DeepSeek Harness Desktop App: Free Setup on Windows (Ollama, No API Key), by Laxmi Kant | KGP Talkie on YouTube. 12 min 7 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 7 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Download the DeepSeek Harness installer from the official deepseek.com page. The file is about 276 MB and does not need admin rights.
Run the installer and let it finish. There is no licence page to accept, so it goes straight through.
On the welcome screen, choose Set up later to skip Sign in and the API key. The app opens without an account.
Open the model settings and add Ollama as a Custom model API. Use the OpenAI Chat Completions type and a base URL ending in /v1, such as http://localhost:11434/v1.
If you see the error No API key for provider: ollama, enter any placeholder text in the API key field and save again.
Fetch your Ollama models and pick one, such as Qwen or Gemma. Set the context window to match the value your Ollama model uses.
Create a workspace folder and choose a mode. Start with Read Only or Workspace Write until you trust the agent, and use Full access only when needed.
Give the agent a first task, like sorting a messy folder into Images, Documents and Data. Watch it run and check the result.
Try a second task, such as reading a workout log and writing a report with totals. Review the files it created or changed afterwards.
Open Settings to review the session log upload switch and the Automation tasks and Voice input plugins.
Tips and common mistakes
If a workspace on another drive is blocked by Windows permissions, move the folder to a location your user account can write to.
Keep an eye on the context circle and start a New Session when it fills up, so the agent stays accurate.
The tray icon keeps the app running in the background, so close it from the tray if you want it fully stopped.
Ollama runs on your processor and RAM without a graphics card, but a smaller model will be slower and less capable.
Questions
Do I need a DeepSeek account or API key?
No. Choosing Set up later and connecting Ollama as a custom API keeps the app free and local. A DeepSeek cloud key is only needed if you want their paid models.
Why does it say No API key for provider: ollama?
The app expects a key field even for local models. Type any placeholder text in the API key box and save, and the error goes away.
Can I run it without a graphics card?
Yes. Ollama falls back to your processor and RAM, so pick a smaller model for smoother results.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
