# PixelPaw AI — Frequently Asked Questions Last updated: 13 August 2026 (version 0.2.9) Home: https://srj-ai.github.io/pixelpaw-ai/ Source: https://github.com/SRJ-ai/pixelpaw-ai --- ## Getting it ### What is PixelPaw AI? A free, open-source desktop pet for Windows. An original hand-drawn cat lives on your desktop in a transparent always-on-top window, reacts to your cursor and typing, runs Pomodoro timers, reminds you to drink water, controls your music, and can chat with you through an AI provider you choose. ### What does it cost? Nothing. It is free and open source, with no account, no sign-up and no paid tier. ### Which systems does it run on? Windows 10 and Windows 11, 64-bit. There is no macOS or Linux build yet. ### How big is it and how much memory does it use? The installer is 1.78 MB. It uses roughly 25 MB of memory while idling on your desktop. ### Why does Windows SmartScreen warn me when I install it? The installer is not code-signed, so Windows cannot show a known publisher. Choose "More info" and then "Run anyway" if you are happy to proceed. The source is public if you would rather build it yourself. ### Does it need an internet connection? No. Everything except the optional AI chat works fully offline. If you enable AI chat, it contacts only the provider you configured. --- ## Using it ### Where is the menu? I cannot find any way to open settings. Right-click the cat. Windows files brand-new notification-area icons into the hidden overflow flyout behind the `^` arrow on the taskbar, so the tray icon is frequently invisible on a first run. Version 0.1.1 added a right-click menu on the pet itself with the same items, so the tray is a convenience rather than the only route in. ### How do I quit the app? Right-click the pet and choose "Quit PixelPaw", or open Settings and use the Quit button at the bottom of the More tab. ### I clicked the shortcut again and got a second cat. That was a bug in 0.1.0, fixed in 0.1.1. Launching again now brings the running pet forward instead of starting another copy. If you are still on 0.1.0, end the extra `pixelpaw-ai.exe` processes in Task Manager and update. ### My reminders never fired. Also fixed in 0.1.1. The scheduler used to run inside the render loop, which the Windows web view suspends whenever the pet's window is hidden or fully covered by another window. Reminders now run on an independent timer, and a reminder that comes due while the machine is busy or asleep still fires when the app notices, rather than being skipped. ### How do I control music? Hover the cat and a pill slides out above its head with previous, play/pause, next and volume. It sends the standard OS media keys, so it drives whichever player currently owns playback: Spotify, a browser tab, or a local player. The same controls are on the right-click menu and in Settings. ### Can I change how it looks? Yes. Settings has six original characters (classic, robot, caped hero, masked acrobat, armoured tech, and a samurai) and every colour on the cat, including body, belly, pattern, inner ear, eyes and nose, is adjustable. You can also change its size, opacity and whether it stays on top. ### Can I make it quieter or less distracting? Turn off individual interactions in Settings under Behavior. You can disable gaze, hunting, petting, dragging, kneading, the overheat gag and scroll reactions independently, and there is a reduced-motion option. Pause stops the behaviour loop entirely. ### What languages does it support? The interface is available in English and Telugu, switchable under Behavior in Settings. The AI companion can additionally reply in Hindi or a natural Telugu and English mix. --- ## The AI side ### Do I need an API key? Only if you want the chat. The pet is fully functional without it. AI is off by default. ### Which AI providers work? Claude Code CLI, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, and local models through Ollama. ### Where are my API keys stored? In the app's local data directory, handled by the Rust layer. Keys are never exposed to the web view and never leave your machine except in requests to the provider you picked. ### What does "reacts to your coding agent" mean? The app runs a loopback-only endpoint on 127.0.0.1 that a coding agent can post status to: working, thinking, waiting, success, error, cancelled or idle. The pet then reacts, staying attentive while work runs and celebrating when it succeeds. The endpoint is token-authenticated and is not reachable from outside your machine. --- ## Privacy ### Does it record what I type? No. It counts keystrokes to measure typing rhythm, which is what drives the kneading and overheat animations. It never records which keys were pressed and never stores or transmits any of it. ### Does it take screenshots or read my screen? No. It reads the global cursor position, the scroll wheel delta, and a keystroke count. Nothing else. ### Is there any telemetry or analytics? None. There are no analytics, no crash reporting and no phone-home of any kind. ### What data leaves my computer? Nothing, unless you enable AI chat. In that case your messages and any memories the pet has saved are sent to the AI provider you configured, and nowhere else. --- ## About the project ### Is this based on an existing character or product? No. Every character, all the art, the animation and the code are original. The archetypes are deliberately generic (a robot, a caped hero, a samurai) and are not copies of, or affiliated with, any existing product, franchise or trademark. ### What is it built with? Tauri v2 with a Rust backend, and a React and TypeScript front end. The cat is drawn as procedural SVG rather than sprite sheets, which is why it recolours cleanly and scales without blurring. ### Where do I report a bug or ask for a feature? Open an issue at https://github.com/SRJ-ai/pixelpaw-ai/issues