Getting started

1. Join early access

PortableRAG is currently in early access — here's what happens before you can install it.

1. 1Join the early access list from the Download page or the waitlist form.
2. 2I'll reach out by email when the next macOS test build is ready.
3. 3Windows users: join the Windows waitlist to get notified when that build ships.
4. 4Once you have a build, the steps below explain how to use it.

2. Create a project

A project is where a set of related documents and questions live.

1. 1Open PortableRAG and choose "New Project."
2. 2Give the project a name you'll recognize later, like "Smith Contract Review" or "Q3 Board Notes."
3. 3Your project starts empty — the next step is adding files.

3. Add your files

Add individual documents or an entire folder.

1. 1Inside your project, choose "Add Files" or "Add Folder."
2. 2Select the documents you want PortableRAG to be able to answer questions about.
3. 3PortableRAG prepares your documents for private search — this happens on your computer, not in the cloud.

4. Ask a question

Ask the way you'd ask a knowledgeable colleague.

1. 1Type your question into the chat box, in plain language.
2. 2PortableRAG searches your documents for the most relevant passages.
3. 3You'll get an answer grounded in what it found — not a generic response.

5. Understand your citations

Every answer links back to where it came from.

Under each answer, PortableRAG shows the specific source passages it used. Click a citation to see the original text in context. If an answer looks off, the citation is the fastest way to check it yourself — treat citations as the reason to trust (or double-check) an answer, not a formality.

6. Delete a project

Remove a project and its local data when you're done with it.

Deleting a project removes the local search index and project files PortableRAG created for it. It does not delete your original documents — those remain exactly where you originally stored them. See the Privacy page for the full explanation.