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Overview

The Companion Orb is a persistent, floating AI interface that stays on the edge of your screen while you work. Unlike SmartBar — which appears on demand and disappears after use — the Companion Orb provides continuous access to AI assistance, quick actions, and voice chat without interrupting your workflow. Think of it as your always-present AI co-pilot: a compact orb that expands into a full conversation panel when you need it, and collapses back when you don’t.

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Getting Started

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Activating the Companion Orb

The Companion Orb is available from the moment you launch EnConvo. It appears as a small, draggable orb on the side of your screen.
  • Click the orb to expand the conversation panel
  • Drag the orb to reposition it on any edge of your screen
  • Double-click to start a voice conversation
  • Right-click to access quick actions and settings

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Positioning

The Companion Orb can be placed anywhere along the left or right edge of your screen:
The Companion Orb remembers its position between sessions. Place it where it feels most natural for your workflow and it will stay there.

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Interface

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Collapsed State (Orb)

When collapsed, the Companion Orb is a small circular icon that:
  • Shows a subtle animation when the AI is processing
  • Displays notification badges for pending responses
  • Provides drag-to-reposition functionality
  • Stays visible above other windows (configurable)

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Expanded State (Panel)

Click the orb to expand it into a full conversation panel:
  • Chat area: Full conversation history with AI
  • Input field: Type messages, attach files, add context
  • Quick Actions bar: Pinned actions for one-tap access
  • Model selector: Switch AI models mid-conversation
  • Tools toggle: Enable/disable agent mode and tool access

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Quick Actions

The Companion Orb provides pinned quick actions for tasks you perform frequently. These are accessible with a single click or tap, without needing to type anything.

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Default Quick Actions

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Customizing Quick Actions

You can personalize which actions appear in the quick action bar:
  1. Right-click the Companion Orb
  2. Select Customize Quick Actions
  3. Add, remove, or reorder actions
  4. Save your configuration
Available actions to pin include any SmartBar command, custom bot, workflow, or frequently used prompt.

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Voice Chat

The Companion Orb includes a voice chat mode for hands-free AI interaction.

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Starting Voice Chat

  • Keyboard shortcut: Press ⇧⌘A to toggle voice chat
  • Double-click the Companion Orb
  • Click the Voice Chat quick action

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Voice Chat Features

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Voice Chat Use Cases

  • Hands-free brainstorming while doing manual work
  • Dictating emails or documents with AI refinement
  • Quick questions while your hands are busy
  • Language practice with real-time conversation
  • Accessibility for users who prefer voice interaction
Voice processing can use either local on-device models or cloud-based services, depending on your configuration. Local processing offers better privacy while cloud services may offer higher accuracy.

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Features

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Always-on-Top Mode

Keep the Companion Orb visible above all other windows:
  • Enable in Settings -> Companion Orb -> Always on Top
  • Useful during meetings or while referencing AI responses
  • Toggle with right-click -> Always on Top

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Auto-Hide

Configure the orb to automatically collapse when not in use:
  • After timeout: Collapse after a configurable period of inactivity
  • On click away: Collapse when you click elsewhere
  • Manual only: Stay expanded until you explicitly collapse it

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Context Awareness

The Companion Orb inherits EnConvo’s full context awareness capabilities:
  • Automatically detects your active application
  • Reads browser tab content when relevant
  • Recognizes selected text and files
  • Adapts suggestions based on your current task
See Context Awareness for details.

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Conversation History

The Companion Orb maintains full conversation history:
  • Scroll through previous messages
  • Start new conversations with ⌘ N
  • Switch between recent conversations
  • Search across conversation history

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Multi-Model Support

Switch between AI models without leaving the Companion Orb:
  1. Click the model name at the top of the expanded panel
  2. Select a different model from the dropdown
  3. Continue your conversation with the new model
This is useful when you want a quick answer from a fast model, then switch to a more capable model for complex follow-up questions.

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Configuration

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Settings -> Companion Orb

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Keyboard Shortcuts

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Tips & Tricks

Keep the Companion Orb expanded during meetings to quickly look up information, summarize discussion points, or draft responses — all without switching windows.
If you frequently run specific workflows or commands, pin them as quick actions. One click is faster than typing the command every time.
Use voice chat mode with headphones for hands-free AI interaction while walking, commuting, or doing household tasks.
The Screenshot Explain quick action is excellent for quickly understanding error messages, unfamiliar UI, charts, or any visual content on your screen.
If you find the orb distracting, reduce its opacity and enable auto-hide. It will be there when you need it but invisible when you don’t.

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Companion Orb vs SmartBar

Both provide AI access, but they serve different purposes:
Use both together: SmartBar for quick, one-shot tasks and the Companion Orb for extended conversations and continuous assistance.

SmartBar

Quick AI access overlay

Voice Dictation

Voice-to-text input

Meeting Recording

Record and transcribe meetings

Context Awareness

How EnConvo understands your screen