diff --git a/apps/desktop/README.md b/apps/desktop/README.md
index 61566582..11a14c48 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/README.md
+++ b/apps/desktop/README.md
@@ -8,11 +8,15 @@ Design docs live in `/.context/desktop-app-*.md` (spec, roadmap, architecture).
 ## Develop
 
 ```sh
-# from this directory — launches the native window and spawns `next dev` on :3001
+# from this directory — launches the native window and spawns `next dev` on :3003
 bun run tauri dev
 ```
 
-`bun run dev` on its own just starts the Next dev server on :3001 (no native window).
+`bun run dev` on its own just starts the Next dev server on :3003 (no native window).
+
+In development, the desktop UI and Rust auth commands default to the local API at
+`http://localhost:8787`. Set `NEXT_PUBLIC_BACKEND_URL` / `SUPERMEMORY_API_URL`
+if you need a different API.
 
 ## Build
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/app/login/page.tsx b/apps/desktop/app/login/page.tsx
index 34a9c57a..e38c630a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/app/login/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/app/login/page.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,13 @@ export default function LoginPage() {
 			await storeToken(token)
 			router.replace("/")
 		} catch (err) {
-			setError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Could not sign in")
+			setError(
+				err instanceof Error
+					? err.message
+					: typeof err === "string"
+						? err
+						: "Could not sign in",
+			)
 		} finally {
 			setIsSubmitting(false)
 		}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/package.json b/apps/desktop/package.json
index 021e70a7..0e479f1f 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/package.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/package.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "version": "0.1.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "dev": "NEXT_PUBLIC_DESKTOP_DEV=1 next dev --port 3001",
+    "dev": "NEXT_PUBLIC_DESKTOP_DEV=1 NEXT_PUBLIC_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:8787 next dev --port 3003",
     "build": "next build",
     "check-types": "tsc --noEmit",
     "tauri": "tauri"
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
index 32e45da5..95dd7d51 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/capabilities/default.json
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 	"identifier": "default",
 	"description": "Core capabilities granted to the main window.",
 	"windows": ["main"],
-	"permissions": ["core:default"]
+	"permissions": ["core:default", "core:window:allow-start-dragging"]
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/auth.rs b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/auth.rs
index 9637c7c9..229e4d86 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/auth.rs
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/src/auth.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 use keyring::{Entry, Error as KeyringError};
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::Serialize;
+use serde_json::Value;
 
 const KEYCHAIN_SERVICE: &str = "ai.supermemory.desktop";
 const KEYCHAIN_USER: &str = "supermemory-api-token";
+#[cfg(debug_assertions)]
+const DEFAULT_API_URL: &str = "http://localhost:8787";
+
+#[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
 const DEFAULT_API_URL: &str = "https://api.supermemory.ai";
 
 #[derive(Serialize)]
@@ -14,18 +19,6 @@ pub struct AuthSession {
     pub api_url: String,
 }
 
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
-struct SessionResponse {
-    user: Option<SessionUser>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Deserialize)]
-struct SessionUser {
-    id: Option<String>,
-    email: Option<String>,
-    name: Option<String>,
-}
-
 fn token_entry() -> Result<Entry, String> {
     Entry::new(KEYCHAIN_SERVICE, KEYCHAIN_USER)
         .map_err(|error| format!("Could not open keychain entry: {error}"))
@@ -83,21 +76,33 @@ pub async fn whoami() -> Result<AuthSession, String> {
     }
 
     let session = response
-        .json::<SessionResponse>()
+        .json::<Value>()
         .await
         .map_err(|error| format!("Could not parse session response: {error}"))?;
 
-    let user = session
-        .user
-        .ok_or_else(|| "Session response did not include a user".to_string())?;
-    let user_id = user
-        .id
-        .ok_or_else(|| "Session response did not include a user id".to_string())?;
+    let user_id = first_string(
+        &session,
+        &[
+            &["user", "id"],
+            &["userId"],
+            &["id"],
+            &["session", "userId"],
+            &["session", "user", "id"],
+        ],
+    )
+    .ok_or_else(|| "Session response did not include a user id".to_string())?;
 
     Ok(AuthSession {
         user_id,
-        email: user.email,
-        name: user.name,
+        email: first_string(&session, &[&["user", "email"], &["email"]]),
+        name: first_string(&session, &[&["user", "name"], &["name"]]),
         api_url,
     })
 }
+
+fn first_string(value: &Value, paths: &[&[&str]]) -> Option<String> {
+    paths.iter().find_map(|path| {
+        let found = path.iter().try_fold(value, |current, key| current.get(key))?;
+        found.as_str().map(ToString::to_string)
+    })
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index 666c12e4..22f4b94a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/apps/desktop/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	"identifier": "ai.supermemory.desktop",
 	"build": {
 		"beforeDevCommand": "bun run dev",
-		"devUrl": "http://localhost:3001",
+		"devUrl": "http://localhost:3003",
 		"beforeBuildCommand": "bun run build",
 		"frontendDist": "../out"
 	},