Quick Start Guide
You're almost ready.
Three simple steps to your first conversation with Sal.
Sal v1.0 · Quick StartInstall & Activate
Get Sal onto your Mac and verify your license.
- Download the .dmg file from your LemonSqueezy purchase email.
- Install by opening the disk image and dragging Sal into your Applications folder.
- Launch Sal from your Applications and paste your license key on the activation screen.
- ✅ Sal will validate your key and activate instantly.
The Download
Sal runs 100% on-device — she needs to download her core "brain" to your Mac.
- What's downloading: Sal's core models for conversation, vision, and speech — about 7 GB. This typically takes just a few minutes.
- Safe to leave: Downloads will automatically resume if your connection drops or if your Mac goes to sleep. Nothing will be lost.
- Image generation is separate: Sal's Draw Package (~24 GB) automatically begins downloading in the background once the core models are ready. You can cancel it if you'd prefer — image generation just won't be available until it completes.
- ✅ She'll show a "Ready!" screen the moment the core download is finished.
Say Hello
Once the download completes, Sal is ready to work.
- Press ⌥ Space (Option + Space) from anywhere to open Sal's panel.
- Type your first message: "Hi Sal, what can you help me with?"
- Press Return.
Welcome to the future of local AI.
Unlearn the Cloud: How Sal is Different
Sal was designed to be a presence, not a website. Before you start, here are three things that make her fundamentally different from the AI you might be used to.
1. She is anchored to your context
Sal isn't a normal app window you switch to—she lives in your menu bar. Press ⌥ Space to summon her over whatever you're already doing: a spreadsheet, a design file, a video call. Press it again to dismiss her instantly. You never leave your context.
2. Present Moment Design
Sal doesn't show an endless, scrolling chat log. You only ever see her current response. This is intentional—like a real conversation, the main screen stays clean and focused on the present moment. You'll never waste time scrolling back up to find what she said five minutes ago, because you can simply ask her.
3. Total Memory Transparency
With cloud AI, you never really know what the AI remembers from a long chat. When you open Sal's Message History window, you aren't looking at an endless archive—you are looking at exactly what she is using in the conversation right now. As you talk, she manages this history to keep her focus sharp. Your full archive is always securely saved on your Mac; if you want to bring an older topic back into focus, simply describe it and ask Sal to remember it.
What to Try First
Ask Anything
Type out a question, brainstorm ideas, or ask for help writing an email. She'll know what to do.
See Your Screen
Type a question, and press Shift+Cmd+Return instead of regular Return. Sal will take one ephemeral glance at your screen to help.
Pin a Document
Drag a PDF, image, or text file directly into Sal. Ask questions about the document instantly.
Check Your Calendar
Sal integrates directly with Apple Calendar. Ask her "What's on my schedule today?"
Search the Web
If Sal needs the web to answer well, she'll privately search DuckDuckGo and summarise the results.
Deep Research BETA
Start your prompt with "Deep research [your goal]" to run an autonomous, multi-phase research loop that produces a polished report. Learn more in the Manual.
A note on Permissions
macOS will ask you to grant Sal several permissions during your first few interactions (like Screen Recording, Calendar access, and Full Disk Access). Don't worry — grant them all. Sal needs these to be a genuinely helpful assistant, and because she operates entirely locally, your data never leaves your Mac. If Sal doesn't appear in a System Settings list, click the + symbol to add her manually.
Screen Capture Setup is a 2-step process: To enable screen capture, you'll need to grant permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording. macOS requires a one-time restart after enabling.