Help and support

Sara: a self-hosted AI companion that is also a capable assistant.

Getting started

  1. Install Sara on a computer or server you control (see the install guide that comes with Sara).
  2. Open it in a browser and sign in with the owner token it gives you.
  3. On your phone, install the app, then on your computer open Settings → Devices and sign-in → Add a phone or computer and scan the code.

No server yet? Open the app and press Try the demo.

iPhone: use Sara from your Home Screen

You don't need the App Store app to use Sara on an iPhone or iPad. Sara works as a Home Screen app straight from Safari:

  1. Open Safari and go to your Sara address (for example sara.example.com).
  2. Sign in with your owner token, or use a sign-in code from Settings → Devices and sign-in on your computer.
  3. Tap the Share button, then Add to Home Screen, then Add.
  4. Open Sara from the new Home Screen icon. She opens full screen, like an app.
  5. For notifications, go to Settings → Connections → Phone and notifications → Notifications and tap Turn on for this device, then allow notifications. This needs iOS 16.4 or later and only works when Sara is opened from the Home Screen icon.

Your server needs an https:// address for Home Screen notifications. Live calls and the microphone also need https in Safari.

Common questions

The app says it can't reach my server. Check that the server is running and that the address is right (for example sara.example.com or 192.168.1.20:7860). On a home network, the phone needs to be on the same network or connected through a VPN such as Tailscale.

No notifications on iPhone. Your server needs an Apple push key once: Settings → Connections → Phone and notifications → iPhone app notifications.

Notifications on Android are late. Turn on Instant notifications in Settings → Phone and notifications.

Is my data private? Yes: it stays on your server. See the privacy policy.

Contact

For a reply that was wrong or harmful, use ⚑ Report on it in the app. For anything else, email the developer at sara@backstagecoding.com.