Quick Start Guide

Last updated: 2025-08-22
Guide

Welcome to Notez! This guide will help you get started with your private AI writing space in just a few minutes.

Before We Begin

The API configuration process might seem a bit tedious, but we'll provide detailed instructions to help you complete the setup - and it's absolutely necessary.

Based on the "privacy-first" principle, while still utilizing AI services from large language models, you'll need to configure your own API keys and use the corresponding service provider's services.

Furthermore, you can set up your own local AI service for better control over data and privacy.

What is Notez?

Notez is a privacy-first writing application that combines the power of AI with your personal knowledge base. Unlike other tools, Notez keeps all your data local and private while providing intelligent writing assistance.

Key Features

  • Local Knowledge Base: Store all your documents, notes, and research materials locally
  • AI Auto-completion: Get intelligent writing suggestions based on your own content
  • Citation Support: Automatic citations from your knowledge base
  • Privacy First: No tracking, no cloud uploads - your data belongs entirely to you

Getting Started

Step 1: Download and Install

  1. Visit our download page
  2. Choose your operating system (Windows, macOS)
  3. Follow the installation instructions

Step 2: Configure LLM Service (Optional, but Highly Recommended)

Why Configure a Large Language Model?

The large language model is like Notez's "brain" - it understands your writing content and provides intelligent assistance. Without it, Notez would be just a regular text editor. After configuring the LLM, you'll get:

  • ✍️ Smart Continuation: Auto-complete content based on context
  • 🤖 AI Chat Assistant: Answer questions and provide writing suggestions
  • 🔍 Smart Search: Find relevant content from your knowledge base

Three Key Concepts You Need to Know

  1. URL (Service Address): The endpoint where Notez connects to the AI service
  2. API Key: Your personal authentication key to access the service
  3. Model Name: Specifies which AI model to use for different tasks

Setting Up OpenAI

Step 1: Create an OpenAI Account
  1. Visit OpenAI Platform
  2. Click "Sign up" and create your account
  3. Verify your email address
  4. Complete your profile setup
Step 2: Add Payment Method
  1. Navigate to Billing Settings
  2. Click "Add payment method"
  3. Enter your credit card information
  4. Set up usage limits if desired (recommended for budget control)
Step 3: Generate Your API Key
  1. Go to API Keys page
  2. Click "Create new secret key"
  3. Give your key a descriptive name (e.g., "Notez App")
  4. Copy the generated key immediately
  5. Important: Store it securely - you won't be able to see it again!
Step 4: Configure Chat Model in Notez
  1. Open the Notez application
  2. Navigate to Settings → LLM Configuration → Add Model
  3. Fill in the following information:
    • Engine: Custom
    • URL: https://api.openai.com
    • API Key: Paste your OpenAI API key
    • Model Name: Choose one of the following:
      • gpt-4o (Most capable, higher cost)
      • gpt-4o-mini (Good balance of performance and cost)
      • or any newer model
  4. Click "Test Connection" to verify your setup
  5. If successful, set this as your default chat model
Step 5: Configure Embedding Model (For Enhanced Search)
  1. In Notez, go to Settings → Model Configuration → Add Embedding Model
  2. Use the same URL and API Key as above
  3. For Model Name, choose:
    • text-embedding-3-large (Best quality, 3072 dimensions)
    • text-embedding-3-small (Good quality, lower cost, 1536 dimensions)
    • text-embedding-ada-002 (Legacy option, 1536 dimensions)
  4. Test the connection and save

Alternative: Using Azure OpenAI

If you have access to Azure OpenAI Service:

  1. Get your Azure endpoint: Format like https://YOUR-RESOURCE-NAME.openai.azure.com
  2. Get your API key from Azure Portal
  3. In Notez, configure:
    • Engine: Custom
    • URL: Your Azure endpoint
    • API Key: Your Azure API key
    • Model Name: Your deployed model name

Common Troubleshooting

Connection Failed Error?

  • Verify your API key is correctly copied (no extra spaces)
  • Check if your OpenAI account has available credits
  • Ensure your firewall isn't blocking the connection
  • Try using a VPN if you're in a restricted region

Rate Limit Errors?

  • OpenAI has usage limits based on your tier
  • Check your usage at OpenAI Usage Dashboard
  • Consider upgrading your plan if needed

Model Not Found?

  • Ensure you're using the exact model name
  • Some models require specific API access levels
  • Check OpenAI Models Documentation for available models

Privacy & Security Notes

  • API calls: Only the content you actively send to AI is transmitted
  • Data processing: OpenAI processes data according to their Data Usage Policy. Or you can self-host your model for more control.
  • Local storage: Your knowledge base and documents remain entirely local
  • No automatic uploads: Notez never uploads your data without explicit action

Step 3: Set Up Your Knowledge Base

The knowledge base is one of Notez's core features, helping you manage all your documents, notes, and research materials. By building your personal knowledge base, AI can better understand your writing style and professional field, providing more accurate assistance.

Open Knowledge Base

Click the icon in the sidebar to enter knowledge base management

Upload Files

Notez supports various file formats, including:

  • 📄 Document formats: PDF, Word (.docx, .doc), TXT, Markdown (.md)

Three Upload Methods:

  1. Drag and Drop Files/Folders

    • Directly drag files or entire folders into the Notez window
    • Supports batch upload, can drag multiple files at once
    • Upload progress displays in real-time on the interface

  2. Click to Upload Files/Folders

    • Click the "Upload" button and select from the file picker
    • Use Ctrl/Cmd + click to select multiple files
    • Suitable for precise selection of specific files

  3. Sync Local Folder

    • Click the "Sync" button on the left, choose a folder to monitor
    • Notez will automatically detect folder changes and sync in real-time
    • Suitable for frequently updated work documents

Smart Indexing

After uploading files, Notez will automatically:

  • 🔍 Extract text content and build an index
  • 🤖 Use AI to analyze document topics (if deep retrieval is enabled)
  • 📊 Generate content summaries (if deep retrieval is enabled)

Once indexing is complete, you can:

  • Quickly reference relevant content while writing
  • Get more accurate suggestions from AI based on your knowledge base
  • Use natural language search to find the information you need

Note: Large files may take some time to index, you can check the progress in the status bar.

Great! You've completed the basic configuration of Notez and set up your knowledge base. Now you can start using Notez for writing and managing your knowledge base.

If you have other questions, please check our documentation:

How to use AI Chat?

How to use auto-completion?

How to use citation tracing?

How to use smart search?