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Local File Access

The desktop application can work with files on your computer. This allows you to use local documents in a chat or in a long-running task.

Setting a Folder​

During onboarding, you choose one default folder. The desktop app uses this folder when you do not select another working folder for the chat on the start screen.

On the start screen, you also choose a folder for a new chat:

  1. Choose New Chat at the top of the sidebar, or click + next to a folder in the sidebar
  2. Under "What do you want to work on?", click the folder button
  3. Choose a project, your default folder (marked "default") or another approved folder, or approve a new folder with Add folder…
  4. The chosen folder takes precedence over the default folder for that chat and stays selected for your next new chat
Multiple folders

You can add multiple folders. The onboarding folder and folders added later belong to the same local list of approved folders. They are therefore not managed in two places.

The name of the chat's active workspace, for example "Documents", is shown on the right of the top bar. Hover over the name to see the full path. Check this path before requesting file operations.

What Can the AI Do with Local Files?​

Within a chosen folder, the AI can, among other things:

  • read and summarize one or more documents;
  • create files and modify existing files;
  • combine information from multiple documents;
  • search files by name or content;
  • specifically edit text files and create new text files.

Clearly specify in your instruction which files may be used, what may be modified, and where new files should be saved.

The folder you choose on the start screen is both your current working folder and an explicitly approved folder. If you choose nothing there, the desktop app uses the default folder from onboarding. Only one working folder is active per chat. The AI only works in that active working folder and, in a project chat, also in the project's other folders. The AI cannot open or modify local files outside approved folders.

If you ask the AI to delete a file or subfolder, the desktop app moves the item to the system recycle bin. This works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The approved main folder itself cannot be moved to the recycle bin via the AI.

The list of approved folders and the default folder are stored only on this computer, in the same local database as the task checkpoints. They are not synchronized with your account.

Projects​

With Projects you group folders on your computer that belong together, for example "Teaching materials" and "Tests".

  1. In the side menu, choose Projects and then New project.
  2. Give the project a name.
  3. Add folders with Choose folder or Previously chosen folder.
  4. Mark one folder as the Main folder.
  5. Under Project instructions, write what the assistant should know in every chat in this project, for example the level of your class.

New chat in project starts a chat that works in the main folder and may also read and change the other project folders. Move existing chats via History > Move to project. Projects are saved on this computer.

Pinning and archiving​

In History you pin important chats so they stay at the top. Archived chats disappear from the list. Use Archived to view them and restore them.

File Types​

The desktop application can work with commonly used text files, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, images, and PDF files. Which operations are possible depends on the file and the chosen AI model.

For simple notes, these formats are useful:

Plain Text (.txt)​

Simple text files without formatting.

Mijn notities van vandaag:
- Vergadering om 14:00
- Project deadline vrijdag
- Idee voor presentatie uitwerken

Useful for:

  • Quick notes
  • Simple lists
  • Temporary annotations

Markdown (.md)​

Text files with light formatting that are readable everywhere.

# Vergadernotities

## Onderwerpen
- **Budget** bespreking
- Planning Q2
- Nieuwe teamleden

## Actiepunten
1. Rapport afmaken
2. Mail sturen naar klant
3. Presentatie voorbereiden

Useful for:

  • Structured documents
  • Documentation
  • Notes with headings and formatting
  • README files for projects

Usage Examples​

Taking Notes​

"Create a new file meeting-notes.md with the following points we discussed..."

The AI creates the file in your chosen folder with neat formatting.

Managing Lists​

"Add 'grocery shopping' to my todo.txt file"

The AI can read and extend existing lists.

Analyzing Documents​

"Read all markdown files in the docs folder and make a summary"

The AI reads multiple files and combines the information.

Organizing Files​

"Find all .txt files in this folder and move them to a subfolder 'archive'"

The AI can search files, create folders, and move files.

Working Safely​

  • Choose your folders consciously – Only grant access to folders needed for your task.
  • Work with a copy first – Test extensive tasks before letting original files be modified.
  • Check the result – Always review created and modified files yourself.
  • Pay attention to the chosen model – Content from a file may be sent to the chosen AI model for executing your task.

Viewing files​

Choose the Files button on the right of the top bar to see the contents of this chat's workspace. Click a folder to expand it and a file to view it, without leaving the app. This works for images, PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, Excel and CSV files, Markdown, code and text. Use Show hidden files to show hidden files.

The preview opens in the same panel next to the chat, so you can keep chatting. At the top of the panel you find Back to files (the arrow), the file name, Open in default app, Show in Finder or Show in File Explorer, and Close.

In File changes and in the assistant's activity, files that the assistant created or changed have a View button. Open in default app opens the file in, for example, Word or Excel. Show in Finder (macOS) or Show in File Explorer (Windows) shows where it is stored.

  • You can only view files in folders you have given access to, up to 25 MB.
  • For large spreadsheets you see the first 1000 rows and 100 columns; formulas are not recalculated.
  • For security reasons, scripts and programs are never opened from the app.

Creating and making targeted changes to documents​

When the assistant creates or edits a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, Excel workbook or PDF, the Files panel opens by itself with a preview of that document. After every change by the assistant, the preview reloads and stays on the same slide or page. That way you can watch while the assistant works.

If you ask for a targeted change, the assistant changes exactly that text in the document itself for Word and PowerPoint files. Layout, images and styles are kept. The previous version goes to the trash, so you can get it back. For example:

"Change the title of the Condensation slide to 'From water vapour to clouds'"

To add or remove slides or sections, the assistant makes a new version of the document. PDFs cannot be changed in a targeted way.

For a new PowerPoint presentation, the assistant makes a title slide and one slide per heading. It then lists the slides it made; if the number differs from what you asked for, it adjusts the presentation.

Adding images​

The assistant can also put images into Word and PowerPoint documents in your workspace: an image it generates or an image it finds with the image search. For example:

"Generate a cheerful illustration of the water cycle and put it on the Evaporation slide in Water cycle.pptx"

"Find a photo of hailstones and put it on the Precipitation slide"

  • The image is first saved as a file (PNG or JPEG) in your workspace; large images are scaled down. The assistant then places the image in the document.
  • In PowerPoint, the image goes on the chosen slide in the right half, beside the text. Where needed, the text becomes narrower and moves down so nothing overlaps.
  • In Word, the image is centred right after the paragraph you name, otherwise at the end. You can choose small, medium or large.
  • New documents can include images from your workspace too.
  • As with other targeted changes, the previous version goes to the trash. The preview beside the chat shows the result.

Images from the internet may be protected by copyright, such as stock photos with a watermark. Check the rights before you share or publish the document. The assistant only downloads https images from the internet, never from the local network.

Excel files​

The assistant can also create an Excel workbook (.xlsx) in your workspace and change it later. For example:

"Create an Excel file with the Year 5 maths marks: 8 pupils with three tests and a column with the average (as a formula)."

"Fill in the marks and add a Class average row at the bottom with the average for each test as a formula."

  • In a new workbook, the header row gets the brand colour and stays in view when you scroll. Column widths fit the content, formulas are included with their results and averages show at most two decimals.
  • For a change, the assistant edits the cells themselves. The existing layout, other sheets and charts stay as they are; new cells take on the look of their neighbours.
  • The previous version goes to the trash. Excel recalculates all formulas as soon as you open the file.
  • The preview beside the chat shows the values, including the results of formulas.

PDF files​

The assistant can also create a PDF, for example a worksheet. A PDF gets the same calm layout as a Word document: a title with an accent line, headings and table headers in the brand colour, and formulas. For example:

"Create a PDF with a worksheet 'Practising fractions' for Year 4"

"Change question 3 and update the answer in the table."

The assistant cannot make targeted changes to a PDF. If you ask for a change, it creates the PDF again with the correction. The previous version goes to the trash.

File changes​

By default, the File changes panel shows what the agent changed in the last turn. Under Scope, choose Whole chat, an earlier turn or Individual edits. For each file you see the total change.

Reverting​

Revert file or Revert all returns files to how they were. Use the arrow next to a block to revert only that block.

  • Files you have changed yourself in the meantime are never overwritten.
  • New files created by the agent are kept, unless you choose to move them to the trash.
  • You can reverse every revert with Undo.

After reverting, you immediately see what is left. Partly reverted files are marked Partly reverted, fully reverted files Reverted; those cannot be reverted again.

Giving feedback​

Click a line number to write feedback; Shift+click selects multiple lines. Send feedback sends all feedback to the agent in one message. If the agent is still working, it adjusts its work right away.

Keyboard shortcuts in this panel: j and k for the next or previous file, n and p for the next or previous block.

Individual edits​

If you choose Individual edits under Scope, you see each edit separately.

The latest 100 text edits in this chat. Previews stay on this device. Changes made through other tools are not listed here.

  • Added · − Removed. This is a snapshot of the edit, not necessarily the current file contents.

No preview available: the action is incomplete, the file is too large, or its text is unsupported.

Choose the File changes button on the right of the top bar and select a file to review the edit. Use Restore previous contents to restore an existing text file. This is only possible if its contents have not changed since that edit. The restore is recorded as a new change. Newly created files are not deleted this way.

Preview HTML: View the captured version in a separate window. External and separate local files are not loaded.

The changes panel groups edits by folder and shows added and removed line counts for each edit when a text preview is available. These are not net totals per file. Use Load older edits to see more than the first 100 edits. The file filter searches the loaded edits.

Local commands and tests​

Ask the agent to run a command or test in the active workspace. Check the exact command and directory in the command card, then choose Run or Deny. By default, every execution requires fresh approval; Running local commands safely explains how to change this per folder. Without a sandbox, commands use your account permissions and can access files outside the workspace and the network. Output appears live; Stop ends execution. The maximum duration is 300 seconds and output is limited to 64 KiB. Interactive input is not supported.

Output is sent to the selected AI model as a tool result. Command cards are available only during this app session; the model response may contain output. File edits made by commands are not covered by the restore action in File changes.

Choose the Commands button on the right of the top bar. Commands and output appear in the panel beside the chat; a new approval request opens this panel automatically.

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