Installation & Updating Fixes
PiecesOS and the Pieces Desktop App can be downloaded in several ways, and the update process varies based on the method you used, like whether you installed them via WinGet or .exe files.
Manual Installation Methods
If you’re experiencing difficulties installing the Pieces Desktop App, you can install the software manually by downloading the Windows installer or using WinGet.
You can also install Pieces for Developers manually using WinGet from your device’s terminal.
To do so:
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Launch Windows Terminal, Command Prompt, or PowerShell as administrator.
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In the terminal, type
winget install “Pieces for Developers”and pressenter.
You may be prompted to enter Y or N to agree or disagree with the terms of use when installing the Pieces Desktop App—type and enter Y to proceed with the installation.
Versions & Updates
Many issues can stem from out-of-date plugins, extensions, or the Desktop App itself.
Updating the Pieces Desktop App
Updating the Pieces Desktop App on Windows (and macOS) can be done directly within the application:
Open the Pieces Desktop App
Press the Windows Icon and search for Pieces Desktop, open it
Locate the User Icon
Click the User Icon to the right of the Search Bar at the top of the main app view
Check for Updates
Select Check for Desktop App Updates
Update Pieces for Developers
If prompted, click Download Update to install available updates.
You can also select Check for PiecesOS Updates from the same menu as an alternative to doing so from the PiecesOS system window in your taskbar.
Common Installation Issues
Windows users may encounter installation issues for various reasons, such as out-of-date OS components or incomplete dependencies.
Checking for Windows Updates
Before installing, ensure your Windows system is fully updated:
Open your Settings
Click the Start button, then select Settings.
Find your Updates
Click Windows Update in the sidebar options.
Install any Updates
Install any pending updates and restart your computer.
Updating the Microsoft Store & App Installer
If you downloaded Pieces software through the Microsoft Store and are experiencing issues with the marketplace interface, try updating the app.
Open the Microsoft Store
Press the Windows button and search for the Microsoft Store, open it.
Find the Library updates
Click on Library to check for available updates.
Update all recommendations
Update the Microsoft Store and the App Installer if prompted.
Reinstall Pieces Suite
Now, you can retry installing Pieces Suite.
Issues Launching PiecesOS
Some users who have enabled Controlled Folder Access (CFA) as a security measure may receive a notification that Pieces is attempting to bypass this security wall.
To work around this issue, you will need to add the executable path for PiecesOS to your allowlist.
The reason PiecesOS fails to launch when CFA is enabled is that the executable path for the PiecesOS application writes data to your Documents folder.
CFA disables and blocks any request to modify files (in this case, writing & saving data), so PiecesOS is unable to launch itself.
Keep in mind that this path references the specific PiecesOS version, and so will change over time as long as you continue to update the software. You can also disable CFA as a security measure if you do not require it as part of an enterprise scenario or for any other reason.
PiecesOS uses vision processing to ingest context from foreground applications horizontally.
To decide which apps PiecesOS has access to, you can easily enable and disable specific sources from the Long-Term Memory Access Control panel.
Checking Hardware Specifications
You may need to check your system's specifications if you continue to experience issues, especially when trying to use local LLMs.
To check your device specifications on Windows:
Open the Windows search
Press the Windows key on your keyboard or the Windows Icon in the task bar.
Open Run
Type “run” and press enter.
Find Dxdiag
Type dxdiag and press enter or click the blue OK button.
The System tab displays your processor, the number of CPU cores, and memory (RAM), while the Display tab lists your GPU, its manufacturer (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel), and the available video memory (VRAM).
Checking Windows Version
If the Pieces Installer isn't working properly, you might be using an outdated version of Windows. Pieces requires at least Windows 10 20H0 or higher.
To find out your Windows version, press the Windows and R keys together, type winver in the pop-up window, and press Enter.
A new window will open called About Windows, which will display your current Windows version.
If this doesn't work, you’re likely using a Windows version lower than Windows 10.
Restart the Pieces Desktop App
After trying any of the fixes above, it’s recommended that you restart your desktop and the Pieces Desktop App.
This ensures all caches are clean and the computer is refreshed.
If the problem persists, please open a GitHub issue for further assistance or book a call with our engineers.