Keep Chrome open and ask your question beside the page. The Off Grid AI browser extension connects Chrome to OGAD (Off Grid AI Desktop), where the model runs on your computer. It does not download model weights into Chrome or require a hosted AI chat service.
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What can you do in the side panel?
Ask a normal text question, rewrite a passage you provide, or ask about readable text on the current page. The panel stays beside the browser content, so you can compare the answer with the source instead of switching between a website and a separate chat app.
For example, open a software setup guide and ask which requirements apply to your computer. Keep the guide visible and check each requirement the answer names. This is useful for long pages whose important conditions are spread across several sections.
The local result depends on the selected model. Download and activate a suitable text model in OGAD before the first request. A remote model changes the processing route. Select a local model when you want the prompt processed on this computer.
Install and connect the browser extension
The extension needs Node.js 20 or later for a source build. It is not listed in the browser stores in this setup. Downloading the source and dependencies needs internet.
git clone https://github.com/off-grid-ai/browser-extension.git
cd browser-extension
git checkout 970fec49e2a630a3e1f419c1fc86df241891d40c
npm install
npm run build:chrome
In Chrome, open chrome://extensions, enable Developer mode, select Load unpacked, and choose dist/chrome. Start OGAD and select a downloaded local text model. Open the extension from the toolbar. Its default desktop connection is http://127.0.0.1:7878/v1 on the same computer.
For shared chats, desktop tools, or Vault, open the extension's Settings > Desktop and select Pair with desktop. Check that the six words match the dialog in OGAD, then approve there. A running gateway and an approved pairing serve different purposes.
The pinned extension source includes the browser connection used here. Later source changes can alter the setup.
Ask a first question
- Open the extension's Chrome side panel.
- Select your installed local text model from the model picker.
- Start a new chat and ask a simple question without page context.
- Wait for the streamed answer. Use Stop if you need to end generation.
- Open an ordinary article or documentation page, turn Use page on, and ask a question about it.
Try this:
Read this page and list the setup requirements. Separate required items from optional ones. Keep version numbers as written. If a condition is missing, say it is not stated.
The expected result is an answer based on the readable text the extension extracted. Page extraction is not a full website crawl. It can omit content hidden behind a control or loaded later. If the answer misses a section, open that section and provide the relevant text directly.
Use the page without making the answer vague
Give the model a specific job. “Explain this” can produce a long recap. “Which two conditions affect installation on my computer?” is easier to verify and use.
Suppose the page describes a base package and an optional accelerator. Ask the model to keep their requirements separate. A requirement for the accelerator must not become a requirement for the base package. Open the original paragraph before changing your setup.
For rewriting, paste only the passage you want changed. Ask for the same facts in simpler language, then check that names, dates, and exceptions remain. A clearer sentence is not useful if it changes the policy.
What stays local?
The extension sends the request to the selected desktop model route. With the default loopback address and local model, inference occurs on the same computer. Chrome still contacts websites normally. A submitted web form still goes to its website.
Initial app, model, and extension downloads need internet. After setup, a local chat can use material you already have without a cloud AI service. Reading a new online page still needs its normal connection. Saved browser chats also remain data on your device.
If the panel does not answer
Check that OGAD is running, the gateway address is correct, and the model is active. If the model list is empty, prepare a desktop model first. If another service is using the gateway port, correct that conflict before changing the extension address.
A cut stream can leave a partial answer. Read what arrived, then retry the question when the connection is ready. Do not treat the last visible sentence as proof that the answer completed.
This guide covers OGAD beta 0.0.55-beta.114. The release and build record identify the desktop version and its included Pro code. Setup details follow that code; they are not a device test.
Download OGAD, load the Chrome extension, and ask one question beside a page you can check.
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