Setup Guide

Get started in under a minute

Install the Chrome extension and AI companion, then your tools are ready to request visual captures.

Install the Chrome Extension

Add Snip Browser to Chrome from the Web Store. This gives you capture, annotate, and copy tools on any webpage.

Install the AI Companion

The companion server bridges your AI tools and the Chrome extension. It runs locally on your machine.

npm install -g @snip-browser/ai-companion

# This automatically configures Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor.
# Start the companion server:
snip-companion start

# Verify it's running:
snip-companion doctor

Configure your AI tool

Setup runs automatically on install, but you can also configure tools individually.

snip-companion setup all

# Configures all supported AI tools at once:
#   Claude Code  → ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md
#   Codex CLI    → ~/.codex/instructions.md
#   Cursor       → ~/.cursor/rules/snip-browser.md

snip-companion setup claude

# Writes snip-wait instructions to:
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md

# Claude Code will now automatically use snip-wait
# when it needs to see something in the browser.

snip-companion setup codex

# Writes snip-wait instructions to:
~/.codex/instructions.md

# Codex CLI will now use snip-wait when it needs
# visual context from the browser.

snip-companion setup cursor

# Writes snip-wait instructions to:
~/.cursor/rules/snip-browser.md

# Cursor's AI will now use snip-wait when it needs
# to see something in the browser.

Try it out

Ask your AI tool to look at a webpage. It will run snip-wait, Chrome opens, you capture and annotate, and the AI sees what you see.

# Your AI tool runs this automatically:
snip-wait --url "https://example.com" --reason "Check the layout"

# Chrome opens -> you select a region -> annotate -> copy
# AI receives the annotated screenshot and responds

Configuration

Optional environment variables for advanced setup.

Variable	Default	Description
`SNIP_COMPANION_HOST`	127.0.0.1	Server bind address
`SNIP_COMPANION_PORT`	8765	Server port
`SNIP_COMPANION_DIR`	~/SnipInbox	Data directory for captures
`SNIP_COMPANION_MAX_ITEMS`	200	Max captures before pruning
`SNIP_COMPANION_MAX_AGE_DAYS`	14	Max capture age before pruning

Note: The companion server runs locally on your machine. No data is sent to the cloud. Screenshots are stored in ~/SnipInbox and automatically cleaned up after 14 days.