Librechat

Navigation

The Interface

When you first log in, you'll see three main areas:

1. The chat area (center): Where you type messages and read AI responses.
2. The left sidebar: Shows your conversation history, navigation options, and account settings.
   • New Chat button: Starts a fresh conversation. Each conversation is saved separately so you can return to it later.
   • Conversation History: A list of your past chats, labeled by topic or date. Click any item to reopen that conversation.
   • Settings / Profile: Found at the bottom of the sidebar — here you can adjust preferences, view your account info, and manage other options.
   • (You can collapse the sidebar by clicking the toggle icon at the top left, giving you more screen space for the chat itself.)
3. The right sidebar (side panel): A context panel with tools and settings relevant to your current conversation.
   • Agent Builder: Create and configure custom AI agents tailored to specific tasks or workflows. Agents can be given a name, instructions, and specific tools to use.
   • Prompts: Access and manage your saved prompt templates. (See the Prompts section below for how to create and use these.)
   • Memories: LibreChat can store key information across conversations, creating a persistent knowledge base. The Memories panel lets you view, add, or remove these stored details.
   • Parameters: Adjust advanced settings for the current conversation, such as the AI's response style (temperature) and other model-specific options. Useful if you want to experiment with how the model behaves.
   • Attach Files: Upload documents or images directly into your conversation so the AI can read and reference them.
   • Bookmarks: Save specific messages or conversations you want to return to quickly, like bookmarking a page in a book.
   • MCP Settings: MCP (Model Context Protocol) allows the AI to connect to external tools and services. This panel lets you view and configure those connections if they have been set up for your instance.
   • Hide Panel: Collapses the right sidebar to give you more screen space. Click the panel toggle to bring it back.

Switching between Models

One of LibreChat's most powerful features is the ability to use different AI models — each with different strengths. To change models:

• At the top of a new or existing conversation, look for the model selector dropdown (it will display the name of the currently active model, such as "GPT-4o" or "Claude 3.5 Sonnet").
• Click on it to open a list of available models.
• Select the model you'd like to use. The change takes effect immediately for any new messages you send.