Devin Desktop for Windows: Complete Setup Guide (2026)

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Devin desktop on pc cover - Devin Desktop for Windows: Complete Setup Guide (2026)

Devin Desktop is a free AI code editor for Windows from Cognition, available at devin.ai.

It is the same editor that used to be called Windsurf, rebuilt around an Agent Command Center that lets you run several AI coding agents side by side instead of just one.

You still get the full code editor. The agent panel underneath it is just a lot more capable now.

If you used Windsurf before, this is the same product with a new name and a bigger job. Windsurf became Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026, when Cognition folded it into the Devin brand alongside Devin Cloud, Devin CLI, and Devin Review. Existing users got the change as a normal app update with no lost work, and their plan and pricing stayed the same.

This guide covers how to download Devin Desktop, what changed from Windsurf, what each plan includes, and tips to get the most out of it. Got questions? Reach out to us directly.

What You Need to Know

  • Devin Desktop is the new name for Windsurf. Same download, same account, new agent tools on top.
  • Devin Local is the built-in AI agent, a faster rebuild of the old Cascade agent. Cascade still works through July 1, 2026 for anyone mid-migration.
  • Tab completions and inline edits are free on every plan and never touch your usage allowance.
  • You can run other agents, like Codex or Claude Agent, inside the same window through an open standard called ACP (Agent Client Protocol, a shared connection format that lets different AI agents plug into the same editor).

Price

Free plan available

Developer

Cognition

Windows

10 / 11

Also On

Mac, Linux

Who Should Use Devin Desktop?

  • Use it if: you were already on Windsurf, or you want an editor where an AI agent can plan and execute multi-file changes instead of suggesting one line at a time.
  • Skip it if: you only want light autocomplete and prefer to write most code by hand. A plain extension on your current editor may suit you better.
  • Be careful if: your company manages devices with strict app allowlists. The renamed app shows up as Devin.exe on Windows, so IT may need to approve it again even if Windsurf was already allowed.

How to Get Devin Desktop on Windows

  1. Step 1. Go to devin.ai/download and choose Windows, then pick x64 or ARM64 depending on your PC.
  2. Step 2. Run the installer. It sets up like any standard Windows app, no account needed yet.
  3. Step 3. Open Devin Desktop and create a free account, or log in if you already have a Devin or Windsurf account.
  4. Step 4. During onboarding, choose to import settings from VS Code or Cursor if you are switching over, or start fresh.
  5. Step 5. Open a project folder. The agent panel sits on the right side of the window and is ready to use immediately.
Already have Windsurf installed? You do not need to do anything. Devin Desktop arrives as a normal over-the-air update, and your account, plan, extensions, and keybindings carry over automatically.

What Is Devin Desktop?

Devin Desktop is an AI code editor made by Cognition, the company behind Devin, an autonomous AI software engineer. It started life as Windsurf, an editor built by Codeium, which Cognition acquired in 2025. On June 2, 2026, Cognition renamed Windsurf to Devin Desktop and folded it into the wider Devin product line alongside Devin Cloud, Devin CLI, and Devin Review.

The editor itself did not change much. What changed is the AI agent layer sitting on top of it. Windsurf’s old agent, Cascade, has been rebuilt from scratch in Rust and renamed Devin Local, a faster, more efficient version of the same idea: an agent that reads your project, plans changes, and edits across files from a single instruction.

The bigger shift is the Agent Command Center, a Kanban-style board (a task board with columns like To Do, In Progress, and Done) for managing multiple coding agents at once instead of one chat window. It works with Devin Local, but also with outside agents like OpenAI’s Codex and Anthropic’s Claude Agent through the open ACP standard, which lets any compatible agent plug into the same interface and share project context.

Key Features

Agent Command Center

A Kanban-style board for dispatching and tracking every local and cloud agent working on your project. See what each agent is doing at a glance instead of switching between chat windows.

Devin Local Agent

Describe what you want in plain language. Devin Local reads your project, plans the changes, edits files, and runs terminal commands to get there, using the same daily allowance system Cascade used.

Spaces

A way to group sessions, pull requests, files, and context together so multiple agents working on related tasks can share what they know instead of starting from zero each time.

Tab and Inline Edits

Autocomplete and small inline edits are unlimited on every plan, including Free, and never count against your daily agent usage allowance.

VS Code Compatible

Devin Desktop is a VS Code fork, same as Windsurf was. Your themes, extensions, keybindings, and settings carry over, whether you are updating from Windsurf or importing from VS Code or Cursor for the first time.

Devin CLI and Devin Review

Part of the same product family: Devin CLI brings the same agent into your terminal, and Devin Review checks code diffs, so the agent you use in the editor follows your code all the way to review.

AI Agents You Can Run Inside Devin Desktop

Devin Desktop is not locked to one AI agent. Because it supports the open Agent Client Protocol (ACP), you can run other companies’ coding agents inside the same window as Devin Local, all managed from the same Agent Command Center. This is one of the biggest changes from the old Windsurf setup, where Cascade was the only agent option.

Devin Local (built in)
Codex
Claude Agent
OpenCode
Custom in-house agents

Every agent above shows up in the same Kanban board, side by side, no separate windows.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action Shortcut
Open command palette Ctrl + Shift + P
Quick file search Ctrl + P
Go to line Ctrl + G
Go to definition F12

These base editor shortcuts are confirmed in Cognition’s own docs. If you are coming from Windsurf, your existing custom keybindings carry over automatically since Devin Desktop reads your old settings file.

Plans and Pricing

Plan Starting Cost What’s Included
Free plan Free Light daily usage allowance for the agent, limited model access, unlimited Tab completions and inline edits
Pro plan $ per month Increased usage allowance, full access to OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini models, access to Devin Cloud, extra usage at API pricing
Max plan $$$ per month Everything in Pro, with a significantly higher usage allowance for heavy daily sessions
Teams plan Flat fee + per seat Everything in Pro, unlimited team members, centralized billing, admin dashboard, priority support
Enterprise plan Contact sales Everything in Teams, SSO, dedicated account management, private cloud deployment options
Tip: Tab completions and inline edits are free on every plan. The usage allowance for the AI agent refreshes daily, so most developers will not hit the ceiling. Pricing shown is relative ($ costs less than $$$) since Cognition adjusts rates from time to time. Check devin.ai/pricing for current rates.

Devin Desktop vs the Alternatives

Tool Starting Cost AI Approach Best For
Devin Desktop Free / $ Multi-agent command center, runs Devin Local plus other ACP agents in one window Devs who want to manage several coding agents in one place
Cursor Free / $ Single agent, strong developer control over every edit Devs who want to stay in charge of every change
GitHub Copilot $ Inline suggestions and chat inside VS Code Teams already on GitHub with VS Code
VS Code + Extensions Free Mix and match AI tools via extensions Devs who want full control over their setup

Price shown is relative starting cost for the lowest paid tier: $ is roughly under $25 a month, $$$ is well above that. Check each provider’s site for exact current rates.

How Devin Desktop Works

How Devin Desktop works on your PC with it’s agentic abilities and unique tools.

How devin desktop works infographic - Devin Desktop for Windows: Complete Setup Guide (2026)

 

Tips for Getting Started

Tip 1. Import your VS Code or Cursor settings during setup

The onboarding flow offers a direct import option. Bringing over your linters, formatters, and themes means Devin Desktop feels familiar right away.

Tip 2. Give the agent a specific goal, not a vague question

Instead of asking “how do I add auth?”, say “add email and password login to this Express app using Passport.js and store sessions in Redis.” Specific instructions use less of your daily allowance.

Tip 3. Use the Agent Command Center for parallel tasks

If you have two unrelated tasks, dispatch them as separate sessions instead of one long chat. Check on both from the Kanban view without losing your place in either.

Tip 4. Always review the diff before accepting

The agent shows exactly what changed before anything is saved. Catching a small logic error at the diff stage takes seconds compared to finding it later.

Tip 5. Alias the old surf command if you use it in scripts

The terminal command changed from surf to devin-desktop. If you have scripts or muscle memory tied to surf, alias it to the new command instead of retyping everything.

Common Issues and Fixes

Problem

App gets blocked by company device management software

Solution to Try

The install file changed from Windsurf.exe to Devin.exe. IT policies that only allowlisted the old name may flag or quarantine the new one. Ask IT to add Devin to the approved app list before the update reaches your machine.

Problem

Old surf terminal command stopped working

Solution to Try

The surf shell command was replaced by devin-desktop. Install it from the command palette by running “Shell Command: Install ‘devin-desktop’ command in PATH.” The old surf and windsurf commands still work if you alias them to the new one.

Problem

Confused about Cascade vs Devin Local

Solution to Try

Cascade is the old agent name and still works through July 1, 2026 for anyone mid-migration. Devin Local is its permanent replacement, faster and more efficient, using the same pricing and usage model.

Problem

Can’t find a setting that used to be under “Windsurf Settings”

Solution to Try

The settings panel button was renamed to “Devin Settings” in the bottom right corner and the top right profile dropdown. Nothing was removed, it just has a new label.

System Requirements

Component Requirement
Operating System Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11
Architecture x64 or ARM64
RAM 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
Storage 2 GB free disk space
Internet Required for AI features (agent processing runs in the cloud)
GPU Not required, AI processing is server-side

Devin Desktop Full Tour

Watch Cognition’s official Devin Desktop Full Tour to see the Agent Command Center, Spaces, and Devin Local running inside the editor.

Screenshots

Here is what Devin Desktop looks like on Windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Windsurf?

Windsurf was renamed Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026. Cognition, the company that owns both Windsurf and the Devin AI agent, folded Windsurf into the wider Devin product line. If you already used Windsurf, the update arrived automatically and your plan, pricing, extensions, and settings carried over with no action needed.

Is Devin Desktop free?

Yes. The Free plan includes unlimited Tab completions, unlimited inline edits, and a light daily usage allowance for the AI agent. Paid plans start at $20 a month and add higher usage allowances and full access to premium AI models. Check devin.ai/pricing for current rates, since plans and prices change from time to time.

Does Devin Desktop work on Windows 10?

Yes. Devin Desktop requires Windows 10 (64-bit) or later, including Windows 11, on both x64 and ARM64 machines.

What is Devin Local?

Devin Local is the AI agent built into Devin Desktop. It replaces Cascade, the agent Windsurf used before the rename. Cognition rewrote it in Rust, and it is up to 30 percent more token efficient than Cascade while supporting the same settings and adding new features like subagents, smaller helper agents that a main task can delegate pieces of work to.

Can I still use other AI agents inside Devin Desktop?

Yes. Devin Desktop supports the Agent Client Protocol (ACP), an open standard that lets other coding agents run inside the same window. At launch this includes Codex, Claude Agent, OpenCode, and any custom agent your team builds that supports ACP.

Will my old Windsurf settings and extensions still work?

Yes. Devin Desktop is built on the same codebase as Windsurf. Your extensions, keybindings, themes, and settings all carry over automatically, and the app still reads your old .windsurfrules files alongside the new .devin/ format.

Can I use Devin Desktop without paying for Devin Cloud?

Yes. Devin Desktop works out of the box with local-only agents on the Free and Pro plans. Devin Cloud, the separate autonomous cloud agent product, is an optional add-on for teams that want it, not a requirement to use the desktop app.

Support and Community

More Windows software guides: Cursor IDE for Windows · Visual Studio Code for Windows · Best AI Coding Extensions · Best AI Code Editors for Desktop


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