Desktop Control (Windows)

After reading this page you will be able to: have AI operate Windows apps safely: confirm the prerequisites, phrase the task clearly, and keep the risks under control.

This is the part browsers cannot reach: driving Office apps, adjusting system settings, and grinding through batches of repeated clicks and typing. You use it through the Desktop Automation Assistant — the assistant is the entry point; this page covers the details and the guardrails.

1. Prerequisites

Condition	How to verify
Your computer is Windows	Currently supported on Windows 10 / 11 (macOS & Linux versions coming soon)
Local desktop service is active	The “Desktop automation (desktop-automation)” section of the “Automation Status” card shows “Local service” Online; if not, follow the hint to make sure client.exe is running
A valid HuiAI login token	Settings → Necessary Configuration shows the token check passed
”Desktop control” quota available	Check “Desktop control” in the Account card on the Necessary Configuration page; if it reads “Not purchased”, click Go to purchase

2. Jobs worth handing over

Scenario	Example
Office app work	Type and format a paragraph in Word, fill numbers into a spreadsheet
System settings changes	Open Windows Settings and flip a display option
Batch repetitive work	The same clicks, typing, and export across a stack of windows

For anything a browser can do, prefer browser automation — see Browser Automation.

3. Phrase the task clearly

Name the app and the window content: write “type ×× in the Notepad window”, not just “handle this for me”
State the boundaries: which window may be touched, what must be left alone, what counts as done
One step, one confirmation: have it announce each step before executing and wait for your go-ahead

Example (a phrasing you can use directly):

Only operate the Notepad window: type the words "Meeting notes" into the document.
Before each step, tell me what you are about to do and wait for my confirmation.
Do not save, do not close the window, and list the steps you took when done.

4. The observe-only trial

The first time, make it “describe, don’t touch”:

Do not operate anything yet. Describe every step you would take on the current desktop and wait for my confirmation.

Once its plan matches your expectations, allow it to actually act. It reports progress as it goes; if anything looks wrong, click the Stop button in the input box at any time — the task and the automation stop together.

5. Risk control

Risk	How to control it
Mis-clicks and stray typing	Pass the observe-only trial first; close unrelated windows before starting
Anything involving money	It never pays automatically; payment actions always ask you first, and important payments deserve a human at the keyboard throughout
Deleting important files	Deleting important files always requires your confirmation; when unsure, decline and do it yourself
System-level dialogs	When a Windows administrator (UAC) prompt or similar appears, it stops and leaves the decision to you

Stay at the computer while important operations (payments, deletions, submissions) run.

What success looks like

The Desktop Automation section of the “Automation Status” card shows “Local service” Online, with a valid token and “Desktop control” quota
In the observe-only trial, the described steps match your expectations
Opening “Screen Wall” provides clear, live visual feedback of AI automation steps
A task with clear boundaries completes without touching windows outside its scope
Clicking Stop mid-task stops the mouse and keyboard immediately