OffGrid AI ToolKit - User Guide

Welcome to True AI Independence

What Makes OffGrid AI Special?

• 100% Offline: Works without any internet connection
• Portable: Runs from USB drive on any Windows PC
• Private: Your data never leaves your device
• Powerful: Multiple AI models including vision capabilities
• Medical Ready: Includes specialized medical AI model
• No Surveillance: No tracking, no telemetry, no data collection
• One-Time Purchase: No subscriptions, ever

Quick Start

3 Simple Steps to Get Started:

1. Insert USB Drive into any Windows computer
2. Double-click Launch OffGrid AI ToolKit.exe in the root folder
3. Accept Terms and start chatting

That is it. No installation, no configuration, no internet needed.

System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

• OS: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
• Processor: x64 CPU from 2015 or newer
• USB: USB 3.0+ port (USB 3.2 recommended for best performance)
• Storage: 64GB USB drive (included with purchase)

RAM Requirements by Model:

First Launch Setup

Initial Launch Process:

1. Locate the Launcher: Find Launch OffGrid AI ToolKit.exe in the USB root folder
2. Security Prompt: Click "Yes" when Windows asks for permission. You will see "OffGrid AI ToolKit" as a DigiCert Verified Publisher - this certification means our software has been authenticated and verified as legitimate, which helps protect you from malware or imposters
3. Loading Screen: Wait 3-5 seconds while AI models load
4. Terms & Conditions: Review and accept the terms (one-time only)
5. Start Using: Click "START USING OFFGRID AI" button
6. Dashboard Opens: The main interface opens in the Electron app window

Dashboard Overview

Main Interface Elements:

Top Bar

• OffGrid AI ToolKit USB Icon (left) - click or tap to clear chat and return to dashboard
• Connection Status (right): green dot = connected
• QR Code (far right): used for mobile device connection

Navigation Sidebar (Left)

DOCUMENTATION

• 📘 User Guide - you are reading it
• 📊 Benchmarks & Testing - performance data
• ⚙️ How It Works - technical overview
• ❓ FAQs - common questions
• 👥 Credits & Attribution - acknowledgments

QUICK TOOLS

• 📄 Clear Chat/Home - start fresh conversation
• 💾 Save Conversation - store current chat (50 max)
• 📤 Export History - download all saved chats
• 🗂️ Saved Conversations - access previous chats

TEMPLATES

• 🖼️ Image Identifier - upload images for analysis
• 🌐 Translator - quick language translation
• 💡 Ready-Made Prompts - 500+ tested prompts

Main Chat Area

• Welcome screen with feature badges
• Quick action buttons for common tasks
• Chat interface for conversations
• Model selector dropdown (bottom)
• Send button (bottom right)

AI Model Selection Guide

Understanding Your Models:

The model selector dropdown appears at the bottom of your chat interface. You can switch models anytime during your conversation.

Gemma3:4b - Quicker Responses

• Response Time: 30-90 seconds
• RAM Required: 6-8GB
• Vision: ✅ full image analysis
• Best For: quick questions, basic tasks, field diagnostics
• Pro Tip: start here for instant answers

Gemma3:12b - Balanced Power

• Response Time: 2-3 minutes
• RAM Required: 12-16GB
• Vision: ✅ full image analysis
• Best For: complex analysis, detailed planning, creative writing
• Pro Tip: use after 4b for verification and deeper insights

Gemma3:27b - Maximum Intelligence

• Response Time: about 10 minutes
• RAM Required: 32GB+ (GPU required)
• Vision: ✅ advanced image analysis
• Best For: complex reasoning, scenario planning, critical decisions
• Pro Tip: switch to this for your most important questions

MedGemma:4b - Medical Specialist

• Response Time: 30-90 seconds
• RAM Required: 6-8GB
• Vision: ❌ text only
• Best For: medical terminology, symptom analysis, health questions
• Note: shows tooltip if you try to attach images

Smart Workflow Strategy:

1. Get a quick answer with Gemma3:4b
2. Verify and expand with Gemma3:12b
3. Deep dive with Gemma3:27b for critical analysis

Mobile Access Setup

📱 See full mobile setup tutorial with step-by-step images →

One-Time Firewall Configuration (Required)

Initial Setup:

1. Click the blue link "Setup firewall for mobile access →" under the QR code
2. This opens the Mobile_First_Time_Setup folder
3. Right-click mobile-first-time-setup-run-as-admin.bat
4. Select "Run as administrator"
5. Click "Yes" when Windows asks for permission
6. Press any key when setup completes

Connecting Your Phone or Tablet:

Method 1 - Same WiFi Network (Recommended)

1. Important: ensure both laptop and phone are connected to the same WiFi network
2. Launch OffGrid AI ToolKit on your laptop
3. Scan the QR code shown in the dashboard with your phone camera
4. The dashboard opens automatically on your device

Method 2 - Laptop Hotspot (Field Use)

1. On laptop, open Settings → Network & Internet → Mobile Hotspot
2. Toggle "Share my Internet connection" to ON
3. Note the network name and password shown
4. Connect your phone to this new WiFi network
5. Launch OffGrid AI and scan the QR code

Method 3 - Manual Connection

1. Note the IP address shown (for example 192.168.0.89:8000)
2. Ensure both devices are on the same network
3. Enter this address in your phone browser
4. Bookmark the page for quick future access

Mobile Interface Features:

• 📷 Take Picture - instant camera capture
• 🖼️ Upload Image - select from gallery
• 🌐 Translator - quick translations
• 💡 Ready-Made Prompts - one-tap templates
• Model Switching - full model selection
• Chat Interface - complete conversation capabilities

Starlink Mini Integration

The Perfect Off-Grid Combination

The Starlink Mini and OffGrid AI ToolKit are strong companions for off grid intelligence. While Starlink can provide internet connectivity, your OffGrid AI never uses it. All processing and conversations stay local.

How It Works:

1. Starlink Mini creates a WiFi network in remote locations
2. Connect your laptop and phone to the Starlink WiFi
3. Launch OffGrid AI ToolKit on the laptop
4. Scan the QR code with your phone to access the dashboard

Benefits:

• True portability: Starlink provides the network, OffGrid AI provides the intelligence
• No data usage: OffGrid AI does not use Starlink's data connection
• Great for RVs: connect all devices through Starlink WiFi
• Emergency ready: both systems work independently

Core Features

Conversation Management

• Save Conversations: store up to 50 important chats
• Export History: download all saved conversations as text
• Clear Chat: start fresh anytime
• Access Saved: review previous conversations

Language Translation

• Support for 100+ languages
• Cultural context adaptation
• Multiple translations at once
• Example: "Translate to Spanish, French, and Japanese:"

Document Processing

1. Copy any text (even 100+ pages)
2. Paste into chat
3. Add instruction like "Summarize:" or "Extract key points:"
4. Get instant analysis

Image Analysis

• Identify objects, plants, animals
• Read text from images
• Analyze maps and diagrams
• Technical diagnostics from photos

Ready-Made Prompts

500+ Field-Tested Templates

Access hundreds of crafted prompts organized by category. Each prompt has been tested and optimized for OffGrid AI models.

Categories and Subcategories:

Click or tap the triangle symbol next to each category in the app to expand and see all prompts.

Survival & Emergency Prompts

• Water & Shelter Essentials
• Fire & Warmth
• Food, Foraging & Wilderness Knowledge
• Navigation Without Technology
• First Aid & Medical Emergencies
• Urban Survival & Grid Down
• Energy & Power
• Practical DIY & Improvisation
• Security & Defense

Overlander Prompts

• Camp Setup & Comfort
• Vehicle Diagnostics & Troubleshooting
• Field Repairs & Tools
• Cooking & Food Management
• Emergency Communications
• Wildlife & Environmental Awareness
• Security & Crisis Response
• Weather Adaptation

Each subcategory expands to show multiple ready-made prompts that are tuned for OffGrid AI.

How to Use:

1. Click "Ready-Made Prompts" in the sidebar
2. Browse categories
3. Single-click any prompt to auto paste into chat
4. Modify if needed and send

Vision & Image Analysis

Field-Ready Image Analysis

Useful for identifying plants, animals, equipment, reading maps, analyzing terrain, or documenting findings.

Desktop Usage:

1. Click the camera icon in the chat input
2. Select or capture an image
3. Add your question
4. Send to analyze

Mobile Usage:

1. Tap "Take Picture" for instant capture
2. Or tap "Upload Image" for gallery
3. Add context or questions
4. Get analysis in seconds

Field Applications:

• Wildlife Identification - animals, tracks, plants
• Equipment Diagnosis - mechanical troubleshooting
• Map Reading - GPS coordinates, trail info
• Document Capture - convert notes to text
• Safety Assessment - basic terrain and weather analysis
• Medical Reference - educational injury assessment

Performance Expectations

Response Times by Model:

Important Notes:

• No conversation memory between sessions - each prompt is independent
• One prompt at a time - wait for a response before sending another
• Not cloud level like ChatGPT but among the strongest offline options available
• Knowledge cutoff: August 2024

When to Use OffGrid AI:

✅ Off-grid adventures
✅ Emergency situations
✅ Privacy critical work
✅ Areas with no connectivity
✅ Field research
✅ Quick reference
✅ Language translation
✅ Image analysis

When to Use Cloud AI:

• Latest news and current events
• Extended conversations with memory
• Real time web browsing
• Collaborative work
• Very long document generation

Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions:

"Disconnected" Status

• Verify the launcher is still running
• Check that antivirus is not blocking the app
• Restart the launcher if needed

Slow Performance

• Switch to a smaller model in the dropdown
• Close other programs
• Check available RAM in Task Manager
• Ensure USB is in a USB 3.0+ port

Mobile Cannot Connect

1. Confirm firewall setup was completed
2. Make sure both devices are on the same WiFi
3. Try manual IP entry
4. Disable VPN if active

Processes Still Running

If you cannot restart the launcher:

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc)
2. Look for and end these OffGrid AI ToolKit processes:
   • OffGrid AI ToolKit (may appear multiple times)
   • OffGrid AI ToolKit - Multimodal Assistant
   • Caddy
3. Once all processes are ended, restart the launcher

Model Will Not Load

• Check available RAM
• Try a smaller model first
• Restart the computer if needed

Tips for Success

Be Patient

This is a powerful solution but offline models with billions of parameters require significant processing power. Response times vary by model and hardware. You are running AI that usually lives in the cloud, entirely on your own device.

See the detailed guide on performance expectations and tips →

Getting Better Responses:

1. Be Specific - include context and examples
2. Use Templates - for example "Format as a table..."
3. Chain Prompts - break complex tasks into steps
4. Specify Length - "In 100 words" or "Detailed analysis"
5. Set Tone - "Explain simply" or "Professional report"

Performance Optimization:

• Start with the 4b model, move up only when needed
• Clear chat periodically for long sessions
• Close unnecessary programs
• Use USB 3.0+ ports only
• Keep prompts focused

Field Use Tips:

• Test mobile connection before heading out
• Save important conversations before moving
• Use the 4b model for time sensitive situations
• Keep backup power available for extended use
• Pre load reference materials
• Works well with Starlink Mini when you want portable WiFi plus offline AI

Privacy & Security

Your Data, Your Control:

• No Cloud: everything runs locally
• No Tracking: zero analytics or telemetry
• No Updates: cannot be remotely modified
• No Dependencies: works offline indefinitely
• No Backdoors: open source components and auditable stack

Security Notes:

• Keep the USB drive physically secure
• Clear browser cache on public computers
• Do not share your USB with untrusted sources
• Export important conversations regularly

Support

Need Help?

• Email: support@offgridaitoolkit.com
• Response Time: typically 24-48 hours
• Priority Support: available for bulk orders

Online Resources:

Internet connection required for these links

• Website: offgridaitoolkit.com
• Terms & Conditions: offgridaitoolkit.com/terms-conditions
• Model Benchmarks: offgridaitoolkit.com/testing/model-benchmarks
• Prompt Testing: offgridaitoolkit.com/testing/prompts
• Use Cases: offgridaitoolkit.com/use-cases
• How It Works: offgridaitoolkit.com/how-it-works

Future Updates:

OffGrid AI is designed to work indefinitely without updates. Customers can request updated prompt packages at no extra cost and future USB drives (which are in development) at a 40% discount as a thank you for being part of the OffGrid AI community.

Important: the current release includes knowledge up to August 2024 and does not require updates to function. It will continue working offline exactly as it does today. Updates are optional enhancements, not requirements.