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Windows Desktop Client Installation Guide

How to install and deploy the Heed Windows Desktop Client, including system requirements, silent MSI deployment, proxy configuration, and on-premise server URL options.

Written by Tom Wallace

Overview

The Heed Windows Desktop Client is a lightweight application that delivers secure desktop alerts, wallpapers, screensavers, surveys, and notifications directly to Windows devices. It is distributed as a standard MSI package, supporting enterprise deployment via Microsoft Intune, SCCM, Group Policy, and other MDM or software distribution platforms.

This guide covers system requirements, manual installation, silent deployment, and advanced configuration options available at install time.

System Requirements

Devices must meet the following minimum requirements before deploying the Heed client:

Component

Minimum Requirement

Processor

1 GHz or faster

Memory (RAM)

512 MB (1 GB recommended)

Disk Space

200 MB available disk space

Operating System

Windows 10 or Windows 11

Network

Outbound HTTPS (port 443) access to app.heed.io

Outbound access to app.heed.io on port 443 (HTTPS) is required for the client to connect to the Heed platform. WebSocket connections are also established over port 443. If your environment uses a proxy, see the Proxy Configuration section below.

Obtaining the Installer

Download the latest HeedClient.msi installer from the Heed Admin Portal:

  1. Log in to the Heed Admin Portal at app.heed.io

  2. Navigate to Heed App > Download

  3. Download the latest HeedClient.msi package

Manual Installation

For individual installations or testing, the Heed client can be installed interactively on a Windows device.

  1. Download HeedClient.msi to the target device.

  2. Double-click the installer file.

  3. Follow the on-screen installation prompts.

  4. Once installation is complete, the Heed client will start automatically and appear in the Windows system tray.

Note: Local administrator rights are required to install the Heed client on a Windows device.

Silent and Enterprise Deployment

The Heed MSI installer supports standard Windows Installer silent switches, making it suitable for enterprise deployment via Intune, SCCM, Group Policy, or any MDM platform.

Basic Silent Install

Use the /qn switch to install silently with no user interface:

msiexec /i HeedClient.msi /qn

Note: When deployed silently via a tool such as Intune, Heed.exe will not auto-start immediately after installation. This is expected behaviour — the installer runs under the context of the service account performing the deployment, not the logged-in user. The Heed client will start automatically the next time the assigned user logs in to Windows.

Logging the Installation

To capture a verbose installation log for troubleshooting, include the /l*v switch:

msiexec /i HeedClient.msi /qn /l*v "C:\Logs\HeedInstall.log"

MSI Install Properties

Additional configuration options can be set at install time by passing MSI property values on the command line.

Proxy Configuration

If devices in your environment access the internet through a proxy server, the proxy address and port can be configured at install time:

msiexec /i HeedClient.msi /qn PROXYADDRESS="http://proxy.example.com" PROXYPORT=8080

Property

Description

Example Value

PROXYADDRESS

The address of the proxy server (include the protocol)

http://proxy.example.com

PROXYPORT

The port number of the proxy server

8080

On-Premise Server URL

On-premise customers only. The SERVERURL property is only required for organisations running Heed in an on-premise deployment. Cloud-hosted customers do not need to set this property.

For on-premise deployments, set the URL of your internal Heed server using the SERVERURL property:

msiexec /i HeedClient.msi /qn SERVERURL="https://heed.internal.local"

Property

Description

Example Value

SERVERURL

The base URL of the on-premise Heed server

https://heed.internal.local

Combined Example

Properties can be combined in a single command. The following example performs a silent install with proxy settings and a custom server URL:

msiexec /i HeedClient.msi /qn PROXYADDRESS="http://proxy.example.com" PROXYPORT=8080 SERVERURL="https://heed.internal.local"

Deploying via Microsoft Intune

The Heed MSI installer is compatible with Intune's Line-of-Business (LOB) app deployment model.

  1. In the Microsoft Intune admin centre, navigate to Apps > Windows > Add.

  2. Select Line-of-business app as the app type and upload HeedClient.msi.

  3. In the App information section, add any required command-line arguments (see MSI Install Properties above).

  4. Assign the app to the required user or device groups.

  5. The Heed client will be deployed silently on the next Intune sync. Heed.exe will start automatically when the assigned user next logs in.

Note: Ensure that outbound HTTPS (port 443) access to app.heed.io is permitted from deployed devices. You may also need to whitelist Heed.exe and HeedClientService.exe in your endpoint protection platform.

Verifying the Installation

After installation, confirm the Heed client is running correctly:

  • The Heed icon should be visible in the Windows system tray.

  • The client will connect to the platform and display any pending notifications assigned to the device.

  • The installation can be confirmed in Settings > Apps as Heed Client.

  • The Heed background service (HeedClientService.exe) should be visible in Task Manager > Services.

Uninstalling the Heed Client

The Heed client can be removed using standard Windows uninstall methods or silently via the command line.

Interactive Uninstall

Navigate to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, locate Heed Client, and select Uninstall.

Silent Uninstall

msiexec /x HeedClient.msi /qn

Alternatively, use the product code: 

msiexec /x {PRODUCT-CODE} /qn

Troubleshooting

Heed does not start after silent deployment

This is expected behaviour when deploying via Intune or another deployment tool. The installer runs under the service account context and Heed.exe is not launched automatically. The client will start the next time the assigned user logs in to Windows.

Client connects but no notifications are received

  • Confirm that the user exists in the Heed Admin Portal and is assigned to the appropriate channels.

  • Check that outbound port 443 to app.heed.io is not blocked by a firewall or proxy.

  • If a proxy is in use, verify that PROXYADDRESS and PROXYPORT were set correctly during installation.

Installation fails

  • Check the installation log if the /l*v switch was used during deployment.

  • Confirm that the deploying account has local administrator rights on the target device.

  • Ensure the device meets the minimum system requirements listed in this guide.

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