Help & DocumentationVoice AI Operating SystemApril 202610-min read
Everything You Need to Know
Everything you need to know about Owlfy — your voice AI operating system.
Owlfy is a voice AI operating system — a fundamentally different way to interact with your computer. You speak; it acts. Whether you're launching an app, rewriting an email, compressing a video, setting up a weekly automation, or retrieving a file from your phone on the go, Owlfy handles it with a single voice command.
This FAQ covers the questions we hear most — from first-time users wondering how to get started, to experienced users exploring advanced features like Scheduled Tasks, Mobile Owlfy, MCP skills and privacy architecture. Use the section headers below to navigate to what matters most to you.
IN THIS FAQ:
01 — GETTING STARTED
Q
What is Owlfy?
Owlfy is a voice first operating system for Windows and macOS. It lets you control your computer — managing emails and calendars, automating AI workflows, running searches, processing files and writing with your voice — using natural voice commands or a text command bar. Its core philosophy: "speak, and it's done." All processing runs locally on your device, with no required cloud uploads.
Q
What platforms does Owlfy support?
Owlfy runs on Windows and macOS. Mobile access is available through WhatsApp, Messenger and WeChat via Owlfy Mobile feature — no separate mobile app required.
Q
What is the voice key and how do I use it?
The voice key is Owlfy's primary trigger. Default: Right Alt key or mouse scroll wheel button (Windows); Fn key or mouse scroll wheel (macOS). Click the voice key → Voice Writing (text dictation). Hold the voice key → Task execution (Sonic Execution or AI Assistant). Customize your voice key anytime in Settings → General → Keyboard Voice Key.
Q
What is the Text Command Bar?
A typed alternative to holding the voice key — gives you identical task-execution capability without speaking. Trigger: Ctrl+Space (Windows) / Option+Space (macOS). Type your request, press Enter, Owlfy executes. Use it in quiet offices, libraries, meetings, or any situation where speaking is not practical.
Q
What is the difference between clicking and holding the voice key?
Click → Voice Writing: Owlfy transcribes your speech and applies role-based polishing, outputting text at your cursor position in the active application. Hold → Task Execution: Owlfy interprets your spoken command and either performs it instantly (Sonic Execution for quick actions) or plans and executes a multi-step workflow (AI Assistant for complex tasks).
02 — SONIC EXECUTION
Q
What is Sonic Execution?
Sonic Execution is Owlfy's instant-action engine for everyday computer tasks. Hold the voice key, speak a command, release — and it's done in under a second. It covers four areas: quick launch (open apps, websites, folders), instant search (voice-triggered web queries), text processing (edit, summarize, translate selected text in-place), and smart file processing (process images, video and documents by voice).
Q
How do I open an app, website or folder by voice?
Hold the voice key and say the name: "Open Chrome", "Open VS Code", "Open Downloads", "Open GitHub". Custom aliases can be set in Settings for any app, website URL, or folder path. Combine steps in one command: "Open Chrome and go to github.com" — browser launches with the page already loaded.
Q
Can I set custom shortcuts for apps, websites and folders?
Yes. In Settings: App Management adds aliases for installed applications; Website Management adds URLs with custom aliases (e.g., "open dashboard" → your analytics URL); Directory Management adds folder shortcuts by name. All aliases are immediately available by voice once saved.
Q
How does Smart File Processing work?
Select one or more files anywhere on your PC. Hold the voice key. Speak your requirement. Owlfy processes files locally and delivers results in the same location — no application to open, no upload required. Supports images (compress, convert, remove background, OCR, etc.), audio/video (trim, merge, transcribe, convert), and documents (merge PDF, generate PPT, convert formats).
03 — VOICE WRITING
Q
What is Voice Writing?
Voice Writing converts speech to text and outputs it at your cursor position in any active application. It is triggered by clicking (not holding) the voice key. Unlike Sonic Execution, which performs tasks, Voice Writing is for text entry — dictating emails, writing documents, filling forms.
Q
What is Voice Character?
Voice Character is AI refinement applied to your Voice Writing before output. Instead of raw transcription, Owlfy transforms speech according to the active role — cleaning filler words, restructuring sentences, adjusting register. Example: "Hey so can we maybe grab lunch sometime?" with the Workplace Professional role → "Would you be available to meet for lunch at your convenience?"
Q
How do I create a custom Voice Character?
In the Voice Writing interface → Add Character. Set character name and polishing instructions in plain language — e.g., "Rewrite as formal academic prose", "Convert to short-form social post with relevant hashtags", "Translate to Spanish using formal business register". Save and it becomes available immediately for all future sessions.
Q
How does multi-language output work?
Set an output language before starting your Voice Writing recording. Owlfy transcribes your speech and simultaneously translates to the specified language. Example: speak English, set output to Japanese → Japanese translation appears at cursor. Works with all 100+ supported languages. Useful for drafting messages in a foreign language without switching to a translation tool.
Q
What are Smart Phrases?
Smart Phrases are voice-triggered shortcuts that expand to full pre-written text blocks. Define a short phrase as the trigger and the full text it should produce. During any Voice Writing session, say the trigger — "my shipping address", "company bio", "standard disclaimer" — and the full text is inserted at the cursor instantly. All snippets are stored locally and never transmitted externally.
Q
How do I add a Smart Phrase?
Settings → Voice Writing → Smart Phrases → Add Snippet. Enter the trigger phrase (what you'll say) and the full expansion text (what gets inserted). Save. Active immediately. Example: trigger "my address" → expands to "123 Main Street, New York, NY 10001, (555) 123-4567".
04 — AI ASSISTANT
Q
What is AI Assistant?
AI Assistant is Owlfy's complex-task engine for multi-step workflows. While Sonic Execution handles single, instant operations, AI Assistant plans and executes workflows involving multiple tools, data sources and output steps — through code, CLI commands, APIs, MCP tools or built-in Skills. Example task: "Summarize all PDFs in my Downloads folder and create a formatted Word document." The AI Assistant plans the steps, executes each in sequence, and delivers the finished result.
Q
How does Owlfy decide between Sonic Execution and the AI Assistant?
Both are triggered by holding the voice key — Owlfy selects the engine automatically based on complexity. Simple, single-step requests ("open Chrome", "translate this paragraph") → Sonic Execution, instant response. Multi-step, complex requests ("research this week's AI news, summarize it, create a report, save to Desktop") → AI Assistant, which plans and executes the workflow step by step.
Q
What are MCP skills and how do I install them?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) skills are third-party extensions that add new capabilities to the AI Assistant. Found in Owlfy's Skill Plaza — install by copy-pasting a skill link. No programming, no configuration. Installed skills run in a sandboxed environment with restricted permissions. Examples: 3D model generation, smart home control, robot interfaces, advanced image generation, custom data connectors.
Q
What is the Approval Policy?
The Approval Policy (Settings → AI Assistant → Approval Policy) determines when the AI Assistant asks for your confirmation before acting. Options: confirm before high-risk operations, confirm before file deletions, confirm before system changes, or confirm based on stamina consumption threshold. Enable "Confirm before AI Assistant tasks" to review and approve every AI plan before it executes.
05 — SCHEDULED TASKS
Q
What are Scheduled Tasks?
Scheduled Tasks let Owlfy run workflows automatically on a recurring or one-time schedule — without any involvement from you after setup. Define the task in plain language: "Every Monday at 9 AM, scan my meeting notes folder from last week, extract decisions and action items, and generate a summary document." Owlfy sets it up, runs it on schedule, and delivers the output locally.
Q
Can I set up a Scheduled Task from my phone?
Yes. Via Mobile Owlfy (WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.), send Owlfy a message: "Set up a daily task to summarize my emails at 8 AM every weekday." Owlfy configures and activates the task on your desktop immediately, even while you're away from your computer.
Q
What are the most useful Scheduled Tasks to start with?
High-value tasks to set up first: "Every weekday at 8 AM, summarize my unread emails and list urgent items" — inbox triage before work; "Every Monday at 9 AM, summarize last week's meeting notes and create this week's to-do list" — weekly planning; "Every Friday at 6 PM, organize my Downloads folder by file type" — automatic housekeeping; "Every day at 9 PM, shut my computer down" — energy saving; "Every morning at 7:30 AM, fetch the top 3 stories from [your news source] and summarize them" — news digest.
06 — MOBILE OWLFY
Q
What is Mobile Owlfy?
Mobile Owlfy lets you send tasks to your desktop from your phone via messaging apps you already use — WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, Telegram. Owlfy receives the command on your PC, executes it locally, and sends the result (a file, summary, or confirmation) back to your phone in the same chat. No VPN. No separate app. No IT setup.
Q
Which messaging platforms are supported for Mobile Owlfy?
Currently: WhatsApp and Messenger (Facebook). Each requires a separate one-time authentication (typically a QR scan). Multiple platforms can be linked simultaneously.
Q
How do I set up Mobile Owlfy?
Settings → Account → Mobile Owlfy → select your platform → follow the two-step authentication. Once linked, send a message to the Owlfy bot on that platform to begin. Setup takes under two minutes and persists until you revoke it.
Q
What can I do through Mobile Owlfy?
Anything the AI Assistant can do locally, it can do by remote control with your mobile phone.
Q
Is Mobile Owlfy secure?
Yes — security is architectural: only your linked messaging account can send commands; files travel point-to-point from desktop to phone with end-to-end encryption, bypassing Owlfy servers entirely; remote tasks obey your Sandbox Mode and Approval Policy (high-risk actions require confirmation even when issued remotely); and a full activity log is kept locally on your device.
Q
What if my computer is off when I send a remote command?
Mobile Owlfy requires your PC to be powered on and connected to the internet. If the machine is off, the command will not execute until the next time the PC is online and Owlfy is running. For time-sensitive remote needs, use Scheduled Tasks to keep your machine active at predictable times.
Q
Can I revoke Mobile Owlfy access?
Yes. Settings → Account → Mobile Owlfy shows all linked platforms. Disconnect any at any time — access ends immediately. The activity log (task description, execution time, result status, messages exchanged) remains available locally for your review.
07 — FILE PROCESSING
Q
Is my file processed locally?
Yes. Owlfy's smart file processing engine runs entirely on your local machine. Your images, videos and documents are never uploaded to our servers for processing.
08 — PRIVACY & SECURITY
Q
What is Owlfy's core privacy principle?
"Local-First, On-Demand, No Excessive Retention." In plain terms: data stays on your device whenever possible; it is only used for the current function; and voice data is for real-time recognition only — not saved, not trained on. This is an architectural guarantee built into how the system works, not just a stated policy.
Q
Does Owlfy store or listen to my voice?
No. Voice is processed in real time for the current session only, then discarded immediately. Voice data is never stored on your device beyond the current session, never transmitted to external servers, and never used to train any AI model. What you say is used only to complete the current input — heard, processed, forgotten.
Q
Are my files uploaded to the cloud?
No. All file processing — images, videos, audio, documents — runs locally on your device. Your files never leave your computer during any Owlfy operation. When you retrieve a file via Mobile Owlfy, it travels point-to-point from your desktop to your phone with end-to-end encryption, bypassing all servers.
Q
Is my chat history stored externally?
No. AI Assistant chat history and operation logs are saved locally on your device by default. They are not uploaded to cloud servers or used to build external usage profiles. Review, search and clear your local history at any time from within the app.
Q
What is zero-knowledge architecture?
Zero-knowledge means Owlfy (the company) cannot access your data — because it is never sent to them. Your voice, files, chat history, personal settings and usage patterns exist only on your device. There is no server-side profile of you. Owlfy cannot be compelled to hand over your data to anyone, because it does not have it.
Q
What safety checks exist for high-risk actions?
Built-in safety checks are core to Owlfy's architecture. High-risk operations — deleting files, moving files, restarting or shutting down the device — always require your explicit confirmation before executing, whether triggered locally or via Mobile Owlfy. The AI Assistant also operates within your configured Sandbox Mode, restricting accessible files and folders.
Q
Are there any exposed public APIs?
No. Owlfy has zero externally accessible public endpoints. There are no APIs that anyone can call over the internet. All access goes through user-authenticated, tightly controlled pathways — eliminating the external attack surface entirely.
Q
Where is my personal configuration stored?
All personal configuration — app aliases, website shortcuts, directory aliases, Smart Phrases, custom Voice Writing roles, interface preferences — is stored locally. Nothing syncs to cloud servers. When switching devices, allow time to reconfigure local settings, or note/export your configurations before the change.
09 — ACCOUNT & STAMINA
Q
What is Stamina?
Stamina is Owlfy's internal credit system used for AI operations. Different tasks consume different amounts of stamina based on complexity. You can track your stamina in the account dashboard.
10 — TECHNICAL & SUPPORT
Q
How do I contact support?
You can reach us through the official website, via email at support@owlfy.com, or directly through the help section in the Owlfy app.
Still Have Questions?
If your question isn't answered here, the full Owlfy documentation is available at owlfy.com/docs. It covers every feature in depth — with step-by-step guides, example commands, settings references and privacy details.
New to Owlfy? Start with the Quick Start guide — you'll be running your first voice command in under three minutes. Everything else can be explored at your own pace.
Speak. It's Done.
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