Here are a few key things you should know:

1. Providers: Alice allows you to connect directly to external LLM providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, xAI, and others.

2. API key vs Alice plan: You can either bring your own API key (BYOK) and pay for LLM usage directly, or you can purchase an Alice AI plan for easy access to popular models.

3. We don't store your data: Alice stores everything locally on your device. This means we do not have access to your settings, chat history, or files. Every interaction is directly between you and your chosen LLM provider, so your data is sent straight to them.

4. Local Models: You can set up a connection to your own server and use open-source language models that run on your own hardware. This way, all your data remains on your machine.

5. Updates: The app checks for new versions automatically on startup, or you can download them directly from [https://heyalice.app](https://heyalice.app).

Note for Windows Users: The Windows version of Alice is not code-signed. This means you might see a security warning during installation. To proceed, you may need to add the app as an exception or run the installer as an administrator.

First Launch

This app is all about personalization, so a fresh installation is like a blank canvas, ready for you to make it your own. Before you dive in, you'll need to complete a quick initial setup.

1. Email Verification: First, you'll be asked for your email address. If you already have a license, please use the email you used for the purchase. If not, you'll have the option to activate a free 21-day trial, which includes some credits to get you started.

2. License Verification: Next, you'll need to enter the license key that was sent to the email address you provided in the previous step.

3. Name and Avatar: You can skip this, but we recommend adding your name (or a nickname) and a custom photo or avatar to personalize your experience.

Once you're done, you'll land on the main chat screen with "Support Mode" automatically enabled. In this mode, your assistant has detailed knowledge of the app, your current configuration, and the helpful resources Adam and Greg have created for you.

Multiple Devices

As noted earlier, we don't store your configuration and chats on our servers. This means that when you log in on a new device, your settings and chat history won't transfer automatically.

If you want to sync your data across devices, you can transfer it manually by following these steps:

1. Close the app

2. Open the configuration folder

3. Copy all the contents to the second device

4. Start the app

Configuration folders can be found at:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/com.overment.alice

• Windows: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\com.overment.alice

• Linux: ~/.config/com.overment.alice

Warning: Just because we don't store your data doesn't mean it isn't shared with the LLM providers you're working with. Make sure you accept their privacy policies and terms of use.

Free Trial and API keys

To start, you receive some free credits so you can try the app. To continue using Alice, you can either add your own provider API keys in the settings or upgrade to our AI Plan.