Session Desktop is a free, open-source messenger for Windows designed for people who want private conversations without relying on a conventional central server. It connects directly to the Oxen network, a decentralized system that stores messages, routes traffic and helps hide your IP address from the people you talk to. The program is licensed under GPLv3, so its source code is publicly available for anyone to read.
Before you install, note that the project's GitHub repository is now marked as deprecated, and its most recent code update is dated March 21, 2025. That does not automatically make the app unsafe, but it means future fixes and development are uncertain. Check the release page for newer builds, and read the safety section below before using Session Desktop for sensitive conversations.
What Is the Oxen Network?
Session Desktop does not run on a single company's server. It connects to the Oxen network, a system of distributed, decentralized nodes that work together. Because no one operator holds all the data, the network avoids a single point of failure.
The network uses two broad kinds of service nodes. Some store messages while the recipient is offline, so delivery can happen later. Others take part in onion routing, relaying traffic so that the path between you and a destination stays obscured.
Oxen describes its nodes as Sybil resistant. A Sybil attack happens when one party creates many fake identities to take over a network. Resistance makes that kind of attack expensive or impractical, which protects the routing and storage that depend on honest nodes. Readers who want the full design can study the project's whitepaper, which explains how the pieces fit together.
Who Session Desktop Is For
Session Desktop suits people who want private messaging on a Windows PC and do not mind a decentralized design. Consider a freelancer who discusses client projects from a home office and prefers that messages stay off a central company server. Or consider a community organizer who needs to reach members without exposing everyone's home network address.
It also fits people who already use other privacy tools and want a chat app that matches the same mindset. Because the app is open source, technically minded users can read the GPLv3 code and see for themselves how it handles data.
It is less suited to readers who expect the most active development or a feature set they know from mainstream chat apps. If your main need is a fast, actively maintained messenger for a team, compare the alternatives in this catalog first. Session Desktop works best when privacy design matters more to you than convenience.
Key Privacy Terms Explained
Several terms come up often when people discuss Session Desktop. Metadata is information about communication rather than its content, such as who talks to whom and when. Even when message content is protected, metadata can reveal patterns, which is why routing design matters.
An IP address identifies your connection on the internet. Onion routing tries to keep that address away from the people or servers you message. Decentralization means no single operator controls the entire system. Offline storage means a node holds a message until the recipient connects.
A GPLv3 license means the code is open for inspection and modification, under conditions that keep derived versions open as well. Deprecated describes a project that its maintainers have marked as outdated or no longer recommended for active development. Understanding these terms helps you weigh the trade-offs before you install.
Key features
Decentralized Network Integration
Offline Message Storage
Onion Routing
Sybil Resistance
Cross-Platform Desktop Builds
How to install Session Desktop on Windows
- 1
Get the installer
Download only from the official website or the project's GitHub Releases page, and choose the Windows build or installer. Avoid mirrors and file-sharing sites, since a modified copy can look identical to the original.
- 2
Verify the file
If the release publishes a SHA-256 checksum or a digital signature, check it before running the file. In Windows PowerShell, run Get-FileHash on the downloaded file and compare the result with the value listed on the release page.
- 3
Run the installer
Double-click the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts. Windows may show a SmartScreen warning for software from smaller publishers, so confirm the file matches the checksum before you continue.
-
Confirm the version
After installation, open the app's settings or about screen and note the version number. Compare it with the latest release on GitHub, since development activity is uncertain and you want the newest available build.
System requirements
- Windows 10 or later
How to use Session Desktop
Session Desktop works like most desktop chat apps once it is running. The steps below cover the basics for a first session.
- Launch Session Desktop and set up your account from the start screen.
- Review the privacy and notification settings before adding any contacts.
- Share your session ID with a contact through a channel you already trust, such as a phone call or an in-person conversation.
- Start a one-to-one conversation and send a short test message to confirm delivery.
- Turn off message previews if other people can see your screen.
After the first conversation, test how the app behaves when your contact is offline. Messages held by service nodes should arrive when they reconnect. This is a good moment to decide whether the workflow fits your needs before you rely on it for anything important.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source under the GPLv3 license, so the code can be inspected
- Built on a decentralized network rather than a single central server
- Onion routing is designed to obscure users' IP addresses
- Offline message storage through service nodes
- Available for Windows, macOS and Linux with the same core design
- The GitHub repository is marked as deprecated
- The last code update was March 21, 2025, so new fixes may be slow or absent
- Requires Windows 10 or later
- Ongoing development is uncertain, which makes long-term support harder to predict
- Built on Electron, so the desktop app may use more memory than native programs
Is Session Desktop safe?
Session Desktop is open source and free, which lets anyone audit the code. However, the repository is marked deprecated and the last code update dates to March 21, 2025, so regular security patches may not arrive. Treat that as a real risk, not a minor detail. Download only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page, verify the SHA-256 checksum or signature, and never type account details or recovery phrases into third-party websites or unofficial copies of the app. Before installing, check the latest version on the official website.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/oxen-io/session-desktop. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Session Desktop differs from Iris Chat mainly in its network design. Iris Chat uses the double-ratchet protocol and avoids email or phone registration, while Session Desktop relies on the Oxen network and its service nodes. Quorum Desktop focuses on group messaging and is powered by Quilibrium and the libp2p stack, so it targets a different kind of conversation. Loquaz is a desktop app written in Rust for direct encrypted chat, a simpler option if you want to avoid decentralized infrastructure. TON Browser belongs to a different category altogether, as a native browser for the TON network. Choose based on the kind of privacy and conversation you need.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- GPLv3
- Latest version
- v1.14.3
- Last update
- 21 Mar 2025
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/oxen-io/session-desktop
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Session Desktop is free and released under the GPLv3 open-source license. You can download, install and inspect the source code without paying anything. Because the license is open source, anyone can also build the program from the repository, though most people will simply install the ready-made Windows build.
Session Desktop has a privacy-focused design, including onion routing and a decentralized network. However, its repository is marked deprecated and the last code update was in March 2025, so security fixes may be slow or absent. Verify the download and read the safety section before using it for sensitive conversations.
Yes, Session Desktop supports Windows 10 and later versions. Its requirements list Windows 10 as the minimum, so newer releases of Windows are also covered. Install all pending Windows updates before you set up the app.
Session Desktop uses onion routing, which passes traffic through a chain of nodes so that no single node sees both your address and the destination. Each relay knows only a small part of the path. This makes it harder for others to link your IP address to your activity, but it does not make you anonymous to everyone.
Its GitHub repository is marked as deprecated, and the most recent code update is dated March 21, 2025. Those signals suggest that ongoing development is limited or uncertain. Check the GitHub Releases page for the newest version before installing, and compare it with other options if you need regular updates.
Iris Chat, Quorum Desktop and Loquaz are similar messaging programs in this catalog. Iris Chat uses the double-ratchet protocol and does not require email or phone registration. Quorum Desktop focuses on group messaging, while Loquaz offers direct encrypted chat in a Rust desktop app. Your choice depends on whether you need groups or a specific design.
Verdict
Session Desktop suits Windows users who want a free, open-source messenger built on a decentralized network with onion routing. It fits people who value the underlying architecture and are willing to read about how the system works. Given the deprecated repository and the March 2025 last update, it is better suited to experimentation or lower-stakes conversations than to sensitive work until its status becomes clearer. Review the latest release and its settings before relying on it.