Try Basil
We made a thing. It's pretty good. You should try it.
Early Release — You're basically a QA Engineer now.
Ready to Get Started?
Download Basil in just a few steps.
Latest build for macOS
Version 1.0.1 • Released November 1, 2026 • about 570 MB download
By downloading Basil, you agree to our .
Stay in Touch (Optional)
Not to get all sentimental, but we'd really appreciate it if you shared your contact info. We want to keep you posted on updates and, more importantly, hear what you think. The good, the bad, and the somewhere in between. But not the 'really bad'. And definitely not the ugly. We're not sure our egos could handle that.
System Requirements
Minimum Requirements
- macOS 13 or newer
- A Mac with Apple Silicon
- A model to run: one you download to your Mac, or your own provider key
Good to Have
- More memory, if you want to run larger models on your Mac
- Microphone access, for live transcription and voice
- Screen Recording access, for capturing what's on your screen
What to Expect
You're an 'early adopter'. That sounds better than saying 'willing to deal with bs' but worse than 'patience of a saint'. Which we'll totally do if that's what you need from us.
Early Access
Be among the first to experience new features as they’re developed and released.
Basil checks for updates for you
Active Development
Expect bugs, missing features, and rapid changes as we refine the experience.
Report issues directly to developers
Direct Feedback
Your input directly shapes the product. We read every piece of feedback.
Write to stratten@basil.ac any time
Privacy First
With a local model, the thinking happens on your Mac. If you use your own provider key or a custom endpoint, the content of that request goes to that provider.
Open source, so you can check
macOS Only
Basil is a Mac app for now, built for Macs with Apple Silicon.
macOS 13 or newer
Runs on Your Mac
A native Mac app with a local backend, so it can run AI models on your own hardware.
Native Swift client
Installation Guide
About as fast as making coffee. But not espresso. It's way faster than that.
- 1
Download & Install
Download the .dmg file and drag Basil to your Applications folder. The first time you open it, Basil walks you through setup.
- 2
Pick a Model
Basil can run a model on your Mac, or use your own provider key. You can change it any time in Settings.
- 3
Grant Permissions
Basil asks for a permission only when a feature needs it. Microphone is for transcription and voice, and Screen Recording is for capturing your screen. Decline any of them and the rest keeps working.
- 4
Configure Hotkeys
Set up your preferred hotkeys for each feature. Customize other shortcuts in the preferences.
- 5
Start Using
Call on Basil and tell it what you need. Try “What’s on my screen?” or “Help me write an email” to get started.
Need Help?
Got stuck? Found a bug? Just want to chat? We could use some contact with humans.