Personalize update
API Instructions: More Room to Make Them Yours in Omni AI Companion
A companion can feel more like your kind of conversation when you have room to say what helps. API Instructions gives your connected models a dedicated place for those directions: not a one-time introduction you cannot revisit, but a collection you can read, edit, and grow. Choose the right companion, keep what is working, and add the next small detail that makes time together feel more natural.
What changed
Your previous directions stay in view
The API Instructions page shows your connected companion's existing user-authored directions alongside saved supplemental entries. You do not have to remember what you entered during setup or recreate a personality just to adjust a preference. Pick a companion, read the instructions already there, and edit the direction that needs to change. Each connection has its own instruction collection, so a preference for one companion does not silently become a rule for another.
A plus button for the next thing you want them to know
Add another titled instruction when a useful preference comes to mind. Keep conversation tone separate from creative preferences or the way you like questions answered. Your saved entries are included with that companion's future chat requests to the selected model. This lets you refine the experience in smaller pieces instead of replacing the core setup. Saving an instruction does not rewrite past messages or initiate a paid conversation on its own.
Change your mind without losing the whole collection
Open a saved entry, edit it, and save the revised version. If an instruction no longer fits, remove that entry with confirmation. The form shows its bounds and reports a failed save rather than pretending your changes reached the model. You can review the saved collection again after reloading. The selected model still has its own behavior and provider policies, so use these directions as clear preferences rather than promises of absolute control.
Why this feature matters
A useful preference is often very ordinary: less formality, a little more warmth, shorter answers on a busy day, or a question before advice. Giving those preferences a visible home makes personalization easier to understand and maintain.
Different models and different companions can suit different conversations. Separate saved entries let you experiment thoughtfully without applying the same style everywhere or rebuilding an identity every time something changes.
Feature examples and use cases
- A gentler check-in: Add “If I sound overwhelmed, ask whether I want comfort, practical help, or simply someone to listen.” Try it in a new conversation and adjust the wording if it feels too scripted.
- A writing partner with useful habits: Save “When reviewing my writing, explain what already works before suggesting changes.” Keep it separate from a second entry about concise feedback.
- Different rhythms for different companions: Give one connected companion a relaxed, playful direction and another a preference for structured brainstorming. Check the selected name before saving so each entry reaches the companion you intended.
How to use it
- Find your companion: Open the hamburger menu, expand Customize, and select API Instructions. Choose one of your connected companions. If you have not connected one yet, use the setup link to Bring Your Companion.
- Review before adding: Read the existing base directions and saved entries. Edit a previous instruction if that is all you need; otherwise use the plus button to add a title and a clear new direction.
- Save, then try it in conversation: Save the entry and check the success feedback. Your updated directions apply to future chat requests for that companion. Start a normal conversation to see how your chosen model responds and refine the wording if needed.
Tips for a better first try
- Give each entry a title you will recognize later, such as “Warm check-ins” or “Writing feedback.”
- Write a specific positive preference: “Use short paragraphs” is easier to follow than “Never be annoying.”
- Review the whole collection for contradictions before adding another direction.
Limitations and things to know
- Instructions have per-entry, collection, and base-field bounds shown on the page. They supplement the companion setup; they are not unlimited memory or a way to replay every past conversation.
- The chosen model may interpret directions differently. Saved instructions cannot override platform safety, provider policy, unavailable features, or model-account access. Connected live calls are not introduced by this page.
Availability
API Instructions is available to signed-in members at Customize → API Instructions. It manages your own OpenRouter-connected companions, including reviewing preferences while a connection needs to be reconnected. Chatting still requires a valid connection and selected-model access; editing instructions does not create a separate model subscription.
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit the instructions I entered during setup?
Yes. Your existing user-authored companion directions appear on the page and can be edited. Supplemental entries remain separate so you can make a focused change without replacing the entire collection.
Does the plus button add instructions that really reach my model?
Yes. After saving, the supplemental entries are included in future chat requests for the selected connected companion. Unsaved drafts and directions for a different companion are not included.
Does saving generate a model reply or cost inference credits?
Saving manages your stored preferences; it does not ask the model to produce a reply. When you next chat, the included context contributes to your selected model's normal OpenRouter usage.
Can I remove an instruction?
Yes. Remove the saved supplemental entry and confirm the action. Future requests stop including it; earlier conversation messages are not rewritten.
Are these the same instructions as my Omni preferences?
No. API Instructions manages connected-companion directions. Custom Omni Companions is a separate destination for Omni preferences and your non-connected custom companions.
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