v2.1.7

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🗂 Multiple Workspaces

The Agent is no longer tied to a single directory — you can set up several project workspaces and give each session its own. Available in both the Web console and the desktop client:

• Multiple workspaces: create or open any directory as a project workspace; the documents, web pages, and code the Agent produces are created and managed there.
• Per-session workspace: each session is bound to its own project workspace, so tasks running side by side stay out of each other's way.
• Per-session model: switch the model for a single session; new sessions start from the global default.
• Grouped sessions: the session list is grouped by workspace, with pinning, reordering, renaming, and deleting.
• Shared system resources: memory, skills, and the knowledge base still live in the system workspace (~/cow by default).

Docs: Workspace

🔐 Permission Modes

Sessions now carry their own permission mode, which works together with workspaces to control how far the Agent can reach:

• Three levels: read-only, workspace-write, and full-access, set independently for each session.
• Default mode: pick a default permission mode, and new sessions start with it.
• Actionable denials: when a tool call is blocked, the hint is clickable so you can adjust the permission on the spot.

🖥 Desktop Client

• Voice input: a voice button in the chat input transcribes what you say straight into the box; speech recognition and synthesis also work with custom providers and models. Thanks @chimyves (#3052, #3050)
• Drafts kept: leaving the chat page and coming back no longer loses unsent text and attachments. Thanks @chimyves (#3040)
• Launch at login: a new toggle in system settings, off by default.
• Startup diagnostics: when the backend fails to start, the client reports what actually went wrong instead of a generic error.
• Log download: the run-log page can download the log file, and local uploads gained retries and clearer errors.

Download: CowAgent Desktop

Docs: Desktop Client

🔔 Task Notifications

The Web console and the desktop client both raise a notification (with a sound) when an Agent run finishes or fails, so you can walk away from a long task:

• Both clients: OS notifications on the desktop, browser notifications on the Web — only while the window isn't focused. Clicking one takes you back to the session.
• Unread badge: the Web tab shows an unread count while it's hidden, cleared once you switch back.
• Separate toggles: notifications and the sound are two independent switches, both on by default. Cancelling a task yourself no longer triggers a failure notification.

Thanks @chimyves (#3056, #3055)

🤖 Model Updates

• New models: glm-5.3, qwen3.8-max, gemini-3.7-flash, and gemini-3.6-flash, each set as its provider's default.
• Merged config page: the Web console folds the Models page into Config, split into a Basic and a Models tab, so there's less jumping around.
• Call fixes: fixed GLM-5.3's forced thinking, plus routing and base-URL handling for some DashScope models; custom models now show up in the session model picker.

🛠 Improvements & Fixes

• Image display: fixed local-path images and relative-path images inside knowledge docs not rendering; on the desktop, clicking an image in a chat or a document zooms it in place. Thanks @chimyves (#3046)
• Windows drives: fixed the folder picker not listing drives on Windows. Thanks @CNXudiandian (#3048)
• Windows shell guidance: better recovery guidance when a shell command fails on Windows. Thanks @dajiaohuang (#3065)
• Cleaner IM replies: Agent replies on IM channels no longer carry thinking content. Thanks @LHMQ878 (#3044)
• Scheduled tasks: fixed a task that failed across midnight never getting back on schedule (Thanks @chimyves #3054), and scheduled tasks being acknowledged instead of run.
• Faster first message: streamlined memory system initialization so it no longer blocks a session's first message, noticeably cutting the wait before the initial reply.
• Context trimming: fixed the AI reply not being saved when the context was trimmed.
• Feishu channel: the streaming card now accumulates text across turns.
• Docker: config.json survives container upgrades through the COW_DATA_DIR mount.

📦 How to Upgrade

• Source deployment: run cow update for a one-click upgrade, or pull the latest code and restart. See the upgrade guide.
• Desktop client: check for updates and update with one click inside the client, or get the latest version from the download page.

Release date: 2026.08.20 | Full Changelog