> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://amd-gaia.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Install GAIA
> Download and install GAIA on Windows, macOS, or Linux. The recommended way to get GAIA running on your machine.
GAIA is a desktop chat application that runs AI agents locally on your machine. This is the recommended install method for most users. For the developer / CLI install path, see the [development guide](/docs/reference/dev).
## What you'll need
* A computer running **Windows 10/11**, **macOS 14+** (Apple Silicon), or **Linux** (Debian/Ubuntu/Fedora/Arch)
* **5 GB** of free disk space (for the app + Python environment + minimal model)
* An **internet connection** for the first launch (the app downloads its Python backend automatically)
* About **10 minutes** total: \~30 seconds to download, \~10 seconds to install, \~5–10 minutes for the first-launch backend setup
## Download
1. Go to [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/amd/gaia/releases/latest)
2. Download **`gaia-agent-ui-X.Y.Z-x64-setup.exe`**
3. Double-click to run the installer
4. Follow the wizard. Default options work for most users.
5. GAIA will start automatically when you sign in to Windows, matching the Slack/Discord/Zoom convention. To disable, open Task Manager → Startup tab → disable "GAIA", or use the in-app tray menu after first launch.
6. Click **Finish** and launch GAIA from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut.
The first time you run an unsigned installer, Windows SmartScreen may show a "Windows protected your PC" warning. Click **More info** → **Run anyway**. (We're working on Windows code signing — see [troubleshooting](/docs/reference/install-troubleshooting#smartscreen).)
1. Go to [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/amd/gaia/releases/latest)
2. Download **`gaia-agent-ui-X.Y.Z-arm64.dmg`** (Apple Silicon only)
3. Double-click the DMG to open it
4. Drag **GAIA** to the Applications folder
5. Eject the DMG and launch GAIA from Applications
On first launch, macOS Gatekeeper may show "GAIA cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified." Right-click the app and choose **Open**, then click **Open** in the dialog. (We're working on Apple notarization — see [troubleshooting](/docs/reference/install-troubleshooting#gatekeeper).)
Intel Macs are not currently supported.
1. Go to [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/amd/gaia/releases/latest)
2. Download **`gaia-agent-ui-X.Y.Z-amd64.deb`**
3. Install with apt:
```bash theme={null}
sudo apt install ./gaia-agent-ui-X.Y.Z-amd64.deb
```
4. Launch GAIA from your application menu, or run `gaia-desktop` from a terminal
Or install via the GUI: double-click the `.deb` file and your software center will install it.
1. Go to [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/amd/gaia/releases/latest)
2. Download **`gaia-agent-ui-X.Y.Z-x86_64.AppImage`**
3. Make it executable:
```bash theme={null}
chmod +x gaia-agent-ui-X.Y.Z-x86_64.AppImage
```
4. Double-click the AppImage to run, or run from terminal:
```bash theme={null}
./gaia-agent-ui-X.Y.Z-x86_64.AppImage
```
AppImages are self-contained and require no installation. Move it anywhere convenient (e.g., `~/Applications/`).
## First-launch setup
The first time you launch GAIA, it automatically sets up its Python backend. You'll see a progress dialog with these stages:
1. **Pre-flight checks** (\~5 seconds) — verifies free disk space and network connectivity
2. **Download `uv`** (\~30 seconds) — installs the `uv` Python package manager
3. **Create Python environment** (\~30 seconds) — downloads Python 3.12 and creates a virtualenv at `~/.gaia/venv/`
4. **Install GAIA backend** (\~3-5 minutes) — installs the `amd-gaia[ui]` Python package and its dependencies
5. **Download minimal model** (\~2-3 minutes) — fetches the Qwen3-0.6B model via Lemonade Server
6. **Verify** (\~5 seconds) — runs a quick test to confirm everything works
Total: about 5-10 minutes the first time, depending on your internet speed. **Subsequent launches are instant** — the app reuses the installed environment.
### What if it fails?
If the install fails, you'll see an error dialog with:
* A short explanation of what went wrong
* A **Retry** button
* A **Manual install instructions** link to the troubleshooting guide
* A **Quit** button
The full install log is at `~/.gaia/electron-install.log` — attach it when reporting issues.
See the [installation troubleshooting guide](/docs/reference/install-troubleshooting) for common failure modes.
## Updating GAIA
GAIA checks for updates automatically:
* 10 seconds after launch
* Every 4 hours while running
When an update is available, you'll see a small "update available" indicator in the status bar. The update downloads silently in the background. When ready, GAIA prompts you to **Restart now** or **Later**. Your chat history is preserved across updates.
To disable auto-updates, set the environment variable `GAIA_DISABLE_UPDATE=1` before launching.
## Uninstalling
GAIA follows the platform convention: removing the app leaves your user data (chats, documents, downloaded models) behind. To remove the data too, run the `gaia uninstall` CLI from a terminal — it has tiered flags so you can decide exactly what to keep.
### Windows
**Settings → Apps → Installed apps → GAIA → Uninstall**
This removes the app, the Start Menu / Desktop shortcuts, and the autostart registry entry. It does **not** touch `~/.gaia/`. To also remove your data, open a terminal (PowerShell or `cmd`) and run:
```powershell theme={null}
~\.gaia\venv\Scripts\gaia uninstall --purge
```
### macOS
Drag the **GAIA** app from Applications to the Trash. Empty the Trash.
To also remove your data, run from a terminal:
```bash theme={null}
~/.gaia/venv/bin/gaia uninstall --purge
```
### Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)
```bash theme={null}
sudo apt remove gaia-desktop
```
To also remove your data, use `apt purge` instead:
```bash theme={null}
sudo apt purge gaia-desktop
```
### Linux (AppImage)
Delete the `.AppImage` file. To also remove your data:
```bash theme={null}
~/.gaia/venv/bin/gaia uninstall --purge
```
### Tiered cleanup with `gaia uninstall`
The CLI lets you escalate cleanup as far as you want — useful for reclaiming disk or fully resetting:
```bash theme={null}
gaia uninstall --dry-run # Preview what would be removed
gaia uninstall --venv # Just the Python env
gaia uninstall --purge # Venv + chats + documents + config
gaia uninstall --purge --purge-lemonade # Also remove Lemonade Server install
gaia uninstall --purge --purge-models # Also remove downloaded Lemonade models
gaia uninstall --purge --purge-hf-cache # Also remove ~/.cache/huggingface/
```
## Where things live
| What | Location |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Electron app | Platform-specific (Program Files / /Applications / /opt/GAIA) |
| Python environment | `~/.gaia/venv/` |
| Chat database | `~/.gaia/chat/gaia_chat.db` |
| Document Library uploads | `~/.gaia/documents/` |
| Chat file attachments | `~/.gaia/chat/uploads/` |
| Configuration | `~/.gaia/electron-config.json` |
| Logs | `~/.gaia/gaia.log`, `~/.gaia/electron-install.log` |
| Models (managed by Lemonade) | `~/.cache/lemonade/models/` |
## Privacy
GAIA runs entirely on your machine. **No data is sent externally** beyond the package downloads during install. There is no telemetry, no crash reporting, no usage analytics. See the [FAQ](/docs/reference/faq) for more.
## Next steps
* [Quickstart](/docs/quickstart) — your first conversation with a GAIA agent
* [Chat with your documents](/docs/guides/chat) — RAG-powered Q\&A
* [Troubleshooting](/docs/reference/install-troubleshooting) — install failure modes and fixes
* [FAQ](/docs/reference/faq) — common questions