diff --git a/apps/remixdesktop/TEST.md b/apps/remixdesktop/TEST.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3258a119b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/remixdesktop/TEST.md
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+# How run and write tests for Remix Desktop
+
+
+### Basic procedure of local testing
+
+- create a release executable of desktop
+- run local remix-ide 
+- run the test
+
+### Executables
+
+Testing runs through nightwatch that treats an electron application as a special version of chrome, which it is. It basically calls the executable which is built by the ./rundist.bash script which creates executables based on the current channel configuration package.json, ie "version": "1.0.8-insiders"
+
+Executables are stored in the ./release directory. Without that executable you cannot run tests. You cannot call tests on local development instance that is launched by yarn start:dev. You need to create an exec first. 
+
+This is done by running ./rundist.bash
+
+Normally when you would do a 'real' release you would package remix IDE into the distributable but for local e2e this not necessary because it will use the remix IDE that is being served.
+
+
+```
+            switch (type) {
+              case 'Windows_NT':
+                binaryPath = `./release/win-unpacked/Remix-Desktop-${channel}.exe`;
+                break;
+              case 'Darwin':
+                binaryPath = arch === 'x64' ? 
+                  `release/mac/Remix-Desktop-${channel}.app/Contents/MacOS/Remix-Desktop-${channel}` :
+                  `release/mac-arm64/Remix-Desktop-${channel}.app/Contents/MacOS/Remix-Desktop-${channel}`;
+                break;
+              case 'Linux':
+                binaryPath = "release/linux-unpacked/remixdesktop";
+                break;
+```
+
+### Local testing
+
+In order to facilitate local testing nightwatch will boot the executable with the --e2e-local flag when running locally ( so outside of CIRCLE CI ). This means the electron app with load the local running Remix IDE.
+
+So to start testing locally 
+- run the IDE with 'yarn serve' as you would normally do.
+- build your release. You will always need to this when the Desktop app itself changes its code. 
+    - ./rundist.bash
+- in apps/remixdesktop: 
+    - yarn build:e2e
+    - run the test you want, refer to the actual JS that is build, not the TS, ie 
+    yarn test --test ./build-e2e/remixdesktop/test/tests/app/compiler.test.js
+
+### Hot reload on local tests
+
+When Remix IDE changes the electron window that is open will hot reload just like a browser. But when you change electron code you need to rebuild the release.
+
+### Filesystem & native dialogs
+
+Because you cannot access anything outside of the chrome context with nightwatch, like filesystem dialogs, the filesystem plugin in electron behaves different when it comes to e2e. 
+
+These functions have been replaced with special versions:
+```
+selectFolder
+openFolder
+openFolderInSameWindow
+```
+
+Basically when the app tries to open a folder where your 'workspace' is located it creates a random directory if you haven't specified a specific dir: 
+```
+ const randomdir = path.join(os.homedir(), 'remix-tests' + Date.now().toString())
+```
+So that means when the test loads a template it will put the contents of it in a random dir.
+
+When you know which directory you need to open you can call it on the window in the test:
+```
+  browser.executeAsync(function (dir, done) {
+      (window as any).electronAPI.openFolderInSameWindow(dir + '/hello_foundry/').then(done)
+  }, [dir], () => {
+      console.log('done window opened')
+  })
+```
+
+You can see this behavior in action too when using 
+```
+yarn start:dev --e2e-local
+```
+
+### Window handling
+
+The electron app always starts in a mode where there is no 'workspace'. You need to open one and that creates a new window unless you call openFolderInSameWindow.
+
+When you open a folder which is not in the same window, so ie you load a template electron creates a new window, so you need to switch to it:
+
+```
+.windowHandles(function (result) {
+  console.log(result.value)
+  browser.switchWindow(result.value[1])
+```
+
+### OS filtering
+
+Remember tests will run on Machine OS instances, you will need to filter tests that use certain features of an OS
+
+```
+module.exports = {
+    ...process.platform.startsWith('win')?{}:tests
+}
+```
+
+### hiding tooltips
+
+Always use this, it avoids trouble: 
+```
+rowser.hideToolTips()
+```
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/apps/remixdesktop/test/nighwatch.app.ts b/apps/remixdesktop/test/nighwatch.app.ts
index 77ff0f9b7f..ee439cccf7 100644
--- a/apps/remixdesktop/test/nighwatch.app.ts
+++ b/apps/remixdesktop/test/nighwatch.app.ts
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ if (version.includes('beta')) {
   channel = 'Insiders';
 }
 
-// Determine if running on CircleCI or locally with --e2e-local
-const isLocalE2E = process.argv.includes('--e2e-local') && !process.env.CIRCLECI;
-
 module.exports = {
     src_folders: ['build-e2e/remixdesktop/test/tests/app'],
     output_folder: './reports/tests',