How To

Use AgentVault with desktop AI tools.

AgentVault still works as a Chrome skills and secrets vault without the companion. Agent Session is the optional add-on workflow, and it requires the companion to be running before desktop tools can request secrets by name.

First-time setup

  1. Install AgentVault from the Chrome Web Store.
  2. Open AgentVault from the Chrome toolbar.
  3. Create or unlock your vault.
  4. Add your secrets, such as OpenAI API Key or GitHub Token.
  5. Ask your local AI agent to set up the companion using https://getagentvault.app/SKILL.md.

Grant a session

  1. Open AgentVault and unlock the vault.
  2. Choose how many minutes the agent should have access.
  3. Click Agent.
  4. Click Copy Agent Instructions.
  5. Paste the instructions into Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code, or another local tool.

The session token is temporary. You can revoke it early from AgentVault, and it expires automatically when the timer runs out. Current companion builds require extension pairing and keep session payloads encrypted until a local tool asks for one named secret.

Start the companion manually

If the Agent button is greyed out after setup, start or update the companion from the install folder:

Windows:
cd "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\AgentVaultCompanion\companion"
node server.js

Mac:
cd "$HOME/Library/Application Support/AgentVaultCompanion/companion"
node server.js

Linux:
cd "$HOME/.local/share/agentvault-companion/companion"
node server.js

Codex, VS Code, Cursor, Claude Code, CLI

Use the copied instructions. They include the live token, exact secret names, and this local HTTP call:

POST http://127.0.0.1:3747/secret
Content-Type: application/json

{ "token": "SESSION_TOKEN", "name": "OpenAI API Key" }

Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf with MCP

After the companion is installed by the hosted setup skill, MCP-compatible tools can use the AgentVault MCP server from the installed companion folder.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "agentvault": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["FULL_PATH_TO_AGENTVAULT_COMPANION/mcp/server.js"]
    }
  }
}

The MCP tools are list_secrets and get_secret.

Mac

Agent-assisted setup

A local AI agent can set up the companion on Mac using the hosted skill if Node.js 18+ is installed. A polished signed Mac app is not part of the MVP.

What will not work

Troubleshooting

The Agent button is greyed out

Install or update AgentVault Companion using the hosted setup skill. Then refresh AgentVault or wait a few seconds for the sidepanel to detect it.

127.0.0.1 refused to connect

The companion is not running. Ask your local agent to rerun the setup skill or start the companion from its installed folder.

The agent cannot find a secret

Use the exact name shown in AgentVault. Names are case-sensitive.