What first run actually asks you, and what sticks afterwards

Seven steps, only one of which you cannot skip. A couple of the choices are locked in once you move past them, which is worth knowing before you click through.

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Steps

  1. Consent is the only required step: read and accept the EULA and privacy notice. Nothing else in onboarding can be reached without it.
  2. Voice is optional: pick how Cortex talks to you, a register and an explanation depth. It writes into CORTEX.md the moment your vault is created in the next step, and is locked after that: change it later from Settings, Cortex standing instructions instead.
  3. Vault: pick or create the folder, with an optional starter-notes checkbox.
  4. Ollama and API key are both optional, and either can be skipped entirely if you plan to add a provider later.
  5. Tiers lets you set a model for each level, Cortex, Agents and sub-agents, or leave them on the default.
  6. Account is last: create one or sign in. Creating one does not sign you in immediately; a confirmation email has to be clicked first.

How to tell it worked

The final summary screen names the choices you made, and the app opens on Chat afterwards with your vault already pointed at what you chose.

If it does not work

You changed your mind about Cortex’s voice and it did not take.
Voice only writes into CORTEX.md once, at the moment your vault is created during onboarding. Change it afterwards from Settings, AI & extensions, Cortex standing instructions instead, which rewrites the file directly.
You skipped Ollama and the API key step and now Chat will not answer.
That is expected: nothing can run a model until you add one. Add a provider key or install Ollama from Settings whenever you are ready.