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Installation Guide

This guide will walk you through installing VAssist and enabling all required Chrome AI features. The entire process takes about 5-10 minutes.

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Requirements

Chrome 138+ is required to use VAssist. The extension relies on Chrome’s built-in AI APIs that are only available in version 138 and newer.
Before you begin, ensure you have:
  • Chrome Browser version 138 or newer
  • Developer mode enabled in Chrome extensions
  • Sufficient disk space for AI models (approximately 2-3 GB)

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Installation Steps

1

Verify Chrome Version

First, check that you’re running Chrome 138 or newer:
  1. Open a new tab and navigate to chrome://version
  2. Look for the version number at the top (e.g., “138.0.6666.66”)
  3. If your version is below 138, go to chrome://settings/help to update Chrome
  4. Restart Chrome after updating
Chrome AI features are experimental and require version 138+. If you cannot update to this version, VAssist will not work properly.
2

Enable Chrome AI Flags

VAssist requires multiple Chrome AI flags to be enabled. Visit each URL below and configure the settings:

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Core AI Model Flag

Required for all AI features to work:
chrome://flags/#optimization-guide-on-device-model
Set to: Enabled BypassPerfRequirement
The “BypassPerfRequirement” option allows the AI model to run even if your device doesn’t meet the recommended performance requirements.

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Prompt API Flags

Enable Gemini Nano for chat and toolbar features:
chrome://flags/#prompt-api-for-gemini-nano
Set to: Enabled
chrome://flags/#prompt-api-for-gemini-nano-multimodal-input
Set to: Enabled (for voice dictation and image analysis)

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Writer and Rewriter APIs

Enable content generation and text rewriting:
chrome://flags/#writer-api-for-gemini-nano
Set to: Enabled
chrome://flags/#rewriter-api-for-gemini-nano
Set to: Enabled

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Summarization API

Enable text summarization features:
chrome://flags/#summarization-api-for-gemini-nano
Set to: Enabled

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Translation APIs

Enable multi-language translation:
chrome://flags/#translation-api
Set to: Enabled
chrome://flags/#language-detection-api
Set to: Enabled

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Apply Changes

After enabling all flags, click the Relaunch button that appears at the bottom of the page.
You must restart Chrome for the flags to take effect. All tabs will be closed during the relaunch.
3

Download VAssist Extension

Get the latest version of VAssist:
  1. Visit the VAssist Releases page
  2. Download the latest vassist-extension.zip file
  3. Extract the ZIP file to a permanent location on your computer
Keep the extracted folder in a permanent location. If you delete or move it, the extension will stop working.
4

Install the Extension

Load the extension into Chrome:
  1. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions
  2. Enable Developer mode using the toggle in the top-right corner
  3. Click the Load unpacked button
  4. Navigate to and select the extracted VAssist folder
  5. The VAssist icon should now appear in your extensions toolbar
If you don’t see the VAssist icon, click the puzzle piece icon in Chrome’s toolbar and pin VAssist to make it always visible.
5

First Launch Setup

Click the VAssist extension icon to launch the setup wizard:
  1. The setup wizard will guide you through initial configuration
  2. AI models will begin downloading automatically (2-3 GB)
  3. Model download happens in the background and may take several minutes
  4. You can start using basic features while models download
The first launch will download AI models to your device. Ensure you have a stable internet connection and sufficient disk space (2-3 GB).
Proceed to the Setup Guide for detailed configuration instructions.

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Verify Installation

After installation, verify that everything is working:

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Check AI Model Status

  1. Click the VAssist extension icon
  2. Open Settings (gear icon)
  3. Navigate to the AI section
  4. Check that all AI capabilities show as “Available” or “Ready”

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Test Basic Features

  1. Test the Toolbar: Select any text on a webpage—the AI toolbar should appear
  2. Test Chat: Click the VAssist icon and try sending a message
  3. Test Companion: Enable the virtual companion in settings and verify it appears on the page
If some features aren’t working immediately, the AI models may still be downloading. Check chrome://components and look for “Optimization Guide On Device Model” to see download progress.

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Troubleshooting

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Extension Not Loading

  • Ensure Developer mode is enabled in chrome://extensions
  • Verify you selected the correct folder (should contain manifest.json)
  • Check Chrome version is 138 or newer
  • Try disabling and re-enabling the extension

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AI Features Not Working

  • Verify all Chrome flags are enabled correctly
  • Check that Chrome was restarted after enabling flags
  • Visit chrome://components and ensure “Optimization Guide On Device Model” is installed
  • Wait for model downloads to complete (may take 5-15 minutes on first launch)

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Models Not Downloading

  • Check your internet connection
  • Ensure you have at least 3 GB of free disk space
  • Visit chrome://components and click “Check for update” on “Optimization Guide On Device Model”
  • Restart Chrome and try again

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Performance Issues

  • Close unused tabs to free up memory
  • Disable the virtual companion if you have limited resources
  • Check that your system meets minimum requirements
  • Consider using “Enabled BypassPerfRequirement” if you haven’t already

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Building from Source

If you prefer to build the extension yourself: 
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/b1ink0/vassist.git
cd vassist

# Install dependencies (using Bun or npm)
bun install
# or
npm install

# Build the extension
bun run build:extension
# or
npm run build:extension

# The built extension will be in the dist-extension folder
Then follow Step 4 above to load the dist-extension folder into Chrome.

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Next Steps

Now that VAssist is installed, proceed to the Setup Guide to configure the extension for your first use.

Setup Guide

Configure VAssist with the first-time setup wizard.

GitHub Issues

Need help? Report issues or ask questions on GitHub.

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