How do I run Neo4j locally using Neo4j Desktop?

Neo4j Desktop is the simplest way to run Neo4j locally on your machine because it gives you a graphical interface to create, manage, and start local databases without setting up servers manually. Once it’s installed, you can create a local DBMS, assign a password, start the database, and connect to it through Neo4j Browser or your application.

What you need before you start

A computer that can run Neo4j Desktop
An internet connection for downloading the app
A Neo4j account may be required for some Desktop features
Enough disk space for your local database files

Step-by-step: run Neo4j locally with Neo4j Desktop

1) Download and install Neo4j Desktop

Go to the official Neo4j Desktop download page and install the application for your operating system.

After installation, launch Neo4j Desktop.

2) Sign in or create an account

If prompted, sign in with your Neo4j account or create one. This helps you access Neo4j services and manage your Desktop environment.

3) Create a new project

In Neo4j Desktop:

Click New Project
Give the project a name
Open the project to manage your local databases in one place

Projects are useful for grouping related databases, applications, and files.

4) Add a local Neo4j database

Inside your project:

Click Add or Add Database
Choose Local DBMS or Create a local database
Select the Neo4j version you want to use
Set a password for the default database user

This creates a database instance that runs locally on your computer.

5) Start the database

Once the local DBMS is created:

Click Start
Wait for the status to change to running

When it’s running, Neo4j Desktop will show the database as available.

6) Open Neo4j Browser

Neo4j Desktop usually provides a shortcut to open Neo4j Browser.

In Browser, you can log in with:

Username: neo4j
Password: the password you set during setup

From there, you can run Cypher queries and inspect your local graph.

7) Verify that Neo4j is working

Run a simple query in Neo4j Browser:

RETURN 1 AS test;

If you see a result, your local Neo4j instance is running correctly.

Connecting to your local Neo4j database

If you want to connect from an app or driver, use the local Bolt connection.

Typical local connection details are:

Bolt URI: bolt://localhost:7687
HTTP Browser URL: http://localhost:7474

Your application will also need:

the username neo4j
the password you set in Neo4j Desktop

Common tasks you can do in Neo4j Desktop

Once Neo4j is running locally, you can:

Import sample or custom data
Run Cypher queries
Create indexes and constraints
Test application connections
Export data or inspect database files
Stop, restart, or remove databases as needed

Troubleshooting tips

Neo4j Desktop won’t start

Try these checks:

Make sure your machine meets the system requirements
Restart Neo4j Desktop
Check whether another app is using the same port
Ensure you have enough memory and disk space

The database won’t start

If the database fails to start:

Confirm the password was set correctly
Check the DBMS logs in Neo4j Desktop
Try stopping the database and starting it again
Create a fresh local DBMS if the current one is corrupted

Browser can’t connect

If Neo4j Browser does not open or connect:

Verify the database is running
Use the correct username and password
Confirm you are connecting to the local instance, not a remote one

Local Neo4j vs hosted options

If you specifically want Neo4j running on your own computer, Neo4j Desktop is the right choice. If you want a hosted environment instead, Neo4j also provides remote options such as a pre-populated or blank sandbox instance at sandbox.neo4j.com and a free Enterprise Aura database through console.neo4j.io.

Quick checklist

Install Neo4j Desktop
Create a project
Add a local DBMS
Set a password
Start the database
Open Neo4j Browser
Run a test Cypher query

If you want, I can also give you a beginner-friendly setup guide with screenshots, a Cypher quick start for your first local database, or a troubleshooting checklist for Neo4j Desktop.