Garage Support Center
Find help, setup instructions, troubleshooting guides, and answers to frequently asked questions for Garage — your local-first personal knowledge retrieval engine.
Explore Support Topics
Getting Started & Setup
Step-by-step setup for both the native macOS menu bar app and the Python CLI, including source registration and indexing.
View Setup Guide →macOS Permissions & TCC
How to grant Full Disk Access for indexing Apple Messages (chat.db), Mail, and protected system directories without errors.
Configure Permissions →Embedding Models & Providers
Configure local embedding models with Ollama, LM Studio, or local Llama runners. Backfill vectors and switch models seamlessly.
Manage Models →Model Context Protocol (MCP)
Connect your personal knowledge index to LLM clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and Cursor via MCP 2.0.
Setup MCP Integration →Troubleshooting & Diagnostics
Resolutions for common issues: PostgreSQL startup errors, port conflicts, DNS rebinding blocks, and placeholder downloads.
Troubleshoot Issues →Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions regarding local storage footprint, supported formats, search algorithms (RRF), and privacy guarantees.
Read FAQ →Privacy & Egress Guarantees
No cloud AI client, one egress choke point with a destination allowlist, and communications that never leave your Mac.
Read Privacy Policy →Contact & Bug Reports
How to safely submit diagnostic logs, report bugs, request features, or contact the maintainers on GitHub.
Get Support →Quick Diagnostic Checklist
If you are experiencing unexpected behavior, check these fundamental items first:
- Check Database Status: Ensure PostgreSQL is running. In the macOS App, check the menu bar indicator. In CLI, verify with
garage stats. - Verify Full Disk Access: If indexing
~/Library/Messagesor~/Library/Mail, make sure Full Disk Access is granted toGarageAppor your Terminal application under System Settings → Privacy & Security. - Verify Embedding Provider: Ensure Ollama or LM Studio is running locally on your machine before running
garage backfillorgarage ingest. - Inspect Application Logs: In the macOS App, navigate to the Logs tab to view live streaming logs from PostgreSQL, Ingestion, and the MCP HTTP server.
For internal pipeline details, schema definitions, and authorship heuristics, check the developer specifications: Architecture Guide, Attribution Engine, and Database Schema Reference.