Quick Start Guide
Install Elephas, add your first documents, and ask your first question. Get up and running in 5 minutes.
Get started in 5 minutes
This guide walks you through the essentials: install Elephas, add your first documents, and ask a question grounded in your sources.
Step 1: Install and open
Download Elephas from the Mac App Store or elephas.app. Open the app and complete the short onboarding flow.
Step 2: Choose your AI provider
Elephas supports three modes for AI processing:
- Offline AI: Runs a local model on your Mac. No data leaves your device. Requires Apple Silicon (M1 or later).
- Cloud AI: Uses OpenAI or Claude APIs through a secure reverse proxy. Your data is never used for training.
- Bring Your Own Key: Connect your own OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini API key directly.
You can switch between modes at any time in Settings.
Step 3: Create a workspace
Click New Brain in the sidebar to create a workspace (Super Brain). Name it something descriptive like "Project Research" or "Meeting Notes".
Step 4: Add your documents
Drag your PDFs, Word documents, text files, or Markdown files into the workspace. Elephas indexes everything locally on your Mac. You can also connect Apple Notes, Notion, or Obsidian from the Integrations panel.
Step 5: Ask a question
Type your question in the chat area. Elephas searches your documents, finds the relevant passages, and responds with an answer that cites your sources. Click any citation to jump to the original file and passage.
Bonus: Use Super Command
Press Ctrl + Space (or your configured shortcut) to open Super Command from any app. Ask a question, and Elephas responds using your workspace context without switching windows.