Frequently Asked Questions

About Companion

What is ZeroTrace Companion?

A desktop application that talks to your ZeroTrace devices over USB serial. It provides dashboards, terminal access, the AirLeak workspace, and a local AI assistant — all in one window.

Is it the same as the device's built-in Web UI?

No. The Web UI runs on the device's own hardware, served over Wi-Fi. Companion runs on your computer and connects over USB. Both have their place — see comparison.

What devices does it support?

• ZeroTrace HID
• ZeroTrace BLE Logger
• ZeroTrace AirLeak
• Custom firmware via custom device profiles

Devices without USB serial (ZeroTrace Mini, Lilygo T-Dongle S3) are not supported.

Can I use it without a device connected?

Yes — the AI assistant works without a device. The HID dashboard and AirLeak workspace require a connected device.

Is it the same application as ZeroTrace OSINT?

No — Companion is the device-management app. ZeroTrace OSINT is a separate desktop application for OSINT investigations. They coexist on the same machine.

About installation and use

How much does Companion cost?

Free. Companion is free to download, install, and use. No subscription, no per-feature paywall, no licence to buy.

Does Companion need internet?

No. Companion runs entirely locally. The only outbound calls it makes are ones you configure — your AI provider's API (when AI is enabled) and any MCP servers you connect.

Can I use it on multiple machines?

Yes — install on every machine where you have a ZeroTrace device. There's no account to sign into and no per-machine limit.

Do I need an account?

No. Companion is account-free.

About AirLeak

Does Companion replace the AirLeak's own Web UI?

It supplements it. The Web UI lives on the device. Companion gives you a much richer workspace — sessions, library, alerts, insights, tracking — that the embedded Web UI cannot match.

Can I use Companion with two AirLeak devices?

Yes — switch between them with the device picker. Companion handles one active device at a time. For genuinely parallel capture across multiple devices, run multiple Companion instances on multiple machines.

How long can a session run?

No practical limit. Sessions are disk-backed; gigabytes of capture data work fine.

Can sessions be shared between team members?

Yes — the session file format is portable. Export, share, the recipient can import.

Does the library work offline?

Yes — the library is purely local. No internet required.

Is the device data sent to ZeroTrace?

No — never. Device data stays on your machine.

About the AI assistant

What model does it use?

Whatever model you install via Ollama (or compatible runner). Default recommendation is qwen2.5:7b. See models.

Is it sending my data to OpenAI / Anthropic / etc.?

No — by default the model runs locally. Your prompts and tool results stay on your machine.

Can I use a cloud model?

You can point Companion's Base URL at a cloud-hosted Ollama-compatible endpoint. Doing so means your data does cross the network. Read AI privacy before changing the default.

Can the assistant see my device data?

Only when you ask it to (it can call tools that retrieve data) or when it has automatic context (active session, connected device metadata). Both are visible in the chat.

Can the assistant change device settings?

State-changing actions always require explicit confirmation. The assistant proposes; you approve.

Why is the first response slow?

The model loads into memory the first time you send a message. Subsequent messages reuse the loaded model and are much faster.

Can I disable the AI?

Yes — Settings → AI → AI enabled = off. Companion's other features are fully functional without the assistant.

About data and privacy

Where is my data stored?

Locally, in your operating system's standard application-data directory. See privacy settings for the exact paths.

Does Companion collect telemetry?

No. No analytics, no error reports, no usage tracking. Verify with a network monitor.

What network calls does Companion make?

Only ones you configure. The configured AI Base URL (per AI message, when AI is enabled) and any MCP servers you connect (per tool call). No automatic outbound calls of any kind — no analytics, no update pings, no calls to ZeroTrace.

How do I back up my Companion data?

Copy your application data directory to a backup location. Restoring is the reverse.

Can I move Companion to another machine?

Yes — install Companion on the new machine, then copy the application data directory across. Settings, sessions, library, and known-devices all carry over.

About specific features

Can I run two ZeroTrace devices at the same time?

Yes — Companion handles one active device, and you can switch between connected devices in one click. For genuinely parallel capture, run multiple Companion instances on multiple machines.

Can I export captures to PCAP?

Yes — the AirLeak session export supports PCAP, openable in Wireshark.

Can I run scripts on a HID device from Companion?

Yes — via the terminal. Use script run <name> for scripts already on the device, or push a new script via the file-management tools.

Does Companion have an API?

Not currently. The exports are stable JSON formats for automation.

Can I add custom tools to the AI assistant?

Not in the current release. The tool catalog is built into the application. File feature requests for tools you'd find useful.