Mac projects and Agent · Docs

Projects across devices

Projects and folder references sync through iCloud. Normal project chats can continue without a Mac; coding chats stay attached to the Mac that owns their folder. Follow Projects & Remote Control to send, follow activity, and approve eligible actions from iPhone or iPad.

The task Mode picker controls coding access and is separate from the removed Chat Modes and Answer Styles. In the Direct edition, parallel tasks can use their own worktrees. Approvals remain in one dock, and changes can be reviewed before they land.

Create a project or open a folder

A project can keep chats, shared instructions, sources, and an optional working folder together. Opening a folder can also start a task directly without requiring a separate project.

Choose New Project to create a named project, or choose Open Folder to begin with an existing directory.
Add project instructions and sources when every task should share the same context.
Start a new task, then choose Chat, Agent, Plan, or Review beside the composer.
Select a tool-capable GGUF model or a compatible remote endpoint when the task needs workspace tools.

Noema on Mac with a project workspace, agent mode and approval controls — **Agent on Mac.** Task mode, workspace scope, and approval policy stay visible beside the composer. Shown in Noema 4.0.

Noema project settings on Mac with a working folder and instructions — **Project settings.** A project can carry its own folder, shared instructions, sources, and search boundary. Shown in Noema 4.0.

Choose the task mode

Mode	Workspace access	Best for
Chat	No workspace tools	Ordinary conversation without project actions.
Agent	May read, edit, and request commands under the selected approval policy	Implementing, testing, and completing project work.
Plan	Read-only; cannot change files or run commands	Understanding a codebase and proposing an approach.
Review	Read-only; cannot change files or run commands	Inspecting code and reporting correctness or regression risks.

Control approvals

The approval menu is independent from the task mode. Plan and Review always remain read-only. Agent offers the policies available in the installed Mac edition.

Policy	Behavior
Ask for approval	Ask before file changes and commands. Commands remain inside the workspace without network access.
Approve for me	Allow workspace edits and recognized read-only commands; ask before other commands.
Full access	Direct Mac edition only. Allow commands, network access, and files macOS permits without action prompts.

Full Access changes permission prompts, not task intent. Off-Grid Mode still blocks network access through Noema.

Inspect the work

Use Activity to follow file reads, searches, edits, commands, questions, plans, and decisions.
Open Files to search the project and move among editor tabs.
Open Review Changes for Git-aware comparisons before keeping the result.
Completed runs keep checkpoints when the workspace can be captured safely; restoration refuses to overwrite files that changed afterward.

App Store and direct Mac editions

Capability	App Store	Direct from Noema
Project files	User-selected folders inside App Store sandbox boundaries	Folders and files macOS permits
Terminal and Git commands	Unavailable	Available with the selected approval policy
MCP	Remote HTTPS servers	Remote HTTPS and local MCP server processes
Full Access	Unavailable	Optional

Both editions can run compatible local models. Download choices and current system requirements are listed on the Noema for Mac page.