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Installing Vela is straightforward:

• Download the .dmg file from our website or the App Store.
• Open the downloaded file and drag the Vela icon into your Applications folder.
• Launch Vela from Applications or Spotlight and you are ready to browse.

Vela Browser requires:

• macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later
• iOS 17 or later for iPhone and iPad
• Apple Silicon (M1 or later) or Intel-based Mac

Vela is a universal binary optimized for both architectures.

To configure Vela's built-in AI assistant:

• Go to Settings > AI.
• Choose your preferred AI provider from the available options.
• Enter your API key for the selected provider.
• The AI assistant will then be accessible from the sidebar while browsing.

Vela includes a full-featured password manager:

• Login forms are auto-detected on websites and Vela offers to save your credentials.
• Saved passwords sync securely across devices via iCloud Keychain.
• Access is protected with biometric authentication (Touch ID / Face ID).
• You can manage all saved passwords from Settings > Passwords or press CmdShiftP.

Vela ships with over 40 built-in themes:

• Navigate to Settings > Appearance.
• Browse the theme gallery and click any theme to preview it instantly.
• Themes apply to the toolbar, sidebar, and tab bar for a cohesive look.

To turn on the built-in content blocker:

• Go to Settings > Privacy.
• Toggle Content Blocker to on.
• The blocker removes ads, trackers, and other unwanted content for faster, cleaner browsing.

HTTPS-First mode automatically upgrades all HTTP connections to HTTPS for improved security:

• When you visit any website, Vela will attempt the HTTPS version first.
• If the site does not support HTTPS, Vela gracefully falls back to HTTP and shows a security indicator.
• This is enabled by default and can be managed in Settings > Privacy.

Migrating your bookmarks to Vela is easy:

• Open the Bookmarks Manager and click Import.
• Select a bookmark file in HTML or JSON format.
• Vela supports imports from Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
• Your imported bookmarks will appear in a dedicated folder you can reorganize.

Fingerprint protection helps prevent websites from tracking you through browser fingerprinting:

• Go to Settings > Privacy > Fingerprint Protection.
• Toggle it on to randomize or mask certain browser attributes.
• This makes it significantly harder for sites to create a unique profile of your device.

Yes, Vela supports connecting to your own Ollama instance:

• Go to Settings > AI > Ollama Cloud.
• Enter your Ollama server URL (e.g., http://localhost:11434).
• Vela will automatically detect available models on your server.
• This lets you use local AI models for complete privacy.

To inspect a website's SSL certificate:

• Click the lock icon next to the URL in the address bar.
• A panel will display the certificate issuer, validity period, and encryption details.
• This helps you verify the identity and security of the sites you visit.

Vela provides a clean downloads manager:

• Click the download icon in the toolbar to see active and completed downloads.
• Or press CmdShiftJ to open the downloads panel.
• From there you can pause, resume, cancel, or reveal downloads in Finder.