A Mate keeps its role across conversations. Each conversation has its own history and draft, so use a new one for a separate task and return to an existing one when continuing an exchange.
#Open a conversation
Click a Mate's rail icon to open its floating conversation. Its header offers New chat and Conversation history. Use history to select an earlier exchange, or New chat to start another.
Click the Mate's rail icon again, or use the panel's open-workspace control, for its full workspace. Use Back to return to the preceding workspace. This changes where the conversation is displayed; it does not start another chat. Finish an upload or voice recording before transferring the composer.
When opening a Mate from a project, read the context indication above the conversation. It describes the project context available for your next message. A new chat retains the Mate's identity and available stored knowledge, but it is not a copy of every earlier exchange.
#Change settings
- Open the Mate's full workspace.
- Select the chevron beside its name in the header: Open Mate settings.
- Choose General, Model, or Prompt.
- Make the change and save it.
- Check the saved selection or instructions before starting the next task.
General controls profile and appearance. Model offers the models and effort levels available through that Mate's provider. Prompt contains its working instructions. If a model list fails to load, retry after checking provider sign-in.
The dialog warns about unsaved changes. Copy an important draft before reloading after a conflict.
#Privacy and connected tools
Mate conversations are private to their owner, including when discussing a shared project. A teammate or administrator cannot open them through ordinary project sharing.
Personal services can supply tools in private conversations, subject to their connection and permission settings. If a tool is missing, check the saved connection and the active provider before retrying. See MCP connections for limits involving shared conversations and messages from other people.
If the Mate's behavior needs adjustment, revise its Prompt or reshape its role through an interview. Use Knowledge, Memory, and Me to decide where lasting context belongs.