Use the Computer in Assistant

In Assistant chats that require usage of a browser/computer, August gets a Computer: a live desktop for that chat. August works on it directly, you can watch everything it does in real time, and you can take control when you want to use the desktop yourself. Only the chat's owner can open its Computer.

Where the Computer appears

The Computer section sits in the chat's Outputs area: the Outputs card on wide screens, or the Outputs popover on smaller ones. The compact preview shows the live desktop whenever the computer is running. Its dock has Chrome and Files, and other applications are installed too, such as LibreOffice. Click Expand on the preview to open the desktop in a larger view.

Start or wake the computer

Opening a chat doesn't start its Computer. It starts automatically when August performs a browser or desktop action that needs it, and you can wake it yourself at any time.

Click Expand on the Computer preview in the Outputs area. Opening the expanded view wakes the computer if it isn't already running.
If the view shows Computer is asleep, click Wake computer.

You'll see Starting your computer… while it starts. If startup takes too long or fails, click Try again.

Take control

Taking control moves the keyboard and mouse to you. August waits while you work and resumes when you hand the computer back.

Open the expanded Computer view.
Click Take control. If August is in the middle of an action, you'll see Waiting for the current action to finish… until it hands the desktop over.
Use the desktop. The status shows You have control.
Click Give back control when you're done so August can continue.

Three things to know while you're in control: leaving the chat page releases control, if the desktop is open in another browser window you'll see Computer control is open in another window. until that window lets go, and if control is ever lost, click Take control again to continue.

Sleep and reconnect

The computer sleeps after five minutes without activity. August working on it counts as activity. Sleep shows Computer is asleep in the preview and in the expanded view, and waking it works the same as starting it: click Wake computer or open the expanded view.

Your files and installed applications survive sleep, but the desktop restarts when it wakes, so windows you left open are closed. If the connection drops, the preview shows Computer connection lost. Click Reconnect in the expanded view to load the desktop again; reconnecting doesn't wake a sleeping computer.

Shared chats

Viewing a chat someone shared with you doesn't include their Computer. Only the chat's owner can open the live desktop and take control of it.