Velnode/ Docs / FAQv2.3.3-beta.15
Velnode Browser · a product of Dignity New Zealand Limited
User | Version 2.0 | Last updated 2026-07-03
Document type: User Owner: Dignity New Zealand Limited Applies to: Velnode Browser v2.3.2-beta.1 and later Last updated: 2026-07-03 Document version: 2.0 Status: Approved
Short answers to the questions people ask first. For depth, follow the linked documents.
Velnode Browser is a product of Dignity New Zealand Limited.
What is Velnode? A desktop browser with a single AI assistant called Vee. Local-first, lightweight by default, built on Electron. See Features.
Who makes it? Dignity New Zealand Limited, a New Zealand company.
Is it free? Yes. Velnode is free to use, free forever, with no paid tiers active today. Velnode is source-available software — the application code is viewable but is proprietary to Dignity New Zealand Limited, all rights reserved. Velnode is built on open-source components (listed in Open Source Notices), and those components retain their own licences.
How is Velnode funded?
Through voluntary donations, not through selling your data or your attention. You can support the project at velnode.app/donate via Ko-fi (one-time or monthly, ko-fi.com/velnode), a direct card payment (processed by Stripe), or Givealittle (for New Zealand donors). Donating does not unlock any feature — it is a contribution, not a purchase. A Velnode Pro subscription is planned for the future (see below) but is not the funding model for the free browser.
Which platforms? The public beta (v2.3.2-beta.1) runs on Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit, only. macOS and Linux builds are planned for a later release. There is no mobile build.
What does it cost in disk and RAM? The installer is about 182 MB. Up to 500 MB of idle RAM with no tabs and no plugins enabled. The optional local LLM brain and wake-word model are opt-in downloads — they are not bundled and you choose whether to add them.
Where do I find help without going online? The full set of user guides — this FAQ, Getting Started, Troubleshooting, and more — ships inside Velnode and works offline. Open it from ☰ → Help. A changelog listing what changed in each release is also included from this version onward.
How do I download and verify Velnode?
Download Velnode-Setup.exe from velnode.app/download (served from downloads.velnode.app). To verify the file has not been tampered with, check its SHA-256 hash against the checksums published at downloads.velnode.app/latest/SHA256SUMS.txt — in PowerShell, run Get-FileHash Velnode-Setup.exe and compare the output.
Why does Windows say the publisher is unknown? Velnode's installer is digitally signed by DIGNITY NEWZEALAND LIMITED (since v2.3.3-beta.13). Windows SmartScreen may still show a caution screen for a while — it builds reputation for a newly signed publisher as downloads accumulate, then the warning disappears on its own. If you see it, click More info, check the publisher reads DIGNITY NEWZEALAND LIMITED, then Run anyway.
How do updates work? In the beta, updates are notify-only. Velnode checks for a newer version and, if one exists, shows you a notice with a link to velnode.app/download — it never downloads or installs anything automatically. Running the new installer over your existing install updates Velnode in place and keeps all your data. Fully automatic updates arrive once the installer is code-signed.
Is Vee a chatbot? Vee is the in-product AI assistant. There is only one Vee identity across summaries, voice, suggestions, and the modal panel. There is no second chatbot, no separate personality for voice, and no model-picker that pretends to be a different assistant.
What model does Vee use? Whichever you configure in Settings → AI Provider. You can use any supported cloud provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, DeepSeek, Mistral, Groq, OpenRouter, or a local OpenAI-compatible server), or the optional local LLM brain. Vee never routes calls through a Dignity New Zealand Limited server.
Can Vee browse the web? Vee can read the page you are currently looking at and answer questions about it. Vee does not autonomously browse the web on its own. Plugins may extend this capability.
Does Vee remember our conversations? Within the current session, yes — up to the configured token cap. Across sessions, EchoVee builds a semantic memory from the append-only timeline. You can clear it at any time in Settings → Privacy.
Can Vee make mistakes? Yes. Verify any fact that matters before relying on it.
Can Vee tell me about my bookmarks, history, downloads, or passwords? Yes, when the local AI brain is active. You can ask Vee things like "which bookmarks do I have about cooking?", "what did I read last Tuesday?", "what downloads are in my queue?", or "how many logins do I have saved?". Vee reads your data directly on your device — nothing is sent to a cloud service as part of answering.
For the Password Vault, Vee can see metadata only: the total count of saved logins and payment cards, the site hostnames where logins are saved, a count of flagged weak passwords, and the card brands on file. The vault hostnames are only visible while the vault is unlocked. Actual passwords, card numbers, security codes, and full card details are never surfaced to Vee under any circumstances. If the vault is locked, Vee can still tell you the total counts but will not name the sites.
Does Vee ever say she is made by Microsoft, or reveal which model she runs on? No. Vee identifies as Vee — Velnode's built-in assistant, made by Dignity New Zealand Limited. She will never tell you she is "Phi", "built by Microsoft", or name any other base-model developer. If you ask who made Windows, what Microsoft does, or any other external fact, she will answer correctly — the identity rule applies only to self-disclosure about the AI itself. There is no way to prompt Vee into revealing her underlying model.
Does Velnode send my data anywhere? Not without your knowledge. Velnode has no telemetry, no analytics, and no phone-home. If you configure a cloud AI provider, Vee's prompts go directly from your device to that provider under your own credentials — Velnode is only the pipe. If you create a Velnode account and enable sync, encrypted data is transmitted to our sync server — but it is end-to-end encrypted before it leaves your device, and we cannot read it.
Where does my data live? On your device by default, stored locally in files you control. If you create a Velnode account and enable sync, a copy is end-to-end encrypted on your device and synced to our server — but only the encrypted ciphertext ever leaves your machine. Your browsing history and vault contents are never transmitted in readable form.
Can I delete everything? Yes. Quit Velnode, delete the local data folder, and restart. Velnode rebuilds empty defaults. To uninstall entirely, also remove the application.
What about cookies set by websites? Those belong to the websites you visit. Velnode respects the cookie controls in Settings → Privacy. See Cookie Policy.
Is there a Velnode account?
A Velnode Account is optional. You can create one at velora://account or from Settings → Account. The core browser works fully without one. See the Velnode Account guide and the account & sync section below.
Do I need a Velnode Account to use Velnode? No. Every core feature — browsing, bookmarks, the vault, Vee with your own API key — works fully without an account and continues to work while you are signed out.
What does a Velnode Account give me? It gives you a stable identity so you can sign in on multiple devices, and it turns on automatic cross-device sync of your bookmarks, history, notes, workspaces, pinned commands, settings, and vault. See the sync section below for details.
Can Velnode read my data if I have an account? No. Velnode uses a zero-knowledge design. Your account data key is derived from your password on your device and is never sent to the server in usable form. The server stores only opaque encrypted blobs it cannot decrypt. Dignity New Zealand Limited cannot read your bookmarks, history, notes, timeline events, or vault contents. See Privacy Policy §4.8.
What does the server actually store? Your email address, a server-side authentication verifier (not the password itself — never the password), three key-derivation salts, and two opaque encrypted blobs (the account data key, wrapped client-side). That is it.
What is the Recovery Kit? A 24-word phrase generated when you create your account. It is the only way to recover access to your encrypted account data if you forget your password and reset it. Velnode shows it once, and Dignity New Zealand Limited never stores it. Keep it safe — ideally written down or as a printed PDF Emergency Kit.
What happens if I forget my password? A password-reset link restores your login. When you sign back in, Velnode asks for your Recovery Kit to re-wrap the encrypted data key under the new password. Once you provide it, everything works as before. If you have lost the Recovery Kit, see the next question.
What if I lose both my password and my Recovery Kit? The password-reset link restores your login, but your previously-encrypted account data cannot be decrypted. It remains on the server as ciphertext that no one — including Dignity New Zealand Limited — can read. Your local data on your device is not affected; only the encrypted account data key is unrecoverable. There is no backdoor. This is the honest, unavoidable consequence of zero-knowledge encryption.
Does signing in unlock my vault? No. The vault has its own master passphrase and trust root, separate from the account login. Signing in does not expose vault contents. The vault opens only when you enter the vault passphrase.
Is Velnode Pro available? Not yet. In-app, Velnode Pro shows as "coming soon" with a notify-me option. Cloud sync is free for every account today, including 250 MB of end-to-end encrypted storage — there is no paywall on sync in the beta. A paid Velnode Pro tier is planned for a future release and will offer more storage and additional features.
Can I delete my account? Yes. Go to Settings → Account → Delete account. Dignity New Zealand Limited deletes your account row, sessions, email tokens, and wrapped-data-key blobs from the server within 30 days. Your local data on your device is not affected.
Do I need to do anything to turn sync on? No. Signing in to your Velnode Account turns sync on automatically. There is no separate sync passphrase to set up.
What syncs across my devices? Seven categories sync, each with its own on/off toggle in Settings → Sync. All are on by default:
Can Velnode read my synced data? No. Every collection is encrypted on your device before it is sent. Velnode's servers store only opaque ciphertext — they cannot decrypt any of it. This is the same zero-knowledge design as the account itself.
Can I turn sync off for specific things? Yes. Open Settings → Sync and toggle any category off. Turning a category off stops future sync for that category. Data already on the server is not deleted; it stays available if you re-enable later.
What happens to my vault when it syncs? Your vault travels as an opaque blob — the sync layer never decrypts it. When the vault arrives on a new device it is locked, and a prompt guides you to unlock it with your vault passphrase. Signing in does not unlock the vault; only the vault passphrase does.
Does syncing my history break the privacy guarantee? History sync is a union-merge: Velnode only ever adds history entries on a receiving device, never removes them. If you have Network Privacy turned on (recording paused), no new entries are captured locally and therefore nothing is pushed for that session. Synced history from other devices still arrives.
Will I stay signed in across restarts? Yes, by default. Velnode quietly rotates your session token in the background so active users stay signed in indefinitely. If you prefer to enter your password on every launch, turn on "Always ask me to sign in on launch" in Settings → Sync.
What if my session expires? Sync pauses and a prompt appears asking you to sign in again. Your local data is not affected by a session expiry.
Can I use sync on more than two devices? Yes. Any device you sign into receives your synced data.
Is there a storage limit? Yes. Every free account includes 250 MB of end-to-end encrypted sync storage. If you reach it, Velnode shows a notification in Settings → Sync. A future Velnode Pro tier will raise the quota.
Do I need to pay a cloud provider? Only if you want Vee to use a cloud model. With the opt-in local LLM brain, no cloud account is needed at all.
Where is my API key stored? In main-process secure storage on your device. The renderer never sees it and plugins cannot access it.
Can the provider see my browsing? The cloud provider sees the prompts you explicitly send through Vee. It does not see your other tabs, your timeline, or your bookmarks unless you have included them in a prompt.
Can I use a different AI provider instead of OpenAI? Yes. Open Settings → AI Provider & Key, choose your provider, pick a model, and paste that provider's API key. Vee then runs on your choice everywhere — chat, summaries, voice, and the rest. Supported providers: OpenAI (GPT), Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini), xAI (Grok), DeepSeek, Mistral, Groq, OpenRouter, and any local OpenAI-compatible server (Ollama, LM Studio — set its base URL; usually no key required). One OpenRouter key can reach Claude, Gemini, Grok, and more.
Which providers are not supported, and why?
Does choosing a provider change my privacy? Whichever cloud provider you select sees your prompts — exactly as OpenAI does today. Your key is encrypted on your device and is only sent as the authorization header to that provider. Local-Only Mode overrides everything — turn it on and no prompts go to any cloud, regardless of the configured provider.
What does on-device Vee (a Vee Brain) need from my computer? About 4 GB of free memory while it's answering. The first answer after you open Velnode takes a minute or two — that's a one-time read of your context on the CPU; after it, answers start in seconds. If an answer won't start, Velnode will tell you when free memory is too low — close some heavy apps and ask again. The brain unloads itself after 30 minutes of no use, giving the memory back.
Can I install plugins? Yes. Open Settings → Plugins → Open Veehive store (or the ☰ menu). Every plugin in the Veehive store carries Velnode's own cryptographic signature — only signed, vetted add-ons can be installed.
What is Veehive? Veehive is Velnode's built-in plugin store — a hand-picked, signed catalogue of add-ons that extend what Velnode and Vee can do. You open it from Settings → Plugins → Open Veehive store or from the ☰ menu.
What plugins ship with Velnode? Velnode includes the following built-in plugins, all turned off by default: Citation Collector, Counter-Research, Multi-Tab Synthesis, Personal Wikipedia, and Vee for Code. Enable the ones you want in Settings → Plugins; disabled plugins consume zero RAM.
Do plugins consume RAM? A disabled plugin consumes zero RAM at boot. An enabled plugin runs against a per-plugin memory budget enforced by the runtime.
Can a plugin read my data? Only the data covered by the permissions you have granted it. Permissions are declared in the plugin's manifest and shown to you before you enable it.
Is it safe to install a plugin from Veehive? Yes. Velnode only loads a plugin that carries Velnode's own digital signature, and it re-checks every plugin file's fingerprint before running it — a tampered, unsigned, or revoked plugin is refused.
Is there parental control? Yes. Kids Mode forces Local-Only AI, restricts navigation to an allow-list, and locks itself behind a parental code.
Can a child turn Kids Mode off? Not without the parental code. The lock is enforced in the main process; the renderer cannot bypass it.
What will Vee refuse? The categories listed in Vee Capabilities §2 and the Acceptable Use Policy §2. These refusals are not negotiable through prompt engineering.
Does Velnode have a password manager? Yes. The Password Vault stores passwords, payment cards, and login credentials on your device. It captures logins as you submit forms and lets you auto-fill them later. Access it from the toolbar vault icon.
Where are my passwords stored? In the operating system's secure storage on your device (Windows Credential Manager, macOS Keychain, or the Linux secret service). They are not in a plain file that can be opened in a text editor, and they are not transmitted to any server.
What is a recovery phrase and do I need one? The recovery phrase is a 24-word phrase that acts as a second key to your vault. If you forget your master passphrase, the recovery phrase lets you regain access. You do not have to set one up, but without it a forgotten passphrase means your vault is permanently unrecoverable. Set it up from vault Settings → Recovery phrase.
What if I lose both the passphrase and the recovery phrase? There is no way to recover the vault — not even Dignity New Zealand Limited can access it. This is intentional: a backdoor would mean a third party can read your passwords. If this happens, reset the vault from the unlock screen and change your passwords on each affected site.
Can I move my vault to a new computer?
Yes. Use vault Settings → Backup and restore → Backup to export a .velora-vault file. Copy it to the new machine, install Velnode, and use Restore. You will need your master passphrase (or recovery phrase, if you enabled that option during export).
Can I back up my vault automatically? Yes. Enable automatic backups in vault Settings → Backup and restore → Automatic backups. Choose a folder and how many snapshots to keep (default 5). Velnode saves an encrypted snapshot every time your vault changes. Use the portable export for moving to a new computer.
Is the vault zero-knowledge? Yes. Your master passphrase and recovery phrase are never stored or transmitted. Velnode cannot read your vault, and neither can Dignity New Zealand Limited. The vault file is also encrypted at rest by the OS before Velnode's own encryption layer applies.
Can a plugin or a website read my passwords? No. The IPC channels that return plaintext vault data are sender-verified and restricted to the internal vault page. Plugins are denied access to those channels entirely.
Can I import my passwords from Chrome, Edge, or Firefox? Yes. Velnode supports guided CSV password import from Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, and Firefox.
Open the Velnode vault page (vault icon in the toolbar) → Import passwords, or go to Settings → Import from another browser. Velnode detects which browsers you have installed and shows tailored steps for that browser — typically: open the browser's Settings → Passwords → Export passwords. The browser will ask for your OS password or biometric before it allows the export. Save the CSV file, then select it in Velnode.
Velnode shows a preview of how many logins and sites are in the file, without displaying the passwords themselves. On confirmation, Velnode seals each new credential into the encrypted vault. Any login that already matches an existing entry by site and username is skipped — Velnode never overwrites a saved password.
After the import, Velnode offers to remove the CSV file, since that file holds your passwords in plain text. You can accept or decline. The removal overwrites then deletes the file.
Does Velnode read my other browser's passwords directly? No. Velnode never reads or decrypts another browser's stored password database. It imports only the CSV file that you export yourself, through the source browser's own interface, which requires your OS authentication. This is a deliberate design choice: reading another browser's database directly would require techniques that modern browsers' App-Bound Encryption is specifically designed to prevent. Your imported credentials are stored in the Velnode encrypted vault on your device and are never transmitted.
How do I bookmark the current page? Click the ★ in the address bar, or press Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on macOS). A popover opens so you can edit the name and choose a folder. Click Done to save.
How do I bring my bookmarks from Chrome, Edge, Brave, or another browser? Velnode can import directly from browsers installed on your computer — no export file needed.
Open Settings → "Import from another browser" (or the "From browser" button in the bookmarks manager). Velnode auto-detects Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi profiles on your device and lets you import bookmarks and browsing history separately, each in one tap with a duplicate-safe preview. Nothing leaves your device — Velnode reads only the data you choose to import, locally.
If you prefer the traditional route, export an HTML bookmarks file from your previous browser (in Chrome: Settings → Bookmarks → Export bookmarks), then use ☰ → Bookmarks → Import inside Velnode and select that file.
Privacy note: Velnode reads only the specific data you choose to import — bookmarks or browsing history — from the other browser on your device. Passwords, cookies, extensions, and all other browser data are not read, and nothing is transmitted.
How do I show the bookmarks bar? Open the ☰ menu → Bookmarks → Show favorites bar. The bar is off by default. Once on, it appears as a strip directly under the toolbar. Folders on the bar open as dropdowns, and you can drag items to reorder them.
How do I open the full bookmark manager?
Click the 📘 toolbar button or press Ctrl+Shift+O to open the Favorites flyout, then click Open full manager. You can also type velora://bookmarks in the address bar. The full manager is a two-pane view with a folder tree on the left and bookmark cards on the right.
Where are my bookmarks stored? On your device. They are never transmitted to any server. Favicons shown next to bookmarks come from Velnode's own local favicon cache — Velnode does not contact an external favicon service.
How do I pin a tab? Right-click the tab in the tab strip and choose Pin tab. Pinned tabs move to a compact zone at the left of the strip, show only the favicon, and survive a restart. Right-click a pinned tab and choose Unpin tab to return it to normal size.
How do I reopen a tab I accidentally closed? Press Ctrl+Shift+T (Cmd+Shift+T on macOS) — it works whether a web page or Velnode's chrome has focus. You can also right-click any tab and choose Reopen closed tab. Velnode remembers the last 25 closed tabs, and the list survives a restart. Tabs closed in a private window are never recorded.
How do I mute a noisy tab? Right-click the tab and choose Mute tab. The tab gains a muted indicator. Right-click again and choose Unmute tab to restore sound.
What else can I do from the tab right-click menu? New tab to the right, Reload, Duplicate, Pin/Unpin, Mute/Unmute, Close, Close other tabs, Close tabs to the right, Reopen closed tab, Move tab to new window, and Bookmark all tabs.
What does right-clicking the address bar do? It opens an editing context menu with Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Paste and go (paste a URL and navigate in one action), Select all, and Delete.
How do I view a web page's source code? Right-click anywhere on the page and choose View page source. Velnode opens the source as read-only text in a new tab — nothing is transmitted and nothing can be modified. This option is hidden in Kids Mode.
How do I open a link in a private window? Right-click the link and choose Open link in new private window.
What does right-clicking a web page offer when I have selected text? When text is selected, the context menu includes Copy, Search (runs a web search for your selection), and Ask Vee (sends the selected text to Vee as a question).
Is the spellchecker private? Yes. Spellcheck runs entirely on your device — no text is sent to any server. Spellcheck is automatically disabled in Local-Only mode.
How do I open an incognito (private) window? Open the ☰ menu at the top-right of the toolbar and choose New incognito window. Velnode opens a private window that does not record the pages you visit to your Smart Timeline or history. For an extra layer that routes your traffic through the Tor network, choose New incognito window with Tor instead. While a private window is active, an Incognito badge appears in the toolbar so you always know which mode you are in.
What does Enhanced Incognito actually protect? When incognito is on, Velnode stops Vee from logging your activity, blocks WebRTC IP-address leaks, forces DNS-over-HTTPS, randomizes your canvas, audio, and font fingerprints per site, and strips Referer and UTM tracking parameters from the links you follow. You can review or pre-arm these protections in Settings → Enhanced Incognito.
Does incognito hide my browsing from my employer or internet provider? Incognito stops Velnode from storing the visit on your device and reduces tracking. It does not, on its own, hide your traffic from your network or internet provider — for that, use the Tor option.
What is browser fingerprinting? Browser fingerprinting is a tracking technique that combines signals your browser produces — how it draws graphics, which fonts are installed, what GPU you have, and others — into a stable identifier. Unlike cookies, it leaves no file on your device and cannot be cleared.
Does Velnode protect against fingerprinting? Yes. Velnode includes a Fingerprint Protection engine. Private (Incognito) and Tor windows are always protected. In ordinary windows, you can turn it on in Settings → Privacy → Fingerprint Protection (off by default, to keep things lightweight).
The toggle also activates automatically when you turn on Network Privacy.
If a particular site breaks with Fingerprint Protection on, open Settings → Privacy → Fingerprint Protection → Manage exceptions and add that site to the allowlist.
What does Fingerprint Protection actually do?
| Protected vector | How |
|---|---|
| Canvas rendered image | Per-origin noise is added to pixel read-backs. The fingerprint changes each session; the page looks identical to you. |
| WebGL rendered image | Per-origin noise is added to readPixels read-backs, making the WebGL image fingerprint session-unlinkable. |
| GPU identity | The real GPU model name is replaced with a common cohort string in UNMASKED_VENDOR / UNMASKED_RENDERER. |
| Audio context | Per-origin noise is applied to the audio processing graph. |
| Font enumeration APIs | queryLocalFonts() and document.fonts.check() return a cohorted font set instead of your actual installed fonts. |
| User-Agent and client hints | Protected pages see a common Chrome identity (User-Agent, Sec-CH-UA, navigator.userAgentData) rather than the Velnode string. Your account and sync calls are not touched. |
Is Fingerprint Protection the same as anonymity?
No, and we will not claim that it is. Two vectors are not covered in this release: WebGL capability parameters (the extension list, max texture size, and precision values are hardware-specific and could still contribute to a partial fingerprint) and metric-based font measurement (spoofing measureText or offsetWidth would break page layout). A determined adversary can still narrow down your browser using those residual signals. What Fingerprint Protection does is reduce the highest-entropy identifiers and unlink the rendered-image vector across sessions — which is consistent with what privacy-focused browsers ship today.
How do I change the theme (light or dark mode)? Open Settings → Theme and pick one of three options: System, Light, or Dark. The change applies immediately.
What does the System theme do? System follows your operating system's appearance setting automatically — Velnode switches to light or dark whenever your OS does.
Will dark mode darken the web pages I visit? The theme controls Velnode's own interface — the toolbar, settings, dashboard, and Vee panel. Individual websites render in whatever theme each site provides.
Where do I report a bug?
E-mail [email protected] with a description that reproduces the issue. Velnode is in public beta — reports on anything that feels off are especially welcome right now.
Where do I report a security issue? Same address, subject line Security disclosure. See Acceptable Use Policy §5 for the responsible-disclosure expectations.
Can I request a feature? E-mail the same address. Requests are prioritised against the internal product roadmap.
Document maintained by Dignity New Zealand Limited. Questions: [email protected].