Getting Izuki set up and working

Install Izuki on Windows

1. Download Izuki-Setup.exe from the latest release.
2. Run it. If Windows says “Windows protected your PC”, click More info, then Run anyway. Izuki isn't code-signed yet, so SmartScreen shows this for it; the source code is public.
3. Izuki opens and walks you through setup. It can start with Windows and wait in the tray.

There's also a portable version, Izuki-portable.exe, on the same release page, if you'd rather not install anything.

Connect a free AI

Izuki doesn't charge for anything. Its thinking comes from an AI service you choose, and several have free keys:

• Google Gemini: free key at aistudio.google.com/apikey. It can also be Izuki's voice.
• Groq: free key at console.groq.com/keys. Very fast.
• Also supported: OpenRouter, Mistral, Meta Llama, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Anthropic, Grok, and any OpenAI-compatible service you run yourself.

In Izuki: Settings → Izuki's brain, pick the service, paste the key. With more than one key, Izuki uses the fastest one that's working and moves on if one is busy.

Add the browser extension (Chrome, Edge, Brave)

The extension gives you Izuki's side panel next to any web page, and lets Izuki click links and buttons on pages exactly.

1. In Izuki, open Settings → Browser extension, choose your browser and press Set up in this browser. Izuki unpacks the extension, gives it a private key so the two can trust each other, and opens the browser's extension page.
2. Turn on Developer mode, click Load unpacked and paste the folder location Izuki shows. The card in Izuki turns green.
3. Click the Izuki icon in the toolbar, or press Alt+Shift+I, to open the panel.

Using another AI in the panel

The panel answers with Izuki on your PC by default. Under Answering with you can choose an AI website you're signed in to, such as Gemini or ChatGPT, and press Connect. Side by side puts that AI's window next to your page. The browser's own built-in assistants (like the one in Chrome's toolbar) can't be connected; use their website tab instead.

Updating the extension

When Izuki says the extension is out of date or needs setting up again, press Set up in this browser in Settings → Browser extension. Then, in chrome://extensions: if Izuki there was loaded from the folder Izuki shows, press its reload button; if it came from a folder you downloaded yourself, remove it and choose Load unpacked with the folder Izuki shows.

What Izuki can do

• Talk hands-free: say “Hey Nova”, or hold the talk key, and just speak.
• Use your PC: open apps, click, type, fill in forms, and stop before anything final (Send, Submit, Pay) unless you say so.
• Draw on your screen: circle something and ask about it, or have Izuki point and explain.
• Answer from the web: it searches and reads pages, and names its sources.
• Your phone: chat, call, and get reminders on your phone.
• Study help: explains questions and ideas, makes practice questions, and gives feedback on your drafts. It doesn't do graded work for you.
• Keep the PC awake while something runs (“keep my PC awake for 3 hours”).

See the full feature list and screenshots.

Updates

Izuki checks for new versions by itself and tells you when one is ready. Install it from the Island at the top of your screen, or from Settings → Updates. Every update is signature-checked before it installs, and Izuki opens again afterwards. What changed is shown once, after the update.

Troubleshooting

An update shows “Error opening file for writing”

Press Retry, not Abort. Izuki was still closing when the installer started copying, and a moment later the copy goes through. From version 1.0.193 the installer waits until Izuki has closed and its file is free; if something else is holding the file, it asks you to retry or keep the version you have.

The browser panel says “Izuki isn't running”

Open the Izuki app. The panel's answers come from Izuki on your PC; it connects again within a few seconds.

Izuki is slow to answer

Free AI keys get busy at times. Adding a second free key (Gemini and Groq together) lets Izuki switch to whichever is answering. A laptop on battery can also be several times slower, especially for the on-device voice.

The PC feels slow

The usual causes are a nearly full drive and many browser tabs. Ask Izuki “why is my PC slow?” or “free up space”, and turn on your browser's Memory Saver (Chrome: Settings → Performance).

Something else went wrong

In Izuki, use Report a problem: it sends what you write and the recent log, with keys, emails and personal details taken out. The log itself is at %APPDATA%\Izuki\logs\izuki.log. You can also open an issue on GitHub.