macOS

Windows

CogniMate.App Complete User Manual & Setup Guide

macOS Version - AI Screen Capture Guide

Getting Started with CogniMate.App on macOS

Installation & Setup

Download CogniMate.App from the official website
Drag the application to your Applications folder
Launch CogniMate.App
When prompted, grant Screen Recording permission in System Preferences > Security & Privacy
Enter your API key and Server URL when prompted (default: https://cognimate.app)

Initial Configuration

The application will appear as a logo icon in your menu bar
Configure your preferred AI settings by clicking the icon and selecting "Settings"

AI Screen Capture Operating Modes

CogniMate.App has two AI-powered operating modes:

Image Mode - Capture screen regions, extract text with OCR, and process with AI (default)
Text Mode - Process text directly from clipboard without screen capture

Toggle between AI modes using ⌘⌥C

CogniMate Keyboard Shortcuts for macOS

Keyboard Shortcut	AI Screen Capture Action	Mode
⌘⌥C	Toggle between Image Mode and Text Mode	Both
⌘J	Start or cancel region selection for OCR	Image
⌘K	Extract text from selected region and add to buffer (In Text Mode: Add clipboard text to buffer)	Both
⌘N	Process selected region or buffered text with AI (standalone query)	Both
⌘M	Process selection or buffer as AI continuation of previous topic	Both
⌘E	Close the active AI result window	Both
⌘Arrow Keys	Reposition AI result windows	Both

Image Mode Usage - AI Screen Capture

Capturing Single Regions with OCR

Press ⌘J to activate region selection
Click and drag to select the area containing text
A tooltip will appear with instructions
Press ⌘N to process the selection as a new AI query
A window will appear showing the extracted text and AI response

Text Mode Usage - Direct AI Processing

Processing Clipboard Text with AI

Switch to Text Mode by pressing ⌘⌥C if not already active
Copy text from any application using ⌘C
Press ⌘N to process the clipboard text with AI
A window will appear showing the text and AI response

Combining Multiple Text Selections for AI Analysis

Copy text from any application using ⌘C
Press ⌘K to add clipboard text to the buffer
Copy additional text and press ⌘K again to add it
Press ⌘N to process all buffered text together with AI

Continuing AI Conversations in Text Mode

After receiving an initial AI response, copy new text
Press ⌘M to process as a follow-up
The AI will maintain context from the previous interaction

Working with AI Results & Response Windows

AI Result Window Features

Original Request: The top section shows your original text
AI Response: The bottom section shows the AI's intelligent response
Transparency Slider: In the top-right corner to adjust window opacity
Code Blocks: Syntax highlighted with copy buttons for programming content

AI Window Management

Use ⌘Arrow Keys to reposition AI result windows
Adjust transparency with the slider in the top-right corner
Close windows using ⌘E or the standard close button
Resize windows using the standard window controls

Working with AI-Generated Code Blocks

Code blocks are automatically syntax highlighted by the AI
Click the "Copy" button in the top-right corner of any code block to copy its content
The theme of code blocks matches your chosen appearance setting

CogniMate Settings & AI Configuration

General AI Settings

Visible in screen sharing software: Toggle visibility during screen recordings (default: off)
Allow Multiple LLM Result Windows: Enable multiple AI response windows (default: on)
Display Captured Image: Show image preview during OCR processing (default: off)
Result Window Transparency: Adjust the default opacity of AI result windows
Code Appearance: Choose between dark and light mode for AI-generated code blocks

AI Server & Model Settings

Server URL: Set the AI API endpoint URL (default: https://cognimate.app)
API Key: Enter your CogniMate server API key
LLM Provider: Select from OpenAI, Claude, or Deepseek AI models
Model: Choose the specific AI model for your selected provider
Role: Set the AI's personality (Assistant, Genius, Interviewer, Translator)

Privacy Features & Stealth Mode

AI Screen Sharing Protection

CogniMate.App automatically detects when screen sharing is active in popular applications:
Supported apps: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Cisco WebEx, FaceTime, Discord, Skype, and Slack
When screen sharing is detected, the app remains invisible by default
A warning appears if you have enabled visibility during screen sharing
To change this setting, go to Settings > General > Visible in screen sharing

Screen Sharing Status Monitor

You can check the current screen sharing status in the Settings panel. The status indicator shows:

Active: Screen sharing is currently enabled in a recognized application
Inactive: No screen sharing detected

Troubleshooting CogniMate.App Issues

Screen Recording Permission Issues

If OCR text extraction fails, verify Screen Recording permission is enabled
Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Screen Recording
Ensure CogniMate.App is checked
Restart the application after granting permission

OCR Text Recognition Problems

If text isn't recognized properly:
Try selecting a larger region around the text
Ensure text has good contrast against its background
For complex documents, consider using Text Mode and copying text directly

AI API Connection Problems

Verify your API key in Settings
Check your internet connection
Confirm the Server URL is correct (default: https://cognimate.app)
Restart the application after making changes

Common Error Messages

"No text detected in the selected region": Select an area containing visible text
"Please complete your selection first before capturing": Finish dragging to select a region
"API Key verification failed": Check your API key or server URL
"Failed to check screen sharing status": Restart the application

Technical Support

For additional assistance, please contact support@cognimate.app or visit our website.

Tips and Best Practices for AI Screen Capture

Improving OCR Text Recognition

Select regions with clean, high-contrast text
Include sufficient context around your questions
For tables or complex layouts, consider capturing them in multiple selections

AI Workflow Optimization

Use ⌘K to build up questions from multiple sources
In the Image Mode error message, the app still refers to "Cmd+H" though the actual shortcut is ⌘⌥C
Use ⌘M for follow-up questions to maintain AI context
Adjust window transparency to keep AI responses visible while working

Working with Different AI Roles

Assistant: General-purpose AI help for most queries
Genius: More detailed, in-depth AI responses for complex topics
Interviewer: AI helps explore your own thoughts and ideas
Translator: AI optimized for language translation tasks

Windows Version - AI Screen Capture Guide

Getting Started with CogniMate.App on Windows