> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rikka-ai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart: Send Your First AI Message in 5 Minutes

> Install Rikka on Android, connect your first AI provider with your API key, choose a model, and send your first message in under five minutes.

This guide gets you from zero to your first AI conversation as quickly as possible. You need an Android device, a copy of Rikka installed, and an API key from at least one AI provider. If you do not have an API key yet, sign up with your chosen provider first — links are included in the steps below.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Download and Install Rikka">
    Install Rikka on your Android device from either the Google Play Store or the official website.

    <CardGroup cols={2}>
      <Card title="Official Website (Recommended)" icon="download" href="https://rikka-ai.com/download">
        Download the latest APK directly from rikka-ai.com — always up to date.
      </Card>

      <Card title="Google Play Store" icon="rocket" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.rerere.rikkahub">
        Tap **Install** on the Play listing for automatic updates and easy installation.
      </Card>
    </CardGroup>

    Once installation is complete, open Rikka from your home screen or app drawer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Settings and Add a Provider">
    Rikka needs at least one AI provider before you can chat. Navigate to the provider settings now.

    1. Tap the **Settings** icon (gear) at the bottom of the sidebar.
    2. Select **Provider Settings** from the settings menu.
    3. Many providers are pre-configured — if yours is listed, just tap it and enter your API key. If not, tap the button in the top-right corner to create a new provider.

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="OpenAI">
        The most widely used API format. Enter the base URL and API key from your provider to complete the setup.

        OpenAI has two API versions. **Chat Completions** is the default in RikkaHub and is the most popular format supported by the vast majority of providers. The newer **Responses API** is what OpenAI itself now prioritizes — if you are using the official OpenAI API or a relay that mirrors GPT models, switching to the Responses API is recommended. Tap **Use Responses API** to enable it.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Google Gemini">
        Google's own API format, used exclusively for Google Gemini models.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Anthropic Claude">
        The second most widely adopted API format after OpenAI. Used by Claude and a number of other models as well.
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your API Key">
    Paste your API key into the **API Key** field for the provider you selected.

    If you are using an unofficial relay that is not built into RikkaHub, you will also need to set the provider's **Base URL** when creating a new provider.

    <Warning>
      Treat your API key like a password. Do not share it, and do not paste it into untrusted apps. Rikka stores your key locally on your device and never sends it to Rikka's servers — it goes directly to your chosen provider.
    </Warning>

    After pasting your key, tap **Save** or **Confirm** to store the provider configuration.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Models">
    After configuring a provider, scroll to the **Models** section at the bottom of the provider screen and tap it.

    Most providers support fetching the model list automatically — tap the expand button to load the list, then select the models you want to use.

    To remove a model you no longer need, swipe it to delete.

    <Note>
      You can change the model at any time from within a conversation using the model picker in the chat toolbar.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Default Models">
    Go back to the Settings page and select **Default Models & Prompts** to set the default model for each feature module.

    Beyond the chat model, other features (such as title generation and summarization) can each use a different model — a faster, cheaper model often works well for those tasks.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start Your First Conversation">
    Everything is ready. Head back to the main screen and start a new conversation.

    1. Tap the model selector button at the bottom-left to choose the model you want to use.
    2. Type your first message in the text field and tap **Send**.

    Rikka streams the response back to you in real time. That's it — you're up and running!

    <Tip>
      Try a simple opener like *"Explain what you can help me with"* to get a feel for the model's capabilities before diving into more specific tasks.
    </Tip>

    <Warning>
      Avoid asking the model which model it is. Models do not have accurate self-awareness about their own identity — this is a fundamental property of how large language models work, not a bug in Rikka.

      Official apps can answer this correctly because they inject a system prompt that tells the model its identity. RikkaHub does not include such a prompt by default, though you can add one yourself through the system prompt settings.
    </Warning>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What to Explore Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Providers Overview" icon="plug" href="/providers/overview">
    Add more providers and learn how to configure advanced options like custom base URLs and headers.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Assistants" icon="robot" href="/assistants/overview">
    Create reusable assistants with custom system prompts, model defaults, and personalities.
  </Card>

  <Card title="MCP Extensions" icon="puzzle" href="/extensions/mcp">
    Connect external tools and data sources to give your AI access to real-world actions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Web Access" icon="globe" href="/settings/web-access">
    Enable live web search so your AI can answer questions about current events and recent information.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>