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Find your symptom below and apply the fix. Each section covers one area of the app.

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Install and First Launch

Windows SmartScreen blocks unsigned apps by default. The Lava Desktop Windows build is not yet code-signed, so SmartScreen appears on first run. This is expected.To continue:
  1. Click More info in the SmartScreen dialog.
  2. Click Run anyway.
The installer proceeds normally. You only see this dialog once per build.
Try these steps in order:
  1. Relaunch. Quit any running Lava Desktop process and open the app again.
  2. Restart your computer. Some first-run installs need a full restart before the app launches correctly.
  3. Redownload. Download a fresh copy from lava.so/lavadesktop and reinstall. A partial or interrupted download can leave the app in a broken state.
If the app still won’t open, contact Lava support.

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Sign-In

Lava Desktop uses a web-based sign-in form. When you open the sign-in screen:
  1. Enter your email address or use a social login option.
  2. Follow the prompts to verify your account.
  3. Once verified, the app opens to the main view.
If sign-in fails:
  • Check your email address. Make sure you’re using the address associated with your Lava account.
  • Try a different browser or social login option. If one method errors, another may work while the issue resolves.
  • Check your internet connection. Sign-in requires a live connection to Lava’s servers.
If the problem persists, visit help.lava.so for additional options.
Sessions expire after a period of inactivity. Sign in again using the same email or social login you used before.Your connected apps and conversation history are tied to your account, not your session. They will be there when you sign back in.

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Connecting Apps

If connecting an app fails or the connection doesn’t complete:
  1. Retry the connection. Click the app in the sidebar, then use the Connect button to start the flow again.
  2. Sign into the app fresh. Some apps require you to be signed into their own tab before the connection succeeds. Click the app’s sidebar slot and sign in directly there.
  3. Check your internet connection. The connection flow contacts both Lava’s servers and the app’s authorization service.
If a specific app keeps failing, check help.lava.so, where some apps have known setup notes.
A blank or spinning tab usually means the app’s page didn’t finish loading.
  1. Reload the tab. Use the reload button (↺) in the top navigation bar while the app’s slot is active.
  2. Click away and back. Switch to a different sidebar slot, then return to the one that was blank.
  3. Check the app itself. Open the same app in a regular browser to confirm it isn’t having an outage.
  4. Relaunch Lava Desktop. Quit the app fully and reopen it.
If the tab remains blank after relaunching, the app may need to be reconnected. Remove it from the sidebar and add it again.

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The Agent

When your agent stops mid-task:
  1. Read the message. The agent panel shows a reason when it stops: a missing permission, an unclear reference, or an app that went offline.
  2. Address the cause. If the agent couldn’t reach an app, reload that app’s tab. If it asked a clarifying question and timed out, restart the task with a clearer request.
  3. Try again. Type the task again in the agent panel. The agent does not retry automatically.
If runs fail repeatedly on the same task, try breaking the request into smaller steps. Complex cross-app tasks sometimes need a more explicit sequence.
If the agent panel shows no progress for an unusually long time:
  1. Wait briefly. Some tasks take longer than they appear. Cross-app operations require multiple calls and can feel slow at first.
  2. Stop the run. Use the stop control in the agent panel to cancel the current run.
  3. Reload the app. If the agent is stuck waiting on a tab that stopped responding, reloading that app’s slot often unblocks it.
  4. Relaunch Lava Desktop. Quit fully and reopen the app, then try the task again.
The agent asks for approval before any action that has a meaningful effect. If the same prompt keeps appearing, the action is likely recurring as part of a loop or a multi-step task.
  • Approve and stop asking. The approval card includes an Approve and stop asking for this run option. Use it to approve the action type for the remainder of the current run without being asked again.
  • Decline and rephrase. If the repeated action is not what you intended, decline and rephrase your request to steer the agent differently.

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Funds

Your agent runs on your balance. When the balance drops too low, the agent stops rather than continuing without funds.To add funds:
  1. Click the Lava icon at the top of the sidebar to open the Lava home pane.
  2. Go to the Account tab.
  3. Click Add funds to open your billing page in your default browser.
  4. Complete the top-up flow.
Once your balance is updated, return to Lava Desktop and retry the task.
The balance shown in the Account tab reflects your current funds. If it doesn’t update immediately after adding funds, give it a moment and then reload the Account tab.

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Updates

Lava Desktop downloads updates in the background and applies them on restart. When an update is ready, a Restart to update indicator appears in the sidebar.If the update doesn’t apply after clicking Restart to update:
  1. Quit and relaunch manually. Close Lava Desktop fully (on macOS, use Cmd+Q; closing the window is not enough). On Windows, use the taskbar or File menu to quit. Then reopen the app.
  2. Check the version. After relaunching, look for the Restart to update indicator in the sidebar. If it is gone, the update applied. If it is still there, the update did not apply.
  3. Reinstall. If the app is still on the old version, download the latest build from lava.so/lavadesktop and install it on top of your existing installation.
When an update has been downloaded, the sidebar shows a Restart to update indicator. Hover over it to see the version number in the tooltip. If no update is pending, no indicator appears.

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Next Steps

Connect Your Apps

Add the apps your agent works across

Working with the Agent

Give tasks, follow progress, and approve actions