> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.glasswarp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Install the host agent

> Put Glasswarp on a Windows PC. The PC owner does not need a Glasswarp account.

Glasswarp drives a **real Windows machine** — GPU, apps, and files stay there.
The host agent is the black box that runs on that PC: capture, native input,
on-screen session indicator, tray kill switch.

<Info>
  This is a physical, one-time, owner-consent step. The person at the PC
  installs. The automator (Glasswarp account holder) pairs the tray code from
  another device. Nobody shares Windows passwords.
</Info>

## Who does what

| Step | Who | Login? |
| - | - | - |
| Download and install | Person at the Windows PC (you or your client) | **No** — [glasswarp.com/downloads](https://www.glasswarp.com/downloads) is public |
| Paste pairing code | Automator (your Glasswarp account) | **Yes** — [glasswarp.com/pair](https://www.glasswarp.com/pair) |
| Enable API access | Automator, with the PC owner's OK | Console → that PC |

The client should **not** create a Glasswarp account. If they did, the PC would
bind to *their* tenant and your API key would not see it.

## Requirements

* Windows 10/11 (64-bit).
* Current public host agent: **v0.2.21** (see
  [Downloads](https://www.glasswarp.com/downloads); installed agents
  auto-update when idle).
* A GPU is recommended for Live View NVENC hardware encode. Without NVIDIA,
  Live View falls back to Media Foundation H.264, which may be unreliable in
  Chrome at high resolutions on non-NVIDIA GPUs. Agent observe/screenshot uses
  CPU JPEG and does not require NVENC.
* **Primary display only** today — put the work you want seen on the primary
  screen.
* Owner access to the machine.

## Install (on the Windows PC)

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download — no account">
    On that PC, open
    [glasswarp.com/downloads](https://www.glasswarp.com/downloads) and get
    **`GlasswarpSetup.exe`**. You can email this URL to a client.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the installer">
    Double-click **`GlasswarpSetup.exe`**. Accept the
    [Terms](https://www.glasswarp.com/terms) /
    [Privacy Policy](https://www.glasswarp.com/privacy), click **Install**, and
    approve the Windows Administrator prompt. The agent appears in the system
    tray (check the `^` overflow on Windows 11). Tray → **End API session…** is
    the on-machine kill switch.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the pairing code">
    Tray → **Copy pairing code** (`ABCD-1234`). Send it to the automator. Do
    not sign in on this PC.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Pair (automator, logged in)

See [Pair a PC](/get-started/pair-rig). Paste the code at
[glasswarp.com/pair](https://www.glasswarp.com/pair), then turn on **API
access** for that PC (off by default).

## Verify

From your laptop (not the client PC):

```python theme={null}
import os
from glasswarp import GlasswarpClient

gw = GlasswarpClient(api_key=os.environ["GLASSWARP_API_KEY"])
for rig in gw.list_rigs():
    print(rig.id, rig.online, rig.api_access_enabled)
```

You should see that machine with `online=True` and `api_access_enabled=True`.
(`rig_id` is the API name for the PC.)

<Warning>
  If API access is off, sessions are refused. That is the per-PC consent
  guardrail — see [Safety and consent](/concepts/safety-and-consent).
</Warning>

Next: [pair the PC](/get-started/pair-rig) and [start your first
session](/get-started/first-session).


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