Palette Desktop FAQ

Common questions about Palette Desktop. For broader Palette questions see the general FAQ. For questions about the Context Library specifically, see the Context Library FAQ.

Which agents can I use?

Five: Palette's own agent, Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, and Mistral Vibe. You pick one per chat and can switch whenever you like, because your context lives in the folder, not the agent. See Agents.

Do I need a subscription to a model?

Not necessarily. You have three options. Bring your own subscription (Claude Pro or Max, ChatGPT or Codex plan). Bring your own API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or Mistral). Or use Palette's own agent, which needs no third-party subscription and can even run a model on your machine for free. See Agents.

Do I need to know how to code, or use the terminal?

No. Palette Desktop is built for people who work in folders, not repos. There is no terminal and no code. You work with your agent in chats, and review changes before they save.

What file types can it work with?

Any files in your folder. It works best with text-based files like markdown and plain text, because your agent reads and edits those directly. It can also open and reference other files as context, and preview PDFs, images, and code in the viewer.

Can I point it at a code repository?

Yes, it works on any folder, including one that is version-controlled. That said, Palette Desktop is built for non-engineering work in folders, not for writing code. If writing code is the goal, an engineering tool like Cursor or Claude Code in the terminal is a better fit.

What if the agent I want isn't installed yet?

Palette installs it for you in one click from Settings. Palette's own agent is built in, so it needs nothing at all.

Where does my data live, and is it private?

On your machine. Palette Desktop is a local app, so your files stay with you (and in your Google Drive or Dropbox if your folder is synced there). Palette does not train on your data. When an agent runs, the calls go to whichever model provider you chose, under that provider's terms. If you want everything to stay local, run Palette's own agent with an on-device model.

What happens to my files when the agent makes changes? Can I undo?

Changes inside the main workspace are staged for review before they save back, and you can restore an earlier checkpoint. A reference marked editable sits outside that workspace boundary, so changes to it are written directly and are not included in the session save-back review.

Can I use my own API key instead of a subscription?

Yes. For Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini CLI, you can bring an API key instead of signing in. Palette stores those keys in your operating system's keychain and passes them to the agent. Mistral Vibe uses Mistral's browser sign-in, which provisions a La Plateforme API key and stores it locally in ~/.vibe/.env; Palette does not copy that key into its keychain.

Does it work offline?

Palette's own agent can, with an on-device model. Download a model once and it runs locally on your machine, so it is private and works without a connection. The other agents call their provider, so they need to be online.

Can I use it on my own, or is it just for teams?

Both. Point it at any folder on your machine and work solo, or point the whole team at one folder shared on Google Drive or Dropbox.

How does my team collaborate on the same folder?

Point Palette Desktop at a folder shared via Google Drive or Dropbox. Each person works in a separate session and reviews changes before saving them back. If the main folder and a session changed the same file, Palette can detect the conflict during Update or Save and ask you to resolve it. See Sharing workspaces for the full setup.

How is Palette Desktop different from Claude Cowork?

Claude Cowork is Anthropic's Claude-native workspace. Its remote sessions, background work, and access across supported devices make it a strong fit for people and organizations standardized on Claude.

Palette Desktop lets your team choose between five supported agents: Palette's own agent, Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, or Mistral Vibe. It works from a local folder that can be shared through your storage service, and sessions let you review changes before they save back.

How is it different from Cursor or Windsurf?

Those are built for engineers writing code in repos. Palette Desktop is for everyone else, working in folders: account plans, briefs, campaigns, notes. If you are happy writing code in Cursor, you are not the target user.

How is it different from using ChatGPT or Claude in a browser?

ChatGPT and Claude can keep personal context through projects, uploaded files, and memory. Palette Desktop works directly on the folder you choose, lets a team share that folder through its storage service, and holds changes for review before they save back.

Can I use Palette Desktop without the Context Library?

Yes. Palette Desktop works on its own with just your folder. If your organization has Palette OS access, you can also browse the Context Library and mention a context page in chat. The agent can read that page when the Palette connector is connected.

Mac or Windows?

Palette Desktop is Mac-only right now. We are working on Windows. Sign up for the waitlist at palette.team and we will let you know as soon as it is ready.

Can I try it for free?

Palette's own agent can run a model on your machine at no cost, so you can use Palette Desktop without paying for a model. For plan pricing and any trial, see palette.team.

What does it cost?

You bring your own model access (a subscription or API key), or run Palette's own agent. For plan pricing, see palette.team.