Search & chat

Asking a question

Type your question and Selv answers from what it has captured — locally, using the model selected for your Mac during setup. While it works, an expandable progress trace shows the steps Selv has actually reached, such as locating a meeting, reading its transcript, preparing the local model, and checking source quotations. Waiting longer does not advance the step on its own.

The first question after Selv starts (or after it's been idle a while) takes longer than the rest — Selv has to load the model into memory first. That's expected, not a hang.

Questions about Selv itself can use its built-in Guide before you have captured any personal memories. These answers cite the documentation bundled with the app.

Narrowing what it searches

Two controls sit inside the question box:

• Sources — pick which of your data narrows the search: Notes, Screen, Audio, Chat, Apple Notes and Selv Guide. Leave it as "Sources" (unset) to search the available sources.
• Time — restrict to the last week, last month, or last 3 months, or leave it at "All time".

Reading what it found

The source count below an answer opens a compact source card. Transcript pieces from the same meeting count as one meeting source. Inline citations still open their individual supporting passages. Check the meeting title, application, and date before relying on a summary.

Sources open in the right panel. Drag its left edge to change its width, or double-click that edge to restore the default width.

Dictating a question

Click Dictate to speak your question instead of typing it — Selv transcribes locally and inserts the text. Click again (Stop dictation) to finish. While the speech model is still starting, the button is briefly disabled.

Checking an answer

Selv can make mistakes. An answer can misunderstand your question, select the wrong context, omit details or describe a source inaccurately.

Open inline citations to check the original passage. Expand the sources control below the answer to confirm the meeting or document, its application and its date. For a meeting summary, confirm that the title and time match the meeting you meant. A source link shows where information came from; it does not guarantee that every conclusion is correct.

If the source is wrong, narrow the date and name the meeting or document more precisely. If a summary is unavailable, transcript highlights are excerpts, not a completed summary. Double-check important details against the original context before acting on them.