FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about installing, privacy and your data.
Windows says "Windows protected your PC" when I install. Is Nexus safe?
Windows SmartScreen shows this for installers that don't carry a paid Windows code-signing (Authenticode) certificate, or that haven't been downloaded by many people yet. You'll see "Windows protected your PC" and the publisher listed as unknown. To continue, click "More info", then "Run anyway". Only do this for the installer you downloaded from this website or our official GitHub Releases page. Separately, Nexus updates are signed with our own update key, and the app verifies that signature before installing any update. That protects updates, but it is a different thing from Windows code signing, so it doesn't remove the SmartScreen prompt on first install.
Where is my data stored?
On your computer. Notes, folders, tags, images, version history and chats live in a local SQLite database named nexus.db inside the folder com.nexus.desktop in your user config folder (Windows: %APPDATA%\com.nexus.desktop). Preferences live in the app's local storage. Your Nexus Cloud sign-in key is kept in Windows' secure credential store.
What leaves my computer?
Notes, search and the graph stay local. When you ask the Assistant a question, Nexus sends your question, the note excerpts it picked as relevant (never notes set to AI: Off), and, only if you enable it, text from your active browser tab to Nexus Cloud, which may search the web to answer. Sign-in uses Google or GitHub and stores your email. The first time you use search, Nexus downloads a small local model from Hugging Face. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Is Nexus free? Are there limits?
Notes, the browser, search and the graph have no usage limit. The cloud Assistant has an allowance per account, measured in tokens over a rolling 5-hour window. See the Pricing page.
Does it work offline?
Yes for notes, tags, links, graph, history and search once the local search model has downloaded. The Assistant, the browser and updates need an internet connection.
How do I keep a note away from the AI?
Open the note and click the AI: On button in its header so it reads AI: Off. That note is never included in what the Assistant sends.
How do I back up or move my notes?
Settings → Data → Backup Database saves a single .nexus file. On the new machine, use Settings → Data → Restore From Backup. You can also export every note as Markdown from the same section.
My #tag or [[link]] isn't working.
Tags must start with a letter, so #2024 won't work but #y2024 will, and they need a space before them. Links need double brackets and the title must match a note (case doesn't matter). Neither is recognized inside code blocks or inline code.
How do updates work?
Nexus checks automatically after launch and every 6 hours. Click Install when prompted, or go to Settings → Updates → Check For Updates. Unsaved edits are saved first and a backup of your database is made automatically.
Is there a Mac or Linux version?
Currently Nexus is released for Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit).
How do I delete my account?
Settings → Delete Account permanently removes your Nexus Cloud account and usage history from our servers. It doesn't touch notes stored on your device.
How do I uninstall Nexus?
Use Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Nexus → Uninstall. Your notes database may remain in the com.nexus.desktop folder until you delete it, which is useful if you reinstall.
How do I get help?
Email support@nexusworkspace.net or use Settings → Support → Contact Support, which pre-fills your app version.