Set up Buddy on your computer
Buddy installs on a Mac or Windows computer, not on a phone or tablet. Open this page on your computer to continue.
Copy this link and send it to yourself (for example on WhatsApp or by email). Open it on your computer: your license key is already in it.
On your computer, open this link and paste your license key from your license email.
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Try againStill stuck? Email buddy@jhilmillabs.com.
Members area
Enter your license key. It is in your license email.
Install Buddy
Run one command
Pick your system, copy the command, paste it into Terminal (Mac) or PowerShell (Windows) and press Enter.
Already installed? Run the same command again to get the newest version of Buddy. Your keys, chats and settings stay as they are.
Your license key works until
Watch: open Terminal and run the command (51 s)
Watch: open PowerShell and run the command (1 min)
Finish in the setup page
The setup page opens by itself after the command. Click “Get free key” for Google (needed). The NVIDIA and OpenRouter backup keys are optional but highly recommended: when one free limit runs out, Buddy keeps answering with the next. Then pick WhatsApp or Telegram, and say hi to your assistant.
Your first 7 days
One message a day. Copy it, send it to Buddy on WhatsApp or Telegram, and watch what it does.
Day 1
Reminders
Remind me today at 6 pm to call Mom.Day 2
Files from your laptop
Send me the newest PDF from my Downloads folder.Day 3
Tools first. Send the PDF with this message.
Find a good free PDF tool, install it, then turn the PDF I send you into a Word file I can edit.Day 4
Keep watch
Check this product page every hour and message me if the price drops below [your price]: [paste the link]Day 5
Tidy files
Rename the photos in my Downloads folder by the date they were taken and put them in one folder called Trip.Day 6
A daily brief
Every morning at 8, send me a short brief: today’s reminders and anything you are watching for me.Day 7
A big job
Find the best free research skill, install it, then research [a topic you care about] for my city and save a report with a link to every source.
The golden rule for bigger jobs
Start with: “Find a good free skill or open-source tool for this, install it, then do the job.” Free AI models do much better with the right tool than when they try to do everything themselves. The first time takes longer while Buddy installs the tool.
Stuck?
Buddy stopped answering
First check that your computer is on and connected to the internet. Then open Buddy Setup and let the Doctor fix it:
- Open Buddy Setup. Windows: click Start, type Buddy Setup, then press Enter. Mac: press Cmd + Space, type Buddy Setup, then press Enter.
- Don’t see it? Mac: open Terminal, paste this and press Enter:
buddy-setupWindows: open PowerShell, paste this and press Enter:
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\buddy-setup.cmd" - On the setup page, click Run Doctor, then Fix.
- Send Buddy “hi” and check that it answers.
“command not found”
The command went into the wrong window, or only part of it was pasted. Try again like this:
- Open the right window. Mac: press Cmd + Space, type Terminal and press Enter. Windows: click Start, type PowerShell and press Enter (not “Command Prompt”).
- At the top of this page, in “1. Run one command”, click Copy next to your command.
- Click inside the Terminal or PowerShell window, paste (Mac: Cmd + V, Windows: Ctrl + V) and press Enter.
Windows says scripts are disabled
PowerShell shows red text with “running scripts is disabled on this system”. Windows blocks scripts until you allow them once. To allow them:
- Stay in the same PowerShell window. Click Copy below, paste the line into PowerShell (Ctrl + V) and press Enter. Nothing is shown when it works.
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned -Force - Run your install command again: at the top of this page click Copy next to the Windows command, paste it into PowerShell and press Enter. Setup carries on where it stopped.
This allows scripts only for your own Windows account. Other accounts on this computer do not change.
Your assistant doesn’t reply
First check that the computer is on, awake and online. Then let Buddy check itself:
- Open Buddy Setup. Windows: click Start, type Buddy Setup and press Enter. Mac: press Cmd + Space, type Buddy Setup and press Enter. If the Mac doesn’t find it, open Terminal, click Copy below, paste the line (Cmd + V) and press Enter.
buddy-setupWindows: open PowerShell, paste this and press Enter:
& "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\buddy-setup.cmd" - On the setup page, click Run Doctor. Next to anything that says “Needs attention”, click Fix. Most problems are fixed by this.
The Chrome helper doesn’t show up
Still stuck
Still stuck? Write to us
Email buddy@jhilmillabs.com. Put the first 9 characters of your license key in the subject, so we find your purchase fast.
A short screen recording of where you are stuck helps us fix it faster. Mac: press Shift + Cmd + 5. Windows 11: press Windows + Shift + R. Don’t show passwords or API keys in it.
Email us