NOTELY
HELP

[AI ACTIONS]

Set up AI in Notely

Connect Groq, OpenAI, Google Gemini or a local model, tell the AI about your project, and choose what design feedback looks at.

published by Daniel Schulz updated by

Goal

Get Ask AI and the AI actions working with the provider you choose.

Before you start

  • Notely open in a file.
  • An API key from Groq, OpenAI or Google Gemini, or a local model server (LM Studio or Ollama) running on your computer.

Steps

  1. Open AI Settings Click the menu button at the bottom left of the Notely window and choose AI Settings. Check that AI features is switched on: it shows the Ask AI button in the footer, the AI actions for selected notes and the AI button in the note editor.
    AI Settings menu: AI features switched on, Provider & API Keys, Vision Settings and Document Context.
    Menu, then AI Settings (step 1).
  2. Choose a provider Click Provider & API Keys. Under AI Provider, choose Groq AI (Fastest), OpenAI, Google Gemini or Local (LM Studio / Ollama).
    AI settings on the API Key tab: AI Provider Google Gemini, a hidden API key and How to get a Gemini API Key.
    Provider & API Keys: choose a provider, then paste its key (steps 2 and 3).
  3. Add your API key Paste your key into the API Key field and click Save API Settings; Notely validates the key when you save. If you still need a key, the link under the field (for example How to get a Gemini API Key) opens a short guide for that provider. Test & Detect Capabilities checks the key and shows what the provider can do.
  4. Or use a local model Choose Local (LM Studio / Ollama) and pick Preset: Auto, Preset: LM Studio (recommended), Preset: Ollama or Custom. No API key is needed. Under Advanced options, enter the Base URL (http://localhost:1234/v1 for LM Studio, http://localhost:11434/v1 for Ollama) or click Auto‑detect, then click Save API Settings. Write localhost, not 127.0.0.1: Figma only allows localhost URLs.
  5. Tell the AI about your project Choose AI Settings, then Document Context. Describe the project in up to 8,000 characters and click Save Document Context. The context belongs to this file, and Ask AI, Summarize, Group, Improve writing and Brainstorm map send it with every request.
  6. Choose what design feedback checks Choose AI Settings, then Vision Settings. Under What should the AI check?, switch the sections on or off: Visual Design, UX & Psychology, Brand Communication, Accessibility, Personas & Needs and Creative Ideas. Get design feedback in Ask AI uses this list.
    Vision tab, What should the AI check?: six switches from Visual Design to Creative Ideas, all on.
    Vision Settings: the sections design feedback checks (step 6).

Tips

  • The Tune tab in the same window has three presets: Precise (Focused & consistent), Balanced (Best of both) and Creative (Varied & explorative).
  • Set up keys for several providers and switch between them in the provider list next to the Ask AI button.

Result

Ask AI lists your provider, and the AI actions answer with the context you gave them.

If something goes wrong

  • 'Set up an AI provider to use Ask AI.'

    No provider is saved yet. Notely opens AI settings for you: add a key or a local model and click Save API Settings.

  • The local model is not found.

    Start the server first. In LM Studio, start it on the Developer tab and enable CORS; for Ollama, run ollama serve and pull a model, for example ollama pull llama3.1. Then click Auto‑detect or Test under Advanced options.

  • The Ask AI button is gone.

    AI features is switched off. Open the menu, choose AI Settings and switch it on again.

Common questions

Which AI providers does Notely support?

Groq, OpenAI, Google Gemini, and a local model through LM Studio or Ollama.

Can I use Notely without AI?

Yes. Notes, filters, import and export work without a provider. Switch AI features off in AI Settings to hide the AI buttons.