Install on Windows

Local Cognitive for Windows runs on Windows 10 and 11, x64.

Install

1. Open the latest release and download Local-Cognitive-Setup-<version>.exe.
2. Run it. It installs for your user only and needs no administrator rights; you can keep the suggested folder.
3. The installer is not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen shows Windows protected your PC once. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

The app installs to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Local Cognitive and keeps your data in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Local Cognitive.

GPU acceleration

Models run on any GPU through Vulkan, which ships with the app. Integrated graphics are skipped, since they share system memory.

On a PC with an NVIDIA GPU, the app offers the faster CUDA build at first launch:

• It downloads about 515 MB after you accept NVIDIA’s license, resumes if the connection drops, and checks every file.
• The app picks the build for your card and driver: CUDA 13.3 for RTX 30, 40 and 50 series with driver 580 or newer, otherwise CUDA 12.4.
• Loaded models switch to CUDA without a restart. If the CUDA build can’t see the GPU, models stay on Vulkan and the app says why.

If you skip the offer, it stays in Settings → Local Runtime, where you can also remove CUDA again.

Updates

The app tells you about a new version in the title bar and with one notification. Until the installer is code-signed, it doesn’t install updates itself: download the new installer from the release page and run it over the old one. Your data, models and CUDA stay where they are.

Uninstall

Use Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Local Cognitive → Uninstall. Your data stays in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Local Cognitive; delete that folder to remove it too.