Troubleshooting

If something isn't working in Kilo Desktop, start here.

The app can't reach the agent

Kilo Desktop runs the agent through a local server (a kilo serve process) that starts on demand. If chats fail to respond:

• Wait a moment after launch — the server starts the first time you open a chat and needs to report healthy before it accepts requests.
• Make sure you're signed in to your Kilo account so hosted models are available.
• Restart the app to relaunch the server.

The Changes tab or branch switcher isn't available

Git integration needs your system git. If the tools are missing or not working:

• Confirm git is installed and on your PATH.
• If the folder isn't a git repository, use Initialize Git in the Changes tab to create one. See Git integration.
• For bare or unsafe repositories, the branch switcher is intentionally hidden. Kilo Desktop shows a short explanation instead of a broken control.

A local model isn't listed in a chat

Local models appear in the model picker only after you're signed in to your Kilo account, the Local Model Server is enabled, and you've imported a model. Check the Local Model Server settings.

The agent can't find a file in a gitignored folder

When the agent searches your workspace for files, it skips anything excluded by your .gitignore. If a notebook or other file lives in an ignored folder, the agent won't find it by searching — but it can still open and edit the file once you point it there:

• Open it from the Files tab. The Files tab shows gitignored files and folders, so you can browse to the file and open it directly.
• Mention it with @ in the chat and select the file from the list.
• Give the agent the path, for example: "Open data/scratch/analysis.ipynb."