Why is the Assistant slow, or not answering?
Usually memory, a busy computer, a low battery, a missing model, Offline Lock with a cloud engine chosen, or no key. Each cause shows its own message.
On this computer, the Assistant needs 16 GB of memory and a downloaded model, and it waits for a busy computer, a dictation or a low battery. Each cause shows its own message in the chat, with a button where one helps. If your computer is older, long answers and long files take minutes.
The Assistant is a Beta: it works, and we are still improving it. Tell us what you notice.
#Short of memory
The page says This computer is short of memory and gives the figures, such as “This computer has 8 GB of memory. The assistant needs 16 GB.” Under it, Dictation and cleanup, Tasks, reminders and goals, and your History, notes and snippets are listed as still working.
If you have added a cloud key, press Use Claude instead (or the name of your provider). If not, press Add a cloud key. With Offline Lock on, the page says “Offline Lock is on, so a cloud engine is not available.” See which cloud engines it can use.
#The model is not downloaded
The AI model is not on this computer yet.Why: The Assistant's model downloads once, and it has not.
Fix: Press Open AI Models, or press Download in Settings → Assistant and tasks, in the row Model for the Assistant on this computer.
#It is starting
The first answer after the app opens waits while the Assistant loads. The chat shows Starting the assistant or Loading the assistant, with seconds counted on this computer, and the note “Only once each time the app starts. Your dictation works meanwhile.”
The assistant is still starting. Try again in a moment.Why: You sent a message before the Assistant finished loading.
Fix: Wait for the loading line to finish, then send again.
#You dictated, or the computer is busy
A dictation always comes first. The chat shows “Waiting for your dictation to finish” or “Paused while you dictated. Continuing...” and carries on by itself. If it cannot, it says “I paused while you dictated. Ask me again.”
Before a heavy job on this computer, the app looks at how busy the computer is. If it is very busy, the Assistant waits and says:
The computer is busy right now. I will wait, or you can start anyway.Why: Other apps are using most of the processor.
Fix: Close what you are not using, or press Start anyway. Stop waiting ends the wait. Left alone, the request starts by itself when there is room.
The computer is low on free memory right now. Closing a few apps or browser tabs will help. I will wait, or you can start anyway.Why: Not enough free memory for the Assistant to start.
Fix: Close a few apps or browser tabs, or press Start anyway.
When the computer is only moderately busy, it starts and says “The computer is busy, so this may take longer than usual.” On a battery below 20% it says “The battery is low, so this may take longer than usual.” Plug in for long jobs.
#A long wait on this computer
After about 20 seconds on one answer, the chat adds a note: “This model runs on your computer, so it takes time. For faster answers, close other heavy apps you are not using.” It also offers a link, Choose an engine, to a cloud engine.
#Offline Lock is on and a cloud engine is chosen
Offline Lock is on, so the Assistant cannot use Claude.Why: Offline Lock refuses every cloud connection, and the Assistant is set to a cloud engine.
Fix: Press Use this computer, or turn Offline Lock off in Settings → Privacy. See Offline Lock.
#No key for the cloud engine
There is no Claude key on this computer.Why: A cloud engine is chosen, but its key is not saved.
Fix: Press Open Cloud, add the key, and try again, or press Use this computer.
#The reply stopped
The assistant stopped responding. Please try again.Why: The engine on this computer stopped.
Fix: Press Try again. The app restarts it by itself.
The assistant keeps stopping. Wait a few minutes, then try again.Why: The engine stopped several times in a short while.
Fix: Close other heavy apps, wait a few minutes, and send again.
This conversation is too long for the assistant. Start a new one, or make it shorter.Why: The chat has more in it than the Assistant can hold at once.
Fix: Press New chat, or ask a shorter question.
A reply that stops at its length limit says “The reply stopped at its length limit.” and offers Continue. Nothing you wrote is lost when an answer fails.
In Settings → Assistant and tasks, the row How it is doing says Ready when the Assistant can run, and gives the reason when it cannot.
The app cannot make a 16 GB requirement smaller or speed up an older computer. Closing other heavy apps helps, and a cloud engine with your own key runs the Assistant away from this computer. See switching the Assistant on for the setup, and the Assistant and your privacy for what a cloud engine receives.