Make yourself at home.

1. Install Equinox Local

Choose the bootstrap for your computer. Both installers are per-user, detect x64 or ARM64, verify the pinned release size and SHA-256, and install the bundled runtime without requiring a separate Node installation.

macOS

Windows

macOS installs under your user Library and opens Equinox Local.app. Windows installs under per-user LocalAppData, registers the native shell and Chrome Native Messaging host, and opens the native Equinox Local window.

2. Review Agent Access

The installer launches the native Equinox Local app. Its window displays Control Center, backed by the private loopback service on your computer. http://127.0.0.1:24891/ is also available as a diagnostic fallback.

1. Check runtime health. Resolve any reported setup issue before connecting your AI client.
2. Review Agent Access. Fresh managed installs start in Full mode. Choose Selected if root-aware structured capabilities should be limited to configured projects and folders.
3. Review execution and automation separately. Terminal/process and Browser controls are available on both platforms. Desktop automation is currently macOS-only. Optional integrations are not required for the core runtime.

Selected roots are not a Terminal sandbox. Terminal runs as your logged-in operating-system user and is not confined to Selected roots after startup. Disable Terminal if strict selected-root containment is required. Equinox-managed provider credentials are not injected into generic Terminal/process environments.

3. Connect ChatGPT

Equinox Local runs on your computer; ChatGPT connects through OpenAI Secure MCP Tunnel. The tunnel makes an outbound HTTPS connection, so you do not need an inbound firewall rule or public local port.

First, confirm that your OpenAI plan and ChatGPT workspace support the custom MCP app/connector flow you want to use. Availability and write/modify permissions are controlled by OpenAI and can change independently of Local.

1. In OpenAI Platform → Tunnels, create a tunnel scoped to the ChatGPT workspace that will use Local. Copy its Tunnel ID.
2. In OpenAI Platform → API keys, create a Restricted runtime API key with Tunnels: Read + Use. The Tunnel ID and runtime key are two different values. Do not use an admin key for the long-lived runtime.
3. In Control Center → Connect to ChatGPT, enter both values and choose Save & connect. Local stores the key in a private local state and schedules a controlled restart into tunnel mode.
4. In ChatGPT on the web, open the custom MCP app/connector setup, choose Connection: Tunnel and select or paste the same Tunnel ID.
5. When connected, scan or refresh the app’s tools in ChatGPT.

If the tunnel does not appear, check its workspace scope, the relevant principal’s Read + Use permissions, and that both sides use the same ID. New tunnels can take a short time to become available. The public repository’s tunnel guide has more detail.

4. Add Equinox Browser

This step is optional. Equinox Browser provides browser automation for both the dedicated Agent Browser and your personal Your Browser.

1. In Control Center → Browser, open or prepare Agent Browser. This is the default context, with a dedicated Equinox Local Chrome profile.
2. Install Equinox Browser from Chrome Web Store in that profile.
3. Open the extension, read and accept the browser-data disclosure, then explicitly enable browser control. Fresh extension installs start with automation off.
4. If you also want tasks to use your existing personal sessions, install and enable the extension separately in your personal Chrome profile. Your Browser must be explicitly selected for those tasks.

The contexts have independent consent and browsing state. Local never silently switches from one to the other. Extension updates are handled by Chrome Web Store, not by the Local updater.

5. Choose optional integrations

Desktop control on macOS

Desktop automation is currently macOS-only. On macOS, grant Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions to Equinox Local.app, the stable product identity. Windows Local v1 does not expose Desktop automation.

Telegram delivery

In Control Center → Integrations, enter your bot token and Your Telegram ID, then choose Connect & test. Start a private conversation with the bot first so it can message you. The configured recipient must be one private Telegram user, not a group or channel.

Agents can send message text to this fixed recipient. They cannot change the recipient or read a Telegram inbox. The token and recipient stay in private local storage and are not returned to agents.

Updates and uninstall

Use Control Center to manage stable Local updates. The updater verifies Ed25519-signed metadata and the downloaded artifact, stages a versioned release, checks health after activation, and restores the previous release if activation fails.

Normal uninstall preserves the local workspace and configuration. Full local-data removal is a separate choice with explicit typed confirmation. Equinox Browser is removed separately from Chrome.

Need a hand?

For an install failure, keep the relevant Terminal or PowerShell error. For an unhealthy runtime, review Control Center diagnostics. Send the smallest useful description through Contact; keep credentials and unrelated private data out of logs you share.