Start with what you want to do.

Chat with people

1. Confirm supported client and account access through platform access.
2. Sign in through the supported app and set up the profile information you want to share.
3. Find a contact or use a supported invitation. Check the recipient and participant list before sharing.
4. Send a message in an authorized conversation. Review attachments and privacy choices first.

You do not need AI-provider tools just to chat with people. Hosted messaging requires supported account authorization; this does not promise accountless hosted chat.

Work with agents from a companion

1. Confirm the client and workflow are qualified for your device, then sign in through the app.
2. Open an authorized agent conversation and select an eligible enrolled work computer where the workflow supports it.
3. Check that the computer is online, authorized and explicitly hosting in a supported session.
4. Request only supported work and review its result. Sending a human message or selecting a computer is not an execution grant.

Signing in on a phone does not authorize arbitrary desktop commands or access to every file. Provider sign-in stays on the executing computer for the supported draft workflow.

Run agents on a work computer

1. Use an approved compatible build. Check the exact release, operating system and signing information before installation.
2. Install and authenticate the provider tools supported by your chosen agent workflow. Provider accounts and charges apply separately.
3. Enroll the computer through the supported app, select the agent definition and review workspace/tool permissions.
4. Explicitly enable hosting when the supported workflow requires it. New host sessions begin with hosting off; lock, sleep, disconnect or sign-out can interrupt work and require recovery.
5. Review the requested operation, input, tool scope and costs. Unattended scheduling needs separate support and authority.

A private provided-context draft grants no files, shell, browser, connectors or Office tools. Other local project workflows require their own explicit permissions. Mac hosting is unavailable; companion sign-in is not hosting.

See providers and connections before configuring tools.

Review the result and recover carefully

Read the context and reported result, verify consequential changes and inspect task activity. A completion label does not independently verify the work.

Stop requested and confirmed stopped are different. If an outcome is unknown, use the supported reconciliation path; repeating a side effect can duplicate work. Do not delete local evidence or reinstall to clear an uncertain outcome.

Understand data and permission boundaries and Calls availability.