Set up Margin.
Make room for your answer.

Before you start

The download on this website is Margin 0.8.0 for macOS on Apple Silicon. Check the Chip entry in About This Mac if you are not sure which Mac you have.

• An Apple Silicon Mac and the Margin DMG installer.
• Your own AI provider account and API key, or an installed and authorized supported CLI.
• A short, non-sensitive question to test your setup.

Install the app

1. Download the Margin beta installer.
2. Open the DMG and drag Margin into Applications.
3. Open Margin from Applications and follow the introductory screens.

If macOS shows a security alert, read the exact message before continuing. Apple explains the available options in its guide to opening downloaded apps.

Read Apple’s guide to opening downloaded apps

Connect the AI you use

Margin connects to your selected AI provider. In the app’s provider settings, choose API models or CLI agents.

Using an API key

1. Open API models and choose Add model.
2. Select your provider and save its API key inside the app.
3. Choose an available model and add it to your model list.

The beta interface includes OpenAI, Groq Cloud, Anthropic Claude and OpenRouter. Available models depend on your provider and account.

Using a supported CLI

If you already use a supported CLI, choose it under CLI agents. Install and authorize it on your Mac first, then check its status in Margin. The CLI uses its own account and access limits.

Choose what to capture

Choose the audio source for your session. A microphone captures your voice; system audio follows sound from your Mac. A screenshot adds the visual question you choose to share.

macOS may ask for Microphone or screen and system-audio access when you use those features. Permission names vary by macOS version. Review them in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

Try a question you can check

Start a session with a simple question, such as explaining a technical trade-off you already understand. Check the recognized text before sending it, and review the suggestion in your own words.

• Confirm that the right audio source is selected.
• Add only the experience or project context relevant to the question.
• Check the explanation against what you know. AI suggestions can be wrong.

See a workflow for developer interviews

If something needs attention

No audio is being recognized

Check the selected source, whether the session is paused, and the matching macOS permissions. After changing a system permission, macOS may ask you to reopen the app.

The AI provider does not answer

Check that a model or CLI is selected and that the connected account is authorized and has available usage. Read the error shown in the app; account limits and connection problems need different fixes.

A screenshot is not included

Check screen-capture permission and confirm which screenshot is attached before sending the question.