For Windows 10 & 11

Ask, then get back to work.

QChat is a tiny glass bar that chats with ChatGPT or Gemini through your own signed-in accounts. It floats over whatever you’re doing, and folds away when you’re done.

Download for Windows Take the tour

Free · Windows 10 22H2 & 11 · x64

01 — Open

Press `AltQ` anywhere.

The orb opens into a single bar, right over the app you’re in. No browser tab, no window to manage.

02 — Ask

Ask with your own account.

QChat talks to chatgpt.com and gemini.google.com through your signed-in session, so you get your models and your history. No API keys.

03 — Read

Replies that read calmly.

Answers arrive block by block, so code, tables and maths settle in place instead of jumping around while you read.

04 — Return

Recent chats ride along.

Your last few conversations pop out of the bar as tabs, each marked with the provider it lives on.

05 — Fold

Click away. It folds.

A few seconds out of focus and everything sinks into the bar, then the bar closes into its orb. Your work is right where you left it.

search.js

1import { fetchResults } from "./api.js";
2
3const input = document.querySelector("#search");
4const list = document.querySelector("#results");
5
6// TODO: this fires on every keystroke
7input.addEventListener("input", async (e) => {
8  const items = await fetchResults(e.target.value);
9  list.replaceChildren(...items.map(render));
10});
11
12function render(item) {
13  const li = document.createElement("li");
14  li.textContent = item.title;
15  return li;
16}

What’s a clean way to debounce a search box?

Wait until the person stops typing, then search. A tiny helper keeps it tidy:

function debounce(fn, ms = 250) {
  let timer;
  return (...args) => {
    clearTimeout(timer);
    timer = setTimeout(() => fn(...args), ms);
  };
}

Wrap your input handler with it. Around 250 ms feels like a natural typing pause.

Debounce search Kyoto trip, 3 days2h Email regex1d

Ask anything · / commands Medium

Alt+Q

The tour

Built for the ten seconds between tasks.

Five things QChat does that a browser tab can’t. Keep scrolling.

Selected text

Ask about what you’ve highlighted.

Select text in any app and press CtrlAltQ. QChat opens with it quoted, ready for your question. No copying, no pasting.

Q3 update.txt

Hi team, a quick update on the launch.

We missed the launch date because the vendor shipped late, and honestly that’s on them, not us.

The new date is October 14. I’ll share the revised plan on Friday.

Ctrl+Alt+Q

We missed the launch date because the vendor… Make this sound friendlier

Our launch is moving a little later because a vendor delivery ran behind. We’re working closely with them, and we’re back on track for October 14.

We missed the launch date because the vendor…

Ask about the selection

Snapshots

Show it what you’re looking at.

One click on the camera captures the window behind QChat and attaches it. Ask about a chart, an error, a design, whatever’s on screen.

Monthly sales.xlsx

Units soldJan – Jun

JanFebMarAprMayJun

Summarize this chart in one line

Sales climbed steadily from January to June, with a single dip in March before reaching the half-year high.

Snapshot.pngMonthly sales.xlsx

Ask anything · / commands

Commands

Slash for everything.

Type / to switch between ChatGPT and Gemini, start a temporary chat that stays out of your history, export to Markdown and more. CtrlK opens the same menu.

Kyoto ideas.txt

Kyoto, three days in May

Temples early, before the crowds. Philosopher’s Path on day two. Somewhere quiet for dinner near Gion. Ask about a day trip to Nara?

Now chatting with Gemini

/chatgptSwitch to ChatGPT

/geminiSwitch to Gemini

/tempTemporary chat

/exportSave conversation

/chatsChats

/keysKeyboard shortcuts

New chat

Temporary Ask anything · / commands Medium

Files

Drag it in. Drop it on.

Drop files onto the chat, paste an image, or use the paperclip. Up to ten attachments a message, with previews before you send.

History

Every chat, one search away.

CtrlP searches the chats on this PC, then every other chat on your account. Pick one and it opens with its whole conversation.

Ctrl+P

Plan three days in Kyoto for May

Day 1 Higashiyama: Kiyomizu-dera in the morning, then wander down Sannenzaka to Gion for dinner.

Search chats

On this PC

Kyoto trip, 3 days2h

Debounce search5m

Email regex1d

From your account

Kyoto restaurants near Gion3w

Birthday ideas for Sam1mo

Kyoto trip, 3 days Debounce search Email regex1d

Ask anything · / commands Medium

And the details

Small on screen. Thorough underneath.

Real glass

The desktop really is blurred behind it, and clicks pass straight through the empty space around the bar.
Code and maths, rendered

Highlighted code, typeset maths, tables and images, in the same calm bubbles. Hover a reply to copy or retry it.
Temporary chats

CtrlShiftN starts a chat that stays out of history. It waits for the provider to confirm before sending.
Kept on your PC

Up to 50 chats are saved locally, and unsent drafts survive a restart. Your sign-in stays saved too.
Six-second undo

Removing a chat, /clear and /discard can all be undone for six seconds.
Copy and export

/copy puts the conversation on your clipboard as Markdown. /export saves it to Downloads.
Open at startup

Starts quietly in the tray when you log in, so AltQ works from the first minute.
Recovers by itself

A dropped connection retries when the network returns, keeping your draft and files exactly as they were.

Keyboard

Your hands never leave the keys.

AltQ: Show or hide QChat
CtrlAltQ: Ask about the selected text
CtrlK: Command menu
CtrlP: Search saved chats
CtrlF: Find in the conversation
CtrlShiftN: New temporary chat
CtrlShiftC: Copy the latest reply
CtrlShiftX: Copy the last code block

Make it yours

Twenty looks, one material.

Pick a look, then tune glass opacity, density, font and motion in Settings. An optional guard keeps text at 4.5:1 contrast on any wallpaper.

Install

Up and running in a minute.

01
Download the installer

One file, with the WebView2 runtime included. Nothing else to install.
02
Run it

It installs for your Windows user and adds a Start menu shortcut. Upgrading keeps your settings, chats and sign-in.
03
Press AltQ

Sign in from Settings or the tray icon, and you’re set. Type /keys to see every shortcut.

QChat for Windows

Windows 11 or Windows 10 22H2 · x64

Download for Windows All files & checksums

The build isn’t code-signed yet, so Windows may show a SmartScreen warning. Choose More info, then Run anyway. Every release lists SHA256 checksums you can check the file against.

Questions

Good to know.

Do I need an API key?

No. QChat uses the ChatGPT or Gemini account you sign in with, in a hidden window, so you get that account’s models and history. Without signing in it chats as a ChatGPT guest.

What does it cost?

QChat itself is free. Your ChatGPT or Gemini plan’s own limits still apply, the same as on their websites.

Where are my chats stored?

Your conversations live in your ChatGPT or Gemini account as usual. QChat also keeps up to 50 recent chats on this PC so they open instantly, and you can turn local history off. Temporary chats stay out of both.

Why does Windows warn me when I install it?

The installer isn’t code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway. Each release lists SHA256 checksums if you’d like to verify the file first.

Is there a Mac or Linux version?

Not yet. QChat runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10 22H2, x64.

Is QChat made by OpenAI or Google?

No. It’s an independent app and isn’t affiliated with either.

Your next question is one keystroke away.

Free · Windows 10 22H2 & 11 · x64

Ask, then get back to work.

Press AltQ anywhere.

Ask with your own account.

Replies that read calmly.

Recent chats ride along.

Click away. It folds.

Built for the ten seconds between tasks.

Ask about what you’ve highlighted.

Show it what you’re looking at.

Slash for everything.

Drag it in. Drop it on.

Every chat, one search away.

Small on screen. Thorough underneath.

Real glass

Code and maths, rendered

Temporary chats

Kept on your PC

Six-second undo

Copy and export

Open at startup

Recovers by itself

Your hands never leave the keys.

Twenty looks, one material.

Up and running in a minute.

Download the installer

Run it

Press AltQ

QChat for Windows

Good to know.

Your next question is one keystroke away.

Press `AltQ` anywhere.

Press `AltQ`