Help with Mentis
Back to your work.
A few practical answers for getting started.
Installing and updating
Mentis requires macOS 14 or later. Move the app into Applications before opening it. This early release is not notarized by Apple, so macOS may ask you to approve the first launch.
Follow the installation guide for the exact steps and how future updates work.
Connecting AI
Open Mentis Settings and connect your own OpenAI API key. Automatic names, meaning search, suggestions, and overviews need this connection and internet access. OpenAI bills the model usage separately.
Create an API key at OpenAI, then paste it into Mentis Settings. Keep the key private.
A ChatGPT subscription does not include API usage. About API billing.
If the provider is unavailable, your writing is still saved locally. You can keep writing and reopen recent thoughts or saved workspaces while the connection recovers.
Connecting your Macs
Sign in with the same Google account in Mentis Settings on both Macs. Your writing and workspaces sync automatically when connected. Local writing does not need an account.
Your AI key stays on each Mac. Connect it separately on the other Mac if you want AI features there too.
Finding your way back with History
Open History in the sidebar to browse the thoughts, tasks and workspaces you opened and changed. Scroll across days, choose a day for its full activity, or use Search history and Jump to date. Open an original from History and use Back to return to your place.
History records automatically from your first launch of Mentis 1.4.0 and keeps the last year. Days before recording began stay empty. It is an activity record, not a backup of earlier document versions.
In Settings → Library, you can stop recording, exclude opened items, or clear History without deleting your writing. When signed in, History syncs between updated Macs; install 1.4.0 or later on each one. An offline Mac applies recording and clearing changes when it reconnects.