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Installation

Follow these steps to install and set up VAssist on your Chrome browser.

Requirements​

  • Chrome Browser version 138 or newer
  • Chrome AI Features enabled (see steps below)
tip

All processing happens on-device using Chrome's built-in AI. No API keys or subscriptions needed!

Step 1: Check Chrome Version​

  1. Open Chrome and type chrome://version in the address bar
  2. Make sure you see version 138 or higher
  3. If not, update Chrome from chrome://settings/help

Step 2: Enable Chrome AI Flags​

Visit each URL below and set to the specified value:

Chrome Flag URLSetting
chrome://flags/#optimization-guide-on-device-modelEnabled BypassPerfRequirement
chrome://flags/#prompt-api-for-gemini-nanoEnabled
chrome://flags/#prompt-api-for-gemini-nano-multimodal-inputEnabled
chrome://flags/#writer-api-for-gemini-nanoEnabled
chrome://flags/#rewriter-api-for-gemini-nanoEnabled
chrome://flags/#summarization-api-for-gemini-nanoEnabled
chrome://flags/#translation-apiEnabled
chrome://flags/#language-detection-apiEnabled
Important

Click Relaunch button after enabling all flags to restart Chrome.

Step 3: Install Extension​

  1. Head to the GitHub releases page
  2. Download the latest vassist-extension.zip file
  3. Extract the zip file to a permanent location on your computer
  4. Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions
  5. Turn on Developer mode (toggle in top-right corner)
  6. Click Load unpacked
  7. Select the extracted vassist-extension folder
  8. VAssist is now installed!
info

Keep the extracted folder in a permanent location. Don't delete it after installation, as Chrome needs it to run the extension.

Step 4: First Launch​

When you click the VAssist extension icon for the first time, a setup wizard will guide you through:

  1. Welcome Screen - Introduction to VAssist
  2. Position & Appearance - Configure where companion appears and how it looks
  3. AI Model Download - Automatic download of AI model (runs in background)

The setup wizard helps you configure everything perfectly. You can always change these settings later from the settings panel.

Troubleshooting​

AI Features Not Working​

If AI features aren't working:

  • Verify all Chrome flags are enabled (Step 2)
  • Make sure you clicked Relaunch after enabling flags
  • Check Chrome version is 138 or newer
  • Wait for AI model download to complete (may take a few minutes on first launch)

Extension Not Loading​

If the extension doesn't load:

  • Make sure Developer mode is enabled in chrome://extensions
  • Check that you selected the correct folder (should contain manifest.json)
  • Try removing and re-adding the extension
  • Check for error messages in chrome://extensions

Next Steps​

Now that VAssist is installed, learn how to use it:

Need Help?​