Get unstuck.

Install

Vicaro Beta needs macOS 13.5 or later and Chrome 116 or later. The helper is a menu-bar app. The extension is a Chrome side panel.

Run the installer:

It installs the helper into ~/Applications, stages the extension, and copies the extension folder path to your clipboard. Then open chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode, choose Load unpacked, press Cmd+Shift+G, paste the path and press Return.

Helper connection

The panel talks to the helper over loopback, by default at ws://127.0.0.1:8792/chrome. If the panel says it cannot reach the helper:

• Check that the Vicaro Helper globe is in the menu bar. If it is not, open Vicaro Helper from Applications.
• Open Settings, Helper in the panel and confirm the address. Use Retry connection after the helper starts.
• If the helper is waiting for approval, open its menu and approve the browser request. The panel pairs itself when you do.
• If you use a pairing code, copy it from the helper menu, paste it into the panel and choose Pair with this code.

The helper binds to loopback only in this build. It is not reachable from another machine; keep the panel on the same Mac as the helper.

Model errors

The helper does not ship a model. Open Settings, Model and point it at an OpenAI-compatible endpoint. This can be a local server such as Ollama, LM Studio, mlx or vLLM, or a hosted provider you already use.

• Include /v1 in the base URL if your server expects it. For Ollama the common base is http://127.0.0.1:11434.
• For a model on another machine on your network, use its private address (for example http://192.168.1.40:11434/v1) and start Ollama with OLLAMA_HOST=0.0.0.0:11434. Plain HTTP is allowed for loopback, private and link-local addresses; public hosts must use HTTPS.
• Use Fetch models to check that the helper can reach the endpoint and read its model list.
• A 401 or 403 means the API key is missing or wrong. A timeout usually means the helper and the model are on different networks, or a local model is still reading a large prompt. The helper waits up to five minutes for local endpoints; retry once the model server is idle.
• Context errors mean the model window is smaller than the conversation. Lower the context budget in Settings, Model, Advanced.

If the provider returns 429 or an overload message, the endpoint is rate limiting you. Wait or switch models. The panel keeps the failed turn so you can retry.

Long tasks

Vicaro is built for work that runs longer than one exchange. A turn has no fixed message or step limit; it continues until it finishes, you stop it, or it hits a real blocker.

• At about 70% of the model window, Vicaro folds older work into a written handoff for itself. The handoff keeps the goal, constraints, decisions, current page state, evidence and open steps.
• Recent messages stay exact. Older messages are summarized, and the full transcript remains in the encrypted local store.
• The compacted checkpoint survives a helper restart, so a long task can resume after the helper is reopened.
• If a model call fails before producing output, Vicaro retries it twice. An unknown tool or malformed arguments are returned to the model so it can correct itself instead of ending the turn.

The model window and the 2 MB transport body are physical limits; Vicaro compacts before it reaches them. A very large single prompt or screenshot can still be rejected by the model provider.

Page access

Vicaro has no broad host permission at install. It asks for a site the first time a task needs it, and the grant is visible in Chrome.

• If the panel says the page is not available, grant access for that site when prompted, or check Settings, Access.
• To revoke access, open chrome://extensions, open Vicaro Beta, and change Site access. You can also remove the optional permissions there.
• Chrome blocks extensions on chrome:// pages and on the Chrome Web Store itself. That is a Chrome rule, not a Vicaro setting.
• Deep control (debugger) is declared at install because Chrome does not allow it to be optional. It attaches only while a task needs it.

Google sign-in

Google sign-in is optional. It links one account to the local helper so the web UI can open with the same account. It does not upload chats, pages or memories.

• If the account picker opens with the wrong profile, choose Use another account in the panel and pick the Google account you want.
• If sign-in fails, confirm the helper is running and the system browser can reach Google. The extension uses Chrome's identity flow, so an expired Chrome session can block it.
• To switch accounts, sign out in Settings, General, Account and sign in again. Only one account is linked at a time.
• To remove the link entirely, sign out. The helper clears the local account file.

Uninstall

Choose Uninstall Vicaro Helper from the menu bar. It removes the app and its login item. Your chats, memories, settings, model configuration, account link and the staged extension stay in ~/Library/Application Support/Vicaro, so a reinstall finds them intact.

To remove the extension too, open chrome://extensions and remove Vicaro Beta there. The helper never deletes that folder during uninstall.

Beta safety

• Keep backups and use a Chrome profile you can afford to lose.
• Start in Read only or Ask first. Change it in Settings, Access, Autonomy.
• Do not use it for payments, legal, medical, or irreversible account changes without checking the result.
• The software is provided as is, without warranty. You are responsible for the actions you approve.

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