GoldieBench Blog · 9 min read
Hermes Agent Microsoft Store: What It Is, How To Install It, And The Models To Run In It
Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app explained: the official listing, Windows 11 22H2 needs, Store updates, every feature, and which models score best.
The Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app is the free, signed Windows package of Hermes Agent and Hermes Desktop, the open-source AI agent from Nous Research.
You get it from the official Hermes Agent listing on the Microsoft Store, 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, and it carries its own Python and Node, so the first launch builds nothing.
The Microsoft Store keeps it updated for you.
I'm Julian Goldie, and in the video above I walk through the v0.22 release that brought these signed packages in.
In this post I'll cover what the Store app is, how to install it and every feature, and then I'll show you how the models you can run inside it score on GoldieBench.
If you want my team to look at how AI agents and AI search can grow your business, you can book a free SEO strategy session.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it is | It is the signed MSIX package of Hermes Agent and Hermes Desktop for Windows. |
| Publisher | The Store lists Nous Research Inc. as the publisher and developer. |
| Cost | The listing shows it as free, and Hermes Agent is open source under the MIT licence. |
| Windows version | The docs say Windows 11 22H2 or later, and the listing says Windows 11 version 22621.0 or higher. |
| Chips | The Store ships x64 and ARM64 builds. |
| Size | The listing's approximate size is about 4.3 GB. |
| Updates | Store installs update through the Microsoft Store. |
| Models | It runs on cloud providers, Nous Portal or local models, and it does not ship one fixed model. |
What is the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app?
Hermes Agent is Nous Research's open-source, self-improving AI agent, and Hermes Desktop is the native app it runs in.
The Store listing says it can be powered by numerous inference providers, by on-device models, or by Nous Portal.
The Microsoft Store version is that same agent packaged as a signed MSIX that Windows installs, tracks and updates.
The v0.22.0 release notes say the desktop app is now a sealed, signed package that carries its own Python and Node and updates itself.
The same notes say Windows gets a signed MSIX for x64 and ARM64 through App Installer or the Microsoft Store.
They also say the Windows desktop is now MSIX-only, and the old NSIS and MSI installers are gone.
What the Store listing shows
These are the details on the Microsoft Store page when I checked it on 22 October 2026.
| Listing detail | What it says |
|---|---|
| Publisher | The publisher and developer are both Nous Research Inc. |
| Price | The app is free. |
| Category | The app sits in the Business category. |
| Minimum OS | It needs Windows 11 version 22621.0 or higher, which is the 22H2 release. |
| Builds | It installs on x64 and ARM64 PCs. |
| Approximate size | The listing gives about 4.3 GB. |
| Permissions | It lists using all system resources and writing registry entries and files that are not cleaned up on uninstall. |
| Dates | The listing's release date is 9 September 2026, and it was last updated on 21 October 2026. |
How to install the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app
Installing it takes four steps.
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1 | You open the official Store listing and check the publisher reads Nous Research Inc. |
| 2 | You click Get or Install, and Windows installs the signed package. |
| 3 | You open Hermes and run the guided setup chat on the free trial model. |
| 4 | You 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.
The v0.22.0 notes say the setup chat covers your name, an accent colour, the layout, the apps to connect, plugins, a tour and up to four first tasks.
Windows 10 PCs can't use the MSIX package, so the docs point them to the install.ps1 source installer instead.
iex (irm https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/install.ps1)If you'd like help working out where agents fit your business and your search traffic, grab a free one-to-one strategy session and we'll look at your site, your competitors and the keywords you're closest to winning.
Every feature of the Store version
| Feature | How it works |
|---|---|
| Signed package | The MSIX is sealed and signed, and a new package manager only switches to an update once it passes its check. |
| Store updates | The docs say the Store variant uses Store updates and does not use the sideload feed. |
| hermes update | The v0.22.0 notes say that inside a package, hermes update points you to the right updater instead of running Git. |
| Command line | The docs say the MSIX execution aliases expose hermes, hermes-agent and hermes-acp. |
| Local models | The docs say Local Models is on by default in the desktop app on Windows, using CUDA, Vulkan or CPU. |
| Browser tools | The docs say a self-contained MSIX includes supported browser tools in its payload. |
| Plugins | The v0.22.0 notes say plugins with Python dependencies install inside the MSIX. |
| Remote backends | The installation docs say you can connect Desktop to a Hermes backend on another machine from Settings, then Gateways. |
| Uninstall | The docs say you remove it through Windows Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps. |
If another Hermes install shadows the command, the docs say to check it with Get-Command hermes -All.
Store, sideload or script: which Windows install to pick
There are four ways onto Windows, and the docs treat them as different installs.
| Install route | How it updates | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store | It updates through the Microsoft Store. | It suits Windows 11 users who want the easiest route. |
| Sideload MSIX | It updates through the desktop Update control and Windows App Installer. | It suits people who want the same package without the Store. |
| install.ps1 script | It updates with hermes update. | It suits Windows 10 users and anyone who wants the source code. |
| Hermes-Setup.exe | It follows the source install it builds. | It suits people who specifically want a source build with a desktop app. |
The docs say the Store variant uses its own Store package identity and does not use the sideload feed.
Stable and canary desktop bundles are separate applications, and the docs say installing canary does not replace stable, including on Windows with MSIX.
Running local models inside the Store app
The Local Models docs say Hermes can run open models entirely on your own machine, with no account, no API key and no network access after the download.
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 the CPU.
Hermes rates every catalog model against your GPU and RAM before you download it, and it marks each one as fitting your GPU, using system RAM or too big for the machine.
The docs say a GPU with 8 GB or more runs the small catalog models comfortably, and 16 GB or more runs the 27B to 35B models at high quality.
How updates work, and the fixes so far
The Store handles updates, so you don't run anything yourself.
| 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 the 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. |
If the Store app ever sticks on Connecting, the first thing to check is a Store update, because that was the 0.22.1 bug.
Limits to know first
The MSIX package doesn't support Windows 10.
The download is large, at roughly 4.3 GB.
The Store listing had no user ratings yet when I checked.
When I checked the Hermes website on 22 October 2026, its Windows button pointed to Hermes-Setup.exe, which the docs describe as a different bootstrap installer that builds a source install.
I run Hermes on a Mac, so I haven't installed the Store version myself, and everything here comes from the listing, the docs and the official release notes.
Does the Hermes Store app ship its own model?
No, it doesn't ship one fixed model.
The v0.22.0 notes say a fresh install opens on a guided setup chat that runs on a free trial model, and after that you choose the brain.
You can use Nous Portal, which the docs call the recommended way to run Hermes, your own provider key, or a local model.
The v0.22.0 notes name Qwen3.8 27B, Qwen3.8 Flash Next, Qwen3.6 35B-A3B and DeepSeek V4 Flash in the local catalog, and the v0.22.3 notes add Nemotron 3.5 Bolt to the local runtime.
The same v0.22.0 notes say the release brought the Claude 5.5 and GPT-6 model wave to Hermes.
How the models you can run in it score on GoldieBench
GoldieBench gives every model the same one-shot prompt to build a game, a page, a simulation or a visual, then scores the rendered result from 0 to 10.
That measures the brain on its own, while the Store app is the body it runs in, so the score is a guide to the model rather than to Hermes.
Here are the cloud brains on the live board that people most often plug into Hermes.
| Model | On GoldieBench | Live score | Scored tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-5.6 Sol | GPT-5.6 Sol | 8.16 average | 50 |
| MiniMax M3 | MiniMax M3 | 7.97 average | 47 |
| Kimi K3 | Kimi K3 | 7.89 average | 50 |
| GLM-5.2 | GLM-5.2 | 7.77 average | 47 |
| Claude Opus 5.5 | Claude Opus 5.5 | 7.57 average | 50 |
The local catalog models are a different story, because none of the four the v0.22.0 notes name has a scored average on the board yet, and Nemotron 3.5 Bolt isn't on it either.
DeepSeek V4 Flash is listed on GoldieBench, but its model page shows 0 scored tasks, so I won't quote a number for it.
The nearest local models that do have live scores are these.
| Model | On GoldieBench | Live score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qwen3.6-27B base | Qwable 5 27B Coder | 7.14 average | It is a fine-tune of Qwen3.6-27B, with 41 scored tasks. |
| Gemma 4 12B | Gemma 4 12B · MLX | 3.98 average | It is a small local model, with 42 scored tasks. |
On those numbers, the big cloud brains clearly lead on one-shot builds, and the 27B-class local model sits much closer to them than the 12B one.
That is the useful takeaway for a Windows user, because on this board a bigger local model gets you much nearer cloud quality than a small one does.
If you're choosing a brain for Hermes, my post on the best Hermes Agent model uses the same live board.
If you want to run a brain on your own PC, check the local models board before you download anything.
Who should use the Hermes Store app
Windows 11 users who want the easiest Hermes install should use it today.
Teams should make it 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.
For everything else in the release, my Hermes Agent v0.22 post covers the setup chat, connectors and local models.
If you want my team to show you how to turn AI agents and content into Google and AI search traffic, book a free SEO strategy session.
Also On Our Network
- Agent Operatorsthe four-step Hermes Agent Microsoft Store install
- AI Income Deskseven ways a business can use the Hermes Store app
- AI Tool Verdictthe Hermes Store app, scored feature by feature
- agentos.guidethe Hermes Store app quick start for an Agent OS
- agentos.guidemy Hermes Agent v0.22 guide on agentos.guide
If you want a clear plan for getting your business found in Google and AI search, book your free strategy session with my team.
Pick a strong brain from the live board, install from the Store, and you'll get the most out of the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store app.
FAQ
Is Hermes Agent on the Microsoft Store?
Yes. Hermes Agent is listed on the Microsoft Store at apps.microsoft.com/detail/9PMXK8CZC7KR, published by Nous Research Inc. It is free and installs the signed Hermes Desktop package for Windows.
What are the Hermes Agent Microsoft Store requirements?
The Hermes docs say the MSIX package needs Windows 11 22H2 or later, and the listing asks for Windows 11 version 22621.0 or higher. The Store ships x64 and ARM64 builds, and the approximate size is about 4.3 GB.
How does the Store version update?
Through the Microsoft Store. The docs say it does not use the sideload feed, and the v0.22.3 notes say the Store build goes live automatically when a release publishes.
Does the Hermes Store app ship its own model?
No. A fresh install opens on a guided setup chat that runs on a free trial model, and then you choose Nous Portal, your own provider key or a local model.
Which models score best on GoldieBench for Hermes?
On the live board, GPT-5.6 Sol scores 8.16, MiniMax M3 7.97, Kimi K3 7.89, GLM-5.2 7.77 and Claude Opus 5.5 7.57. The local catalog models Hermes names, including Nemotron 3.5 Bolt, have no scored average on the board yet.
Is the Store app the same as Hermes-Setup.exe?
No. The docs describe Hermes-Setup.exe as a different bootstrap installer that downloads a source installation and builds the desktop app, while the Store app is a self-contained signed MSIX.
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