Question 1

Which PromptDC app or extension should I install?

Accepted Answer

The PromptDC Desktop app (macOS and Windows) is the flagship and only installation you need for everything. It works everywhere: in any browser (Safari, Chrome, Edge, Firefox), desktop app (Mail, Slack, Notion, Word, Outlook, Teams, Discord, Notes), AI app (ChatGPT, Claude, Grok), IDE (Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Antigravity), and terminal (Terminal, iTerm, Warp, Ghostty, Windows Terminal) to enhance CLIs like Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini CLI. The Chrome extension is an addition for in-place web field rewriting without Accessibility permissions, and IDE extensions are optional for dedicated editor sidebars.

Question 2

Do I sign in separately on each surface?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Desktop, Chrome, VS Code, and Cursor each keep their own local session. Open settings or the side panel on that surface, start sign-in, complete the browser authentication flow, and return to the app or editor.

Question 3

What is a profile?

Accepted Answer

A profile is a reusable instruction for transforming text in Desktop and Chrome. There are no 'modes'—everything is a profile. PromptDC ships ten built-ins: Code, Grammar, Email, Social, Image Prompt, Summarize, Reply, Professional, Concise, and Explain. The Code profile turns vague requests into implementation-ready prompts for AI coding tools, IDEs, and terminal CLIs.

Question 4

Where are Profiles and Actions available?

Accepted Answer

Profiles and Actions are available in PromptDC Desktop (macOS and Windows) and Chrome. The VS Code and Cursor extensions do not use profiles; they provide dedicated Simple or Structured output controls, a target picker, Language, Format, a Custom Prompt, and Always Include. If you want profiles across your entire coding workflow, the desktop app works directly inside IDE chat panels and terminals.

Question 5

When should I use an Action instead of a profile?

Accepted Answer

Use a profile for an instruction you expect to reuse. Use an Action for a one-off instruction. An Action can contain up to 19,000 characters and transforms your selection without changing or persisting your active profile.

Question 6

Why did PromptDC choose a different profile in another app or website?

Accepted Answer

On desktop, you can set a per-app default profile (such as Code for Cursor and terminals, or Email for Mail). In Chrome, you can set per-website default profiles. When no custom rule is set on a recognized coding host, Chrome defaults to Code, then checks hostname rules, last-used profile on ordinary sites, and finally Grammar.

Question 7

Which settings apply to every profile?

Accepted Answer

Language applies globally across all profiles (with Auto detecting input language). Format (Regular, JSON, XML, YAML), Simple or Structured output, and Always Include (2,000-character cap) apply only to the Code profile on desktop. Writing profiles output standard Regular text.

Question 8

Can I create, edit, delete, or reorder profiles?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can reorder profiles, and custom profile management is available with a subscription. Every built-in profile except Code can be edited, deleted, or restored. Code remains protected so PromptDC can always format prompts for AI coding tools and terminal CLIs.

Question 9

Why did Chrome copy the result instead of replacing the text?

Accepted Answer

Chrome replaces the selected range in an editable field and preserves the rest. For read-only page selections, the primary button switches to Copy because the browser cannot modify non-editable webpage content.

Question 10

How do I undo Disable on this site in Chrome?

Accepted Answer

Right-click anywhere on the page and choose Enable PromptDC on this site. Reload the page if needed, then focus an input field and confirm the floating toolbar returns.

Question 11

Does Chrome need Accessibility permission on macOS?

Accepted Answer

No. Chrome uses standard browser permissions. PromptDC Desktop requires Accessibility on macOS to capture global shortcuts and replace selected text, plus Automation access when a selection or Cmd+V path controls System Events. Windows requires no special permissions.

Question 12

What should I do when PromptDC Desktop cannot read my selection?

Accepted Answer

Select non-empty text and retry. On macOS, verify Accessibility in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility. If you encounter Apple event error -1743, grant PromptDC permission under Automation > System Events, then restart the app and retry.

Question 13

Will the editor extensions modify my source file?

Accepted Answer

The VS Code extension targets the AI chat input directly, so it does not touch your source files. In Cursor and other Open VSX editors, keep focus and selection in the chat panel, as an active selection in a focused source file can be rewritten. Alternatively, PromptDC Desktop with Cmd+Shift+E / Ctrl+Shift+E lets you review any enhancement in an editable popover before replacing.

Question 14

Why does the editor shortcut do nothing?

Accepted Answer

Click inside the prompt field in the editor's AI chat panel, confirm it contains text, and retry. Editor shortcuts do not run while an integrated terminal has focus (use PromptDC Desktop's global shortcut instead). Also check your sign-in status and keybinding conflicts.

Question 15

Can PromptDC Desktop enhance terminal prompts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. PromptDC is the first desktop app to enhance prompts inside terminal CLIs on macOS and Windows, including Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Grok, Agy (Antigravity CLI), and OpenCode. Select your prompt in Terminal, iTerm, Warp, Ghostty, Termius, Windows Terminal, or your IDE terminal, and press Cmd+Shift+E (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+E (Windows). An editable review popover opens where Replace pastes the result without pressing Enter, and Copy leaves the terminal text unchanged.

Question 16

Do I configure a provider key separately on each surface?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When using Bring Your Own Key (BYOK), each surface (Desktop, Chrome, VS Code, Cursor) stores its key locally. The key passes through PromptDC's backend in memory only for that request over TLS and is never written to the PromptDC database.

PromptDC questions and answers

Setup and surfaces

Profiles and instructions

Chrome and permissions

Editors, terminal, and BYOK

Detailed guides

Write better with AI