System requirements
What your computer needs.
Amerus runs its AI on your own machine rather than in a data centre, so the hardware matters more than it would for a website. Here is exactly what is required, and what changes if you have more.
The short answer
| Mac | Apple silicon — M1, M2, M3, M4 or later, including Pro, Max and Ultra — running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Every Apple silicon Mac can run Sonoma, so an M-series Mac can always update to it free of charge. Supported |
|---|---|
| Windows | A 64-bit PC running Windows 11. The AI runs on your processor; a dedicated NVIDIA graphics card makes the larger models noticeably faster but is not required. Supported |
| Intel Macs | Not supported. Amerus relies on the unified memory of Apple silicon to run its models at a usable speed on a Mac. Not supported |
| Windows 10 and earlier | Not tested. Amerus is built and verified on Windows 11 only. Not supported |
| Memory | 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended. More memory lets Amerus run a larger, more capable model — see the table below. |
| Free disk space | About 6 GB for the application, the AI engine and a typical model set. Allow 12 GB if you choose the largest model, plus room for whatever you add to the Vault. |
| Internet | Needed once, during first-run setup, to download the AI engine and models. After that only for Connections you choose to use. |
| Account | None. Amerus has no account to create and no sign-in to a service. |
Which computers qualify
Mac: every model with an Apple silicon chip — if you bought it new from late 2020 onwards, it is almost certainly on this list. Windows: any 64-bit PC that runs Windows 11, which in practice means most machines sold since 2018.
| MacBook Air | M1 (2020) and every model since |
|---|---|
| MacBook Pro | 13” M1 (2020); 14” and 16” M1 Pro / M1 Max (2021) and every model since |
| Mac mini | M1 (2020) and every model since |
| iMac | 24” M1 (2021) and every model since |
| Mac Studio | All models (2022 onwards) |
| Mac Pro | Apple silicon models (2023 onwards) |
| Any Intel Mac | Not supported |
| Windows 11 PC | 64-bit, any manufacturer. Supported |
| Windows 10 PC | Not tested |
Mac: Apple menu → About This Mac. If the Chip line begins with “Apple M”, you are set; if it says “Processor” and names an Intel chip, Amerus will not run on that machine. Windows: Settings → System → About. You want “Windows 11” under Windows specifications and “64-bit operating system” under System type.
What memory changes
Amerus picks a model to match your computer during setup, and you can change it later in Settings. More memory means a more capable model, not more features. On Windows, a dedicated NVIDIA graphics card speeds up the larger models considerably.
| 8 GB | Works well. Amerus runs its balanced everyday model. Good for questions, documents, memory and search. |
|---|---|
| 16 GB Recommended | The sweet spot. A noticeably stronger model for reasoning and longer documents, with room to keep other applications open. |
| 24 GB | Stronger still. Deep mode gets meaningfully better at analysis and multi-step reasoning. |
| 32 GB and above | The most capable model Amerus offers, and the fastest responses in Deep mode. |
Storage, in detail
| Amerus application | Under 1 GB on either platform |
|---|---|
| Local AI engine | Roughly 0.5 GB, installed once during first-run setup |
| AI models | From about 1.5 GB for the everyday model to about 6 GB for the largest. Amerus downloads only what your computer can use. |
| Document index | Small — typically a fraction of the size of the documents themselves |
| Your Vault | Whatever you put in it. Files you connect from folders on your computer or in iCloud Drive stay where they already are and are not copied. |
Two things worth knowing
| First launch needs internet | Setup downloads the AI engine and models — a few gigabytes, once. After that Amerus works with no connection at all. |
|---|---|
| Your computer is the only copy | Amerus LLC does not hold a backup of anything you put into Amerus, because it never receives it. Keep your own backups, the way you would for any other document on your computer. See section 5 of the Terms of Use. |
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On your device.
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For Mac (Apple silicon, macOS 14+) and Windows 11. No account required.