explaingit

melvin-abraham/google-assistant-unofficial-desktop-client

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

3,635JavaScriptAudience · generalComplexity · 3/5Setup · moderate

TLDR

An unofficial desktop app that brings Google Assistant to Windows, macOS, and Linux with a Chrome OS style interface.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Google Assistant Desktop))
    What it does
      Google Assistant on desktop
      Voice wake word
      Light and dark mode
    Tech stack
      Electron
      JavaScript
      p5.js
    Use cases
      Voice control on PC
      Hands free desktop assistant
      Cross platform install
    Audience
      General users
      Desktop power users
      Contributors

Code map

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Talk to Google Assistant directly from a Windows, macOS, or Linux desktop using a keyboard shortcut.

USE CASE 2

Trigger the assistant hands free with a wake word instead of pressing a button.

USE CASE 3

Install through winget, Homebrew, or Snap depending on your operating system.

USE CASE 4

Contribute code, bug reports, or documentation improvements to an actively developed open-source project.

What is it built with?

ElectronJavaScriptp5.jsPorcupine

How does it compare?

melvin-abraham/google-assistant-unofficial-desktop-clientgeuis/helium-cssoblador/hush
Stars3,6353,6353,637
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Setup difficultymoderateeasyeasy
Complexity3/52/52/5
Audiencegeneraldevelopergeneral

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires a one-time Device Registration with Google to get a Key File and Token before it works.

In plain English

This project brings Google Assistant to desktop computers running Windows, macOS, or Linux. It is an unofficial app, meaning it was built by an independent developer using Google's publicly available Assistant software kit, not by Google itself. The design takes visual cues from the Google Assistant interface found on Chrome OS, and it offers both a light mode and a dark mode. To get it running, you download an installer for your platform (or build it from source if you prefer). On Windows you can use the winget package manager, on macOS you can use Homebrew, and on Linux you can install it through the Snap store. All three platforms also receive pre-release preview builds if you want to try features before they are fully stable. Before the app can talk to Google, you need to complete a one-time setup called Device Registration. This process creates a Key File and a Token that prove your identity to Google's servers. The README points you to a step-by-step wiki for this process. Once you have those files, you set their locations in the app's Settings screen and you are ready to go. The default keyboard shortcut to open the assistant is Win plus Shift plus A on Windows, Cmd plus Shift plus A on macOS, or Super plus Shift plus A on Linux, though this can be changed in Settings. Under the hood the app uses Electron, a tool that lets web technologies run as a native desktop window. It also uses a library called p5.js to draw a visual animation while you speak into the microphone, another library to play audio responses through your speakers, and a wake-word library (based on Porcupine) that lets the app listen for a trigger phrase without you pressing any button. The project is still under active development and welcomes outside contributions. You can report bugs, suggest features, improve documentation, or submit code changes through the GitHub repository.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Walk me through installing Google-Assistant-Unofficial-Desktop-Client on Windows using winget, including Device Registration.
Prompt 2
Explain what the Key File and Token from Device Registration are used for in this Google Assistant desktop app.
Prompt 3
How do I change the default keyboard shortcut for opening the assistant on macOS?
Prompt 4
Show me how the wake word feature works in this project and what library powers it.

Frequently asked questions

What is google-assistant-unofficial-desktop-client?

An unofficial desktop app that brings Google Assistant to Windows, macOS, and Linux with a Chrome OS style interface.

What language is google-assistant-unofficial-desktop-client written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes Electron, JavaScript, p5.js.

How hard is google-assistant-unofficial-desktop-client to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is google-assistant-unofficial-desktop-client for?

Mainly general.

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