VERA Support Center

🍏 macOS: "App is damaged" or "Unverified Developer"

VERA is fully code-signed and notarized using an official Apple Developer signature. However, if macOS Gatekeeper flags the app or shows a warning due to strict local security policies, you can easily approve it:

1. Instead of double-clicking the app, right-click (or Control-click) on LexSort Personal AI.app in your Applications folder and choose Open.
2. Click the Open button in the dialog to save a local security exception.
3. Alternatively, you can open Terminal and run the command:
   xattr -cr "/Applications/LexSort Personal AI.app" Copy

🪟 Windows: "Windows protected your PC" (SmartScreen)

Windows Defender flags newly compiled or unsigned desktop apps. This is normal for sovereign local software:

1. On the SmartScreen warning window, click the small link labeled More info.
2. Click the Run anyway button that appears at the bottom.
3. Ensure you downloaded the installer directly from our official lexsort.com distribution page.

⚡ Startup Error: Port 11434 Binding Failed

VERA runs its local inference engine on port 11434. If you already have a background instance of Ollama running, the port will be occupied. VERA will attempt to connect to it directly, but if there's a permission conflict, you may need to stop the background daemon:

• macOS: Quit the Ollama icon in the menu bar, or run:
  killall Ollama Copy
• Windows: Right-click the Ollama icon in the system tray and select "Quit", or terminate it via Task Manager.
• Linux: Terminate the service via systemd:
  sudo systemctl stop ollama Copy

📡 Model Downloads and Speed Constraints

During first boot, VERA downloads the optimal LLM (typically Llama 3.2 3B or 1B) to your disk. This is a one-time process:

• Disk Space: Ensure you have at least 10 GB of free space on your primary drive.
• Time: The model is ~2GB. On standard WiFi, this may take 1 to 5 minutes. If it fails, VERA will automatically retry from the last cached byte.
• Speed: If responses feel sluggish, verify that VERA detected at least 8 GB of RAM. VERA automatically matches the model to your hardware to avoid memory swapping.

🔒 Privacy Verification: Does VERA phone home?

Never. VERA is engineered to be network-isolated by design. The inference engine binds strictly to your loopback address (127.0.0.1). No analytics, telemetry, crash reports, or user inputs ever leave your machine. You can verify this by turning off your WiFi entirely; VERA runs 100% offline.

🔄 How do in-app updates work?

VERA includes a built-in auto-updater. When a new version is available, you'll see an update prompt directly inside the app — no need to visit the website or manually download anything.

• How it checks: On launch, VERA silently queries a signed manifest.json hosted at lexsort.com/api/manifest.json. This is the only outbound request the app ever makes — it contains the latest version number and download URL only.
• How to update: Click Install Update in the notification banner. VERA downloads the installer, verifies its cryptographic signature, and then relaunches into the new version automatically.
• Forced updates: Updates are never forced. You can dismiss the prompt and continue using your current version indefinitely.
• Manual update: You can also always download the latest installer directly from the Download page.

🤖 Do I need to install Ollama separately?

No. VERA ships with a bundled, sandboxed version of the Ollama inference engine. You do not need to install Ollama from the Ollama website. The bundled engine is locked to local loopback communications only, and VERA manages it entirely automatically.

• Conflict note: If you already have a system-wide Ollama installation running in your menu bar, it may occupy port 11434 before VERA's bundled engine can start. If this happens, quit the system Ollama daemon first (see the Port 11434 FAQ above).
• Models: On first boot, VERA auto-selects and downloads the right model based on your system RAM — Llama 3.2 3B for ≥8 GB, Llama 3.2 1B for lower specs. No configuration needed.

🔑 How do I activate VERA Pro after purchasing?

VERA Pro uses offline Ed25519 cryptographic license verification — no internet connection is needed after activation:

1. Complete checkout on the VERA Pro page via Stripe. Your license key is displayed immediately on the Stripe success screen.
2. Open the LexSort Vera app. Click the Settings icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner.
3. Navigate to Pro License and paste your key into the activation field, then click Activate.
4. VERA verifies the key cryptographically using a public key embedded in the app binary — no server call is made. Pro modules unlock instantly.

If you lose your key, check your Stripe receipt email. Keys are permanent and do not expire between app versions as long as your subscription is active.

🐧 Linux: Running the AppImage

VERA for Linux ships as a portable AppImage. No system-wide installation required:

1. Download the .AppImage file from the Download page.
2. Make it executable:
   chmod +x LexSort-Personal-AI_*.AppImage Copy
3. Run it directly — no install wizard, no root access needed:
   ./LexSort-Personal-AI_*.AppImage Copy
4. If you see a FUSE error, install the libfuse2 package: sudo apt install libfuse2