TwinDesktopTwinDesktop

Documentation

Everything you need to get started with TwinDesktop.

Getting Started

What is TwinDesktop?

TwinDesktop gives you a second, fully isolated Windows desktop rendered as a resizable picture-in-picture window on your main display. It delivers hardware-accelerated, native performance — no virtual machine, no emulator, no overhead.

Use it to:

  • Run AI agents — Let Claude, Cursor, Cline, or any MCP-compatible AI control an isolated desktop without touching your main workspace.
  • Automate workflows — Execute UI automation, batch actions, and repetitive tasks in the background.
  • Test safely — Install software, browse untrusted sites, or run experimental scripts in an isolated environment.
  • Multitask smarter — Keep a separate workspace for comms, monitoring dashboards, or secondary projects.

System Requirements

RequirementMinimumRecommended
OSWindows 10 (21H2) or laterWindows 11
EditionPro, Enterprise, or EducationPro or Enterprise
RAM4 GB8 GB or more
Disk Space500 MB1 GB
Runtime.NET 8.0 Desktop Runtime.NET 8.0 Desktop Runtime
Important: Windows Home editions are not supported. TwinDesktop requires session isolation features available only in Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.

Installation

  1. Download TwinDesktop-Setup.exe from the Download page.
  2. Run the installer — Velopack installs TwinDesktop to your user profile (no admin required).
  3. Launch TwinDesktop from your Start menu or desktop shortcut.
  4. First-run setup — A wizard checks system prerequisites and configures them. Requires Administrator once (see below).
  5. Sign in with your account, or start a 14-day free trial.

TwinDesktop installs as a lightweight system tray application. After installation, a small icon appears in your notification area (bottom-right of the taskbar). Updates are delivered automatically — no manual downloads needed.

⚠ First-Run Setup (one-time only): On first launch, TwinDesktop needs to enable Windows session isolation features. This requires Administrator privileges once — you will see a UAC prompt. After this initial setup, TwinDesktop runs as a normal user and never requests admin again. If anything is missing, a setup wizard guides you through configuration. You can re-run this wizard anytime from Settings → Prerequisites.

Quick Start

Toggle Your Twin Desktop

Press Ctrl + Win + T to toggle your TwinDesktop session. The secondary desktop appears as a resizable picture-in-picture window on your main display.

Basic Workflow

  1. Launch TwinDesktop — Click its icon in the system tray, or use the global hotkey.
  2. Connect — TwinDesktop automatically creates and connects to an isolated Windows session.
  3. Interact — Click inside the TwinDesktop window to direct keyboard and mouse input to the isolated session.
  4. Launch apps — Right-click the tray icon, or use the MCP integration to launch applications in the isolated session.
  5. Return to host — Click outside the TwinDesktop window, or press the hotkey to toggle focus back.

First-Time Setup

On the first launch, TwinDesktop will:

  1. Enable session isolation (may require Administrator privileges once).
  2. Create an isolated session — This takes 5–10 seconds.
  3. Connect automatically — Your twin desktop is ready to use.
Tip: If you see a black screen on first launch, wait 10–15 seconds for the graphics to initialize. You can also go to Settings → Display and toggle the resolution to force a refresh.

TwinDesktop v1.0.0 — Changelog · For the latest updates, visit twindesktop.com