How do I connect Screenpipe?

Goal

Let Nova search your local Screenpipe history when you ask about something in the past.

Before you start

• The Screenpipe app is running on this Mac. Nova only reads via localhost:3030, never from the network.
• Expert view. In Simple, Apps & services lists only the AI providers and ElevenLabs. The switch is in How do I switch between Simple and Expert?
• AI access is set up.

Steps

1. Settings, Apps & services. Under Connected apps, type Screenpipe in Search for a service…, or tap the Screenpipe row in the Archive group.
2. The card is Screenpipe for Nova. The notice on top says: Screenpipe records, Nova does not. Nova only reads matches and sends them to the selected model when you ask.
3. Tick “Notice read — Nova may read Screenpipe history when asked”. Until then the next switch cannot be turned on.
4. Turn on Use Screenpipe for Nova. Nova then fetches the local API key from the Screenpipe app itself. If that fails, press Fetch key, or paste the key from Screenpipe under Developer into the field and press Save key.
5. Test connection. Reachable means Nova gets to the history. With Not reachable, the reason is shown below.
6. Ask the avatar about the past. Without a time, Nova searches the last 30 minutes. It names time, app, and content of the matches, at most 20.
7. Whether Nova reads Screenpipe or local-history is set under Apps & services in the History row. The link Go to history settings on the card leads there. With local-history, the key buttons are missing from this card.

Example

“What was I doing earlier?” — “What was in Slack this morning?”

Common problems

• If Screenpipe is not running, Nova says so. It does not invent a history.
• Screenpipe is the past. For the screen right now, see How do I read text off the screen or have a crop explained?
• Matches go to the selected model, including a cloud provider. To keep them on the Mac: Privacy & security, the Classes & sources tab, source Screen, moments, Screenpipe. See How does an answer stay on this Mac?
• Exclude sensitive windows in Screenpipe yourself.
• The switch applies to Nova at the avatar and in the overlay. Nova Chat, an extra pack, has its own permission under Extensions.