Getting started

Bringing Mongi home

From installing to living together, Mongi walks you through it one step at a time.

Download and install

  1. Get the .dmg for Mac from the download page.
  2. Open it, then drag Mongi into your Applications folder.
  3. Open Mongi from Applications.

Runs on macOS 13 Ventura or later, on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs alike.

Download for Mac

Mongi moves in

  1. Open the app and Mongi moves into a corner of your screen. They can't talk yet, so they'll ask you in a speech bubble to connect an AI.
  2. Click [Connect an AI] in the bubble to open the Connections tab in Settings.
  3. If you leave it, the bubble closes after a bit and a small ! stays over Mongi's head. It means they still have something to say. Click Mongi to hear it.

Connect an AI

Open Settings… by right-clicking Mongi or clicking the Mongi icon in the menu bar. In the Connections tab, pick one of these three.

  • ChatGPT subscription

    Plus or Pro plan

    1. On the ChatGPT Subscription card, click [Log In with ChatGPT].
    2. Log in to your ChatGPT account in the browser that opens.
    3. When you see “Logged In”, close the browser window and head back to Mongi.

    If the browser doesn't come back, copy the whole address from its address bar and paste it into the card.

  • Claude subscription

    Pro or Max plan

    1. Install Claude Code in Terminal. curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
    2. Run claude once in Terminal and log in with your subscription account.
    3. On the Claude Subscription card, click [Check Connection].

    It shares your plan's usage with Claude Code. Opus and Fable use it up faster.

  • API key

    Pay as you go

    1. Create an OpenAI key at platform.openai.com, or an Anthropic key at console.anthropic.com.
    2. Paste it into the OpenAI API Key or Anthropic API Key card and click [Save].
    3. OpenAI keys start with sk-, Anthropic keys with sk-ant-.

    You pay that company for what you use.

Each connected card lets you pick a model. Switch, and Mongi uses it from the next message on.

To check it works, use Try It Out at the bottom of the same tab. Logins and keys are saved only in this Mac's keychain.

Subscription connections may not be a route that OpenAI or Anthropic officially offers or approves. If that worries you, connect with an API key instead. More in the Terms

Permissions, only when needed

Mongi doesn't ask for everything up front. When a job needs a permission, they ask in a speech bubble right then. [Allow Access] opens the right spot in System Settings. [Not Now] means they won't ask again while the app stays open.

Soon Right now Mongi only talks, so there's nothing to allow yet. These permissions come with the schedule, mail and browser jobs.

Screen Recording
To look at your screen and see what's going on
Accessibility
To click or type in other apps for you
Calendars
To keep track of your schedule, from the accounts already in the Mac Calendar app
Reminders
To keep track of your to-dos
Automation
To ask other apps, like Mail, to do things

To turn one off later

Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, choose the permission, and switch Mongi off. From macOS 15, Screen Recording is called Screen & System Audio Recording.

Living with Mongi

Talk
Click Mongi to open the text box. Click again to close it.
Move
Drag them anywhere on your screen. They'll remember the spot.
Right-click
Choose Resize and a frame appears around Mongi. Drag a corner to change the size, then click outside to finish. Quiet and Settings… are here too.
The ! overhead
Something you haven't read yet. Click Mongi to hear it.
Menu bar icon
Can't find Mongi? Choose Bring Character Back. To close the app, Quit Mongi.

Uninstalling

  1. Choose Quit Mongi from the Mongi icon in the menu bar.
  2. Move Mongi from Applications to the Trash.
  3. Your chats, memories and settings stay on this Mac even after the app is gone. To remove them too, choose Go → Go to Folder… (⇧⌘G) in Finder, open ~/Library/Application Support/com.hellomongi.mongi, and move that folder to the Trash.

Logins and API keys live in your keychain. Log out or remove your keys in Settings → Connections before deleting the app, and they go too.

More answers in the FAQ. Stuck? Write to us at hello@hellomongi.com.