and browser binaries can use Windows' x64 emulation, while Python runs natively on ARM64.
That's a small trade-off, so it keeps most of its marks.
The first-run setup chat scores 4.5 out of 5
The v0.22.0 notes say a fresh desktop install opens on a guided setup chat that runs on a free trial model.
The notes say it covers your name, an accent colour, the layout, the apps to connect, plugins, a tour and up to four first tasks.
In my v0.22 video above, I talked through this as the front door of the release, because it gets a brand-new user chatting before they own an API key.
Uninstall and data safety score 4 out of 5
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, which stops you breaking the package by accident.
Your data lives separately in the Hermes data folder, and the docs warn you not to delete that root to repair an app.
Run hermes backup before you remove anything, and remember the full archive includes credentials.
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Hermes Store App vs The Other Windows Installs
The Store version isn't the only way onto Windows, so here's how it compares.
| Install route | Updates | Windows 10 | Builds on first run |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store | It updates through the Store. | It does not support Windows 10. | It builds nothing on first run. |
| Sideload MSIX | It updates through the app's Update control and Windows App Installer. | It does not support Windows 10. | It builds nothing on first run. |
| install.ps1 script | It updates with hermes update. | It supports Windows 10 and 11. | It installs a source checkout. |
| Hermes-Setup.exe | It follows the source install. | The docs don't promise MSIX-level support. | It downloads a source installation and builds the desktop app. |
When I checked on 22 October 2026, the Windows button on the Hermes website pointed to Hermes-Setup.exe, which the docs describe as a different bootstrap installer.
That's confusing for a beginner, so go straight to the Store listing if you want the packaged version.
The Release History Behind The Score
The early reliability score comes straight from the release notes.
| Release | Date | What it changed for Store users |
|---|---|---|
| v0.21.7 | 11 October 2026 | It rolled up fixes for the desktop app, the Microsoft Store and MSIX. |
| v0.22.0 | 13 October 2026 | It made Windows desktop MSIX-only and added the Store as an install route. |
| v0.22.1 | 14 October 2026 | It shipped a handful of fixes for the Windows Store. |
| v0.22.2 | 15 October 2026 | It fixed a wrong-commit build where the Store app could stick on "Connecting". |
| v0.22.3 | 21 October 2026 | It made the Store build go live automatically when a release publishes. |
| v0.22.4 | 21 October 2026 | It removed suggestion pills from Desktop and kept Store updates flowing. |
The v0.22.2 notes also list a known issue, which is that sessions that ran under the 0.22.1 gateway can't be deleted in 0.22.2.
Limits And What It Doesn't Do
It doesn't run on Windows 10, because the docs say the MSIX package needs Windows 11 22H2 or later.
It isn't small, because the listing's approximate size is about 4.3 GB.
It asks for broad permissions, because the listing says it uses all system resources and writes registry entries and files that aren't cleaned up on uninstall.
It had no Store ratings yet when I checked, so there's no crowd score to compare with mine.
I run Hermes on a Mac, so these scores come from the official listing, docs and notes rather than my own Windows install.
Who Should Use It
Windows 11 users who want the easiest Hermes install should use the Store app.
Teams should use it as the standard install, because every PC gets the same signed package and the same update path.
Windows 10 users and anyone who wants to edit the source should use the install.ps1 script instead.
If you want to see the desktop app in action before you decide, my Hermes Desktop video walks through the interface.
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Final Verdict
I give the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app 4 out of 5.
It's free, it's signed, it carries everything it needs and it updates itself through the Store, which is exactly what Windows users needed.
It loses a point for leaving Windows 10 behind, for its large download and for a shaky first week that v0.22.2 had to fix.
For the wider release it arrived in, my Hermes Agent v0.22 review scores the rest of the update, and my best UI for Hermes Agent ranking shows where the desktop app fits among the other front ends.
Related Reading
- My Hermes Agent v0.22 review scores the release that brought the Microsoft Store version.
- My best UI for Hermes Agent ranking compares the desktop app with the other ways to use Hermes.
- My Nemotron 3.5 Bolt Hermes review checks NVIDIA's new local model that runs inside Hermes.
Also On Our Network
- 🌐 How to install the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app in four steps
- 🌐 Seven ways a business can use the Hermes Store app
- 🌐 The Hermes Store app quick start for an Agent OS
- 🌐 How the models you can run in the Hermes Store app score on GoldieBench
FAQ: Hermes Agent Microsoft Store Verdict
Is the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app worth installing?
Yes, if you're on Windows 11 22H2 or newer, because it's free, signed, self-contained and updated by the Store.
Windows 10 users need the install.ps1 source installer instead.
Who publishes the Hermes Agent Store app?
The Microsoft Store lists Nous Research Inc. as the publisher and developer.
Does the Store version have the command line?
Yes, because the docs say the MSIX execution aliases expose hermes, hermes-agent and hermes-acp.
What was the Connecting bug?
The v0.22.2 notes say v0.22.1 was built from the wrong commit and the Store app could stick on "Connecting".
Version 0.22.2, released on 15 October 2026, is the fix.
Can the Store version run local models?
Yes, because the docs say Local Models is on by default in the desktop app on Windows.
Windows runs local models on CUDA for supported NVIDIA cards, Vulkan on x64, or the CPU.
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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.
- I've grown a YouTube channel to 400,000+ subscribers.
- I wrote the book "Link Building Mastery", which covers nine link building strategies.
- I run GoldieBench, where I score AI models on real one-shot builds.
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If your PC runs Windows 11 22H2 or newer, my verdict is simple, because the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app is the install I'd pick.
