# Getting Started

## Installation

Download the latest installer from the [Download page](/download) or the [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/AQBot-Desktop/AQBot/releases).

### macOS

| Chip | File |
|------|------|
| Apple Silicon (M1 / M2 / M3 / M4) | `AQBot_x.x.x_aarch64.dmg` |
| Intel | `AQBot_x.x.x_x64.dmg` |

1. Open the `.dmg` and drag **AQBot** into the **Applications** folder.
2. Launch AQBot. If macOS blocks the app, go to **System Settings → Privacy & Security** and click **Open Anyway**.

> **macOS: "App Is Damaged" or "Cannot Verify Developer"**
>
> AQBot is signed with the project's own code-signing certificate, not an Apple Developer ID certificate, so after downloading it from a browser macOS may still say "AQBot is damaged and can't be opened" or "AQBot can't be opened because the developer cannot be verified".
>
> There is no need to disable Gatekeeper system-wide — allow only AQBot:
>
> 1. In Finder, Control-click `AQBot.app`, choose **Open**, then click **Open** again.
> 2. If it is still blocked, go to **System Settings → Privacy & Security**, find AQBot in the **Security** section and click **Open Anyway**.
> 3. Launch AQBot again.
>
> Gatekeeper approval and Accessibility permission are separate settings. To use the text-selection toolbar, also enable AQBot under **System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility** when prompted in the app.

### Windows

| Architecture | File |
|--------------|------|
| x64 (most PCs) | `AQBot_x.x.x_x64-setup.exe` |
| ARM64 | `AQBot_x.x.x_arm64-setup.exe` |

Run the installer and follow the wizard. Launch AQBot from the Start Menu or the desktop shortcut.

### Linux

| Format | Architecture | File |
|--------|--------------|------|
| Debian / Ubuntu | x64 | `AQBot_x.x.x_amd64.deb` |
| Debian / Ubuntu | ARM64 | `AQBot_x.x.x_arm64.deb` |
| Fedora / openSUSE | x64 | `AQBot_x.x.x_x86_64.rpm` |
| Fedora / openSUSE | ARM64 | `AQBot_x.x.x_aarch64.rpm` |
| Any distro | x64 | `AQBot_x.x.x_amd64.AppImage` |
| Any distro | ARM64 | `AQBot_x.x.x_aarch64.AppImage` |

```bash
# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo dpkg -i AQBot_x.x.x_amd64.deb

# Fedora / openSUSE
sudo rpm -i AQBot_x.x.x_x86_64.rpm

# AppImage (any distro)
chmod +x AQBot_x.x.x_amd64.AppImage
./AQBot_x.x.x_amd64.AppImage
```

---

## First-Time Setup

### 1. Open Settings

Launch AQBot and click the **gear icon** at the bottom of the sidebar, or press <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>,</kbd>.

### 2. Add a Provider

Navigate to **Settings → Providers** and click the **+** button.

1. Enter a display name (e.g. *OpenAI*).
2. Select the provider type (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, etc.).
3. Paste your API key.
4. Confirm the **Base URL** — the official endpoint is pre-filled for built-in types. Change it only if you use a third-party relay or proxy.

> **Tip**
>
> You can add as many providers as you like. Each provider manages its own set of API keys and models independently.

### 3. Fetch Models

Click **Fetch Models** to pull the list of available models from the provider's API. You can also add model IDs manually if needed.

### 4. Set a Default Model

Go to **Settings → Default Model** and choose the provider and model that new conversations should use by default.

---

## Your First Conversation

1. Click **New Chat** in the sidebar (or press <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>N</kbd>).
2. Select a model from the model selector at the top of the chat.
3. Type a message and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>.
4. AQBot streams the response in real time. Models that support thinking blocks (e.g. Claude, DeepSeek R1) display the reasoning process in a collapsible section above the answer.

---

## Key Concepts

### Conversation Branching

Edit or regenerate any message to create a branch. The original and new versions coexist in the same conversation tree — navigate between them with the arrow controls on each message.

### Message Versions

Every regeneration creates a new version. Switch between versions using the **◀ ▶** arrows on the message bubble.

### Context Attachments

Enrich your prompts by attaching files, search results, or MCP tool outputs directly to the conversation context.

Terminal and shell commands are not Chat MCP tools. Switch the conversation to Agent mode to run non-interactive commands after approval. The selected working directory is the process starting CWD, not a filesystem sandbox.

---

## Shortcuts

Below are the default keyboard shortcuts. All shortcuts can be customized in **Settings → Shortcuts**.

| Shortcut | Action |
|----------|--------|
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>A</kbd> | Show / hide the current window |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>Alt</kbd>+<kbd>A</kbd> | Show / hide all windows |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>W</kbd> | Close window |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>N</kbd> | New conversation |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>,</kbd> | Open Settings |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>K</kbd> | Command palette |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>M</kbd> | Toggle model selector |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>↑</kbd> | Fill last message |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>K</kbd> | Clear context |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>Backspace</kbd> | Clear conversation messages |
| <kbd>Cmd/Ctrl</kbd>+<kbd>Shift</kbd>+<kbd>G</kbd> | Toggle API Gateway |

> **Note**
>
> Global shortcuts (show/hide window) work system-wide even when AQBot is in the background. AQBot detects conflicts with shortcuts from other applications and warns you in Settings.

---

## Desktop Settings

Open **Settings** to configure the desktop experience.

| Setting | Options |
|---------|---------|
| **Theme** | Dark, Light, or System (auto) |
| **Language** | 简体中文, 繁體中文, English, 日本語, 한국어, Français, Deutsch, Español, Русский, हिन्दी, العربية |
| **System tray** | Minimize to tray, close to tray |
| **Auto-start** | Launch AQBot when your computer starts |
| **Always on top** | Keep the window above other applications |
| **Proxy** | HTTP or SOCKS5 proxy with host and port |

---

## Data & Backup

### Data Directories

AQBot stores data in two locations:

| Path | Contents |
|------|----------|
| `~/.aqbot/` | Application state — database, encryption keys, vector DB, SSL certificates |
| `~/Documents/aqbot/` | User-visible files — images, documents, backups |

> **Tip**
>
> On Windows the paths are `%USERPROFILE%\.aqbot\` and `%USERPROFILE%\Documents\aqbot\`.

### Auto Backup

Go to **Settings → Backup** to configure automatic backups:

- **Enabled** — toggle automatic backups on or off.
- **Interval** — how often to back up (in hours).
- **Max count** — number of backups to keep before the oldest is deleted.
- **Storage target** — local directory (default: `~/Documents/aqbot/backups/`) or WebDAV server.

### Manual Backup & Restore

Create a manual backup at any time from the Backup settings panel. To restore, select a backup from the history list and click **Restore**.

### Conversation Export

Right-click a conversation in the sidebar to export it as:

- **PNG** — rendered screenshot of the chat
- **Markdown** — formatted with headers, code blocks, and LaTeX
- **Plain text** — simple text with message separators
- **JSON** — structured data with full metadata

---

## Next Steps

- [Configure Providers](./providers) — add and manage AI providers
- [MCP Servers](./mcp) — connect external tools to extend AI capabilities
- [API Gateway](./gateway) — expose your providers as a local API server