Where settings live
Open Preferences from the LittleDraft workspace. The current interface groups writing defaults, Mail/AI behavior, shortcuts, and advanced controls. Account, Writing style, Library, Pre-Drafts, and Privacy & Permissions are separate destinations for the information they own.
Do not confuse opening, drafting, and sending
- Open when replying in Mail: Shows LittleDraft when a Mail reply window opens. Opening the assistant is not itself a generation request. Turning this off also disables Auto-write on Reply.
- Insert generated replies into Mail: Allows the normal instruction/quick-action workflow to place a generated result into the verified draft after checks. Turn it off when you prefer to inspect preparation and review first.
- Draft automatically with shortcut: Can start generation and insertion when you invoke the reply shortcut in Mail. Enabling it also enables insertion; disabling insertion turns this automatic shortcut behavior off.
- Auto-write on Reply: Starts a best-guess draft when you begin replying in Mail. It is separate from automatic background inbox Pre-Drafts.
None of these controls sends the email. Review and send in Mail. Cloud automatic generations use the applicable cloud allowance; activated Private Mode uses the supported local engine.
A review-first setup
Keep Open when replying on, turn Auto-write and automatic shortcut drafting off, and disable direct insertion if you want a review step. Open a message, enter your direction deliberately, inspect the prepared reply, then use the offered Mail handoff. This separates “show me the assistant” from “start an AI request.”
Learn from explicit choices
Where enabled, “Learn my reply preferences” records local counts of the replies you explicitly choose. Automatic selections do not teach this choice history. The encrypted preference history does not add email bodies or generated replies. Resetting these counts is separate from deleting learned writing-style profiles or Library documents. A learned preference does not remove the need to review conflicting facts or missing decisions.
Historical excerpts are a separate choice
Local style learning, local storage of examples, and sharing historical excerpts with Cloud AI are distinct controls. Enabling local storage alone does not authorize uploads. Manage the relevant consent in Writing style, and inspect the processing mode before drafting.
Advanced cloud-engine controls
The managed cloud service selects the model automatically. “Prefer extra care” requests more reasoning and may take longer; it is not a guarantee of better facts or a different privacy mode. Read the current model-usage view as a record of completed cloud operations, not a per-email quality score.
The writing-evaluation tool uses sample emails to compare responses. Open it and review its actual samples, requirements, and usage disclosure before running it. It is an optional AI workflow, not free background analysis of your inbox. Last-generation diagnostics and model activity can help support, but redact private content when sharing a screenshot.
Other defaults
Set tone and length for new replies, manage native languages for translation defaults, and choose whether the app checks for updates automatically. Automatic checks do not mean the app silently installs and restarts itself. macOS permission grants remain in System Settings and are not revoked by changing a LittleDraft preference.
Processing status in the 0.20.57 release
The Cloud and Private AI settings have clearer indicators for the selected mode, local model availability, and activation. Read these as separate checks: Private AI can be selected while the model is still unavailable or the local license needs online activation. Complete the action described by the current readiness message before retrying.
Little Engine remains online. In this release, a one-request approval disclosure can appear while Private AI is selected. That approval does not save a Cloud preference or enable later cloud drafting. Decline the request if you do not want its disclosed information to leave the Mac.
Clearer Mail controls in 0.20.57
Mail automation settings now describe their actions: open the assistant, insert drafts, or generate when you reply or press the shortcut. Choose each action deliberately. Private AI status distinguishes the selected mode, model readiness and activation, and clearly labels local drafting as beta.