HearthDocs
Getting started with Hearth
From download to first chat in a few minutes, then the questions people ask most.
1. Install Hearth
There are two current downloads. The stable release (0.4.16) still needs Ollama. The beta (0.4.21) bundles Hearth’s own engine, so a new install does not need Ollama. Both are on the download page. The built-in engine is coming to stable with 0.5.1.
If Windows SmartScreen warns you, that is because current builds are unsigned. Check the SHA-256, then choose More info and Run anyway.
2. Your first chat
If you installed stable 0.4.16, open Hearth after Ollama is running. It looks for Ollama on this PC (the usual address is http://localhost:11434). If Ollama is not running, or has no models, Hearth says so and suggests a model that fits your PC.
If you installed the 0.4.21 beta, you do not need Ollama for a new install. Hearth looks at your PC and offers a model that fits: Qwen3 8B when you have about 8 GB of video memory, or Qwen3 4B when you do not have a GPU. Download it, wait for the progress bar, and type. If Ollama is already running, Hearth offers it too. If you updated from an older Hearth, you stay on Ollama until you switch in Settings, Engine.
The pill at the top shows which model is warm, and the ember meter shows memory in use. If a model is too big for your graphics card, Hearth tells you and suggests a lighter one; it never blocks you.
Keyboard shortcuts
On stable 0.4.16, Ctrl + K still opens the Store, and there is no menu bar. The shortcuts below are in the 0.4.21 beta and come to stable with 0.5.1.
| Keys | What it does |
|---|---|
Ctrl + K | Command palette (in the beta; on stable this still opens the Store) |
Ctrl + N | New chat |
Ctrl + F | Find in this chat |
Ctrl + , | Settings |
Ctrl + B | Collapse or open the sidebar |
Ctrl + = / - / 0 | Text size up, down, or reset |
Ctrl + / | Keyboard shortcuts sheet |
Ctrl + Shift + A | Ask my week |
Alt + Space | Quick bar: act on text you selected or copied in any app |
Alt + F / E / V / H | Open the File, Edit, View or Help menu |
3. Optional extras
- Voice typing: Settings, Voice, one click to download the speech engine. It asks before using your microphone.
- Telegram: open Connections for the step-by-step checklist. Your bot key stays in the vault.
- Model servers: also in Connections, in the 0.4.21 beta. Add LM Studio, vLLM or a cloud endpoint if you want to.
- Add-ons: open the Store from the sidebar, or see add-ons.
- Automations: starters such as Morning brief and Folder watcher are off until you turn them on.
- Network Off: Settings, to block outbound connections except the model engine on this PC or your network.
- App lock: Settings, a PIN and locked chats. It hides things; it does not encrypt your files.
Hearth keeps your chats and settings in its data folder inside your Windows user profile. Updates are checked against a SHA-256, and Settings, Updates keeps a history with one-click rollback.
System requirements
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit). 16 GB of RAM and a graphics card with about 8 GB of video memory are comfortable. The stable 0.4.16 download needs Ollama; the beta does not, for a new install. Full table on the download page.
Troubleshooting
Hearth says it cannot reach Ollama
This applies if you are on the stable 0.4.16 download, or if you chose Ollama as the engine. Make sure Ollama is running (look for its icon in the tray) and that Hearth’s host is http://localhost:11434. You can add or switch hosts on the Models screen.
The beta is waiting for a model
A new install of the beta needs one model file. Use the suggested download (Qwen3 8B or Qwen3 4B) and wait until it is ready. You can chat as soon as the file is in place.
Replies are slow
The model probably does not fit in video memory. Watch the ember meter, and try a smaller model or a lower-precision version. CPU-only is slower. In the beta, Speed Doctor can tell you how a model feels on this PC.
An update did not finish
Hearth tells you when an update did not finish and keeps a log. You can always download the latest build from the download page and install it over the top. The automatic updater follows the stable channel unless you are on a beta.
Windows SmartScreen blocked the file
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is there an Android app?
Not yet. Hearth for Android is a planned companion that lets you talk to Hearth on your PC from your phone, with your models staying home. It is not built, so there is no download and no date. There is an optional notify-me box on the home page.
Does Hearth need the internet?
Chatting with a model on your own PC works offline. The internet is used only for a few things: checking for new Hearth versions, opening the add-on store, and features you turn on yourself (web search, Wikipedia, reading web pages, Telegram, connected apps, and one-time downloads such as a model or voice typing). The privacy page lists every one. The Network Off switch in Settings blocks them all except your local model engine (Ollama on stable; the built-in engine, Ollama, or a server on this PC or your network in the beta).
Do I need Ollama?
It depends which download you use.
- The current stable release (0.4.16) needs Ollama. Install Ollama for Windows first. If it is already running, Hearth finds it. If it is not, or it has no models yet, Hearth says so and suggests a model that fits your PC.
- The 0.4.21 beta does not need Ollama for a new install. Hearth bundles its own llama.cpp engine (Vulkan and CPU) and downloads a model sized to your graphics card. With 8 GB of video memory that is Qwen3 8B; with no GPU it is Qwen3 4B. Ollama is still supported: it is offered when Hearth finds it, and if you update from an older Hearth you stay on Ollama until you switch in Settings, Engine.
The built-in engine is coming to stable with 0.5.1. Hearth Link (the phone link) still needs Ollama. A CUDA build of the built-in engine is not included yet. These builds have not yet been fully tested on a real Windows PC.
What PC do I need?
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit). The stable 0.4.16 download also needs Ollama. 16 GB of RAM and a graphics card with about 8 GB of video memory are comfortable for everyday 7 to 8 billion parameter models. Smaller PCs can run smaller models, more slowly. See system requirements or recommended machines.
Is there a Mac or Linux version?
Not today. Hearth is a Windows app. We will say so here when that changes.
Is Hearth free?
Hearth is free to download today. We are not selling anything on this site.
Where is my chat history stored?
On your PC, in Hearth’s data folder inside your Windows user profile. Nothing is uploaded to an account, because there is no account. Deleted chats stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days.
Why does Windows warn me when I run the installer?
Current builds are unsigned: we have not bought a code-signing certificate yet, so Windows SmartScreen may show “Windows protected your PC”. Choose More info, then Run anyway, and check the SHA-256 on the download page first if you want to be sure you have the real file.
Does Telegram send my chats to the cloud?
Telegram is an optional bridge you turn on. Messages you send from Telegram travel through Telegram’s servers to reach your PC, which then answers using your local model. Your bot key stays in Hearth’s vault on your PC. If you never pair Telegram, none of that happens.
Does Hearth or this website track me?
The app has no analytics, crash reporting or usage tracking. This website counts visits with a small tool on our own server: no cookies for visitors, no stored IP addresses, no third-party trackers, and it respects Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control. Details.
How do add-ons stay safe?
Add-ons from the official store are signed, and Hearth checks the signature before it installs one. The store is optional; Hearth works without it.