Offline assistant

The assistant normally answers using whichever provider you've configured, which means it needs a working internet connection. Settings > Assistant has an "Offline model" option that downloads a small model straight into your browser, so drafting, summarizing, and rewriting keep working even with no connection at all.

Downloading a model

Open Settings > Assistant and find the "Offline model" section. Pick one of the listed models and choose Download - progress shows live, and once it finishes the model stays on your device (no re-download needed later) until you delete it.

A few models are offered, trading size for quality: a very small, fast model for quick drafts; a medium one with noticeably better answers; and a larger model that can also use a few basic tools (your files, notes, and the built-in database) rather than only answering from what it already knows. Pick based on how much space and time you're comfortable spending on the download.

This feature needs a browser with WebGPU support (recent versions of Chrome, Edge, and most other Chromium-based browsers). If your browser doesn't support it, you'll see a note explaining that offline drafting isn't available on this device - every other part of the assistant is unaffected.

What happens automatically

Once a model is downloaded, you don't need to do anything else. If the assistant detects that your device has no network connection, it automatically switches that message to the on-device model instead of your configured provider, and marks the reply "Offline" so you know why the answer came from a different model. As soon as your connection comes back, the assistant goes back to using your normal provider.

While running offline, the assistant can only use a narrower set of tools - your files, your notes, and the built-in database - since anything that needs a live connection (browsing the web, sending messages, reaching another app's servers) genuinely isn't available without one.

Removing a downloaded model

Back in Settings > Assistant, any model you've downloaded shows a Delete option instead of Download. Removing it frees up the space it used; you can download it again later if you want it back.

What's next

• Configure the assistant's provider, tools, and behavior.
• Understand what "speculation" does to cost if you also use a hosted provider.