Create your first desktop

Before you start#

You will need:

• A SpineOS account (see Create an account)
• An account or API key for your agent: a Claude, ChatGPT or xAI account, or an API key from Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter (see Configure AI provider)

Step by step#

1. Open the creation form#

From your dashboard, click "New desktop". A modal opens where you configure your desktop.

2. Pick a name#

Give your desktop a name you will recognize later, like "research-agent" or "code-assistant". It shows up in your dashboard.

3. Select a tier#

Choose resources based on what your agent needs:

• Free -- 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 20 GB disk. 10 tasks/day. Good for trying things out.
• Pro -- 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM, 40 GB disk. Unlimited tasks. For real work. (EUR 49/mo)
• Max -- 4 vCPU, 16 GB RAM, 80 GB disk. Unlimited tasks. For heavy workloads. (EUR 149/mo)

Every tier runs on your own AI account -- connect a Claude or ChatGPT subscription, or bring your own API key (BYOK).

You can upgrade later.

4. Choose your agent type and AI provider#

Pick an agent type:

• OpenClaw -- general-purpose agent. Works with any model via Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter.
• Claude Code -- Anthropic's coding agent.
• Hermes Agent -- Nous Research's self-improving agent.
• Codex -- OpenAI's coding agent.
• Grok -- xAI's coding agent, Grok Build.

Then give the agent what it runs on, in the same form: an account you connected in Settings, or a provider API key you paste (Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter), as the form offers for that agent. Grok has nothing to set here: it signs in with your xAI account on the desktop once it starts. When you paste a key, pick a model from the model selector, which searches available models from your provider's API.

You can also add an embeddings API key to give your agent persistent memory across conversations. This is optional.

5. Create#

Click "Create desktop". SpineOS will:

1. Clone a pre-built desktop image
2. Inject your configuration
3. Boot the VM
4. Start the AI agent and supporting services

What happens during provisioning#

Your desktop goes through two states:

• Booting -- the VM is starting, initialization is running, services are being configured. Usually 30 to 60 seconds.
• Running -- ready to use. VNC viewer, terminal, and chat panel are all available.

The status updates in real-time on your dashboard. Once it shows "Running", click the desktop to connect.

Troubleshooting#

Stuck on "Booting"? A new desktop is usually working, agent included, within about 2 minutes. If it is still on "Booting" after 3 minutes, refresh the page. If the status still does not change, see Desktop won't start.

"Create desktop" stays disabled? If the form says "This desktop needs your own AI credential.", the agent you picked has no account or API key yet. Connect an account or paste a key, as the form offers under that message.

Next steps#

Desktop running? See Connect to desktop for how to use the VNC viewer, terminal, and chat panel.