What can I do with files on the glass pebble?

Goal

Drag a file onto Nova and have it converted, shrunk, split or cleaned up without touching the original.

Before you start

• A valid license. Without one, Nova does not accept files.
• AI access for the request. See How do I set up AI access?

Steps

1. Drag one or more files onto the glass pebble. The edge tab and the large avatar accept files the same way.
2. Nova opens and asks what to do with them. A number on the pebble shows how many files are waiting.
3. Say or type the request. Nova converts images to JPG, PNG, HEIC or TIFF, smaller too if you like.
4. Remove metadata: for images and PDFs, Nova makes a copy without location, camera and author. HEIC becomes JPG in the process.
5. Background for screenshots: Nova puts a single-colour frame around the image, light, white or dark.
6. Shrink video and audio: a video becomes MP4 at most 1280 pixels wide, audio becomes MP3. This runs in the background. Nova tells you when it is done. “Cancel” stops it.
7. Split a PDF or save it as images: first the card Split PDF or PDF as images appears. Only Split or Save images creates the folder with the pages.
8. Text recognition: a scan or photo becomes a searchable PDF or a text file. This runs on the Mac, nothing goes online.
9. QR code: Nova tells you what it says and copies it if you like. Nova only opens a web address when you say so.
10. Arrange PDF pages: move, rotate or delete. First the card Arrange PDF pages appears.
11. The new file always lands next to the original. Nova says “Done, … is right next to it.” If the name is taken, Nova adds a number. The original stays unchanged.

Example

Drag a screenshot onto the pebble and say: “Put a light frame around it.” — Drop an iPhone photo: “Make it a JPG without location.”

Common problems

• Nova takes at most 20 files at once and no folders.
• Nova reads WebP but does not write it.
• As images, a PDF works up to 80 pages. For more, give a range.
• Video and audio: one file at a time, and Nova stops after 20 minutes. Trimming is not possible. The frame is a single colour only, without gradient and without rounded corners.
• Renaming is something else, see How do I let Nova give new files sensible names? Switching between pebble and tab is in How do I switch between the glass pebble and the edge tab?