Add AI-powered analysis to your archived posts. A comment runs on one of three targets: your Desktop, Apple's on-device model, or Cloud AI on the Social Archiver server.
AI Comments lets you generate analysis of archived content — summaries, fact checks, sentiment analysis, and more. Pick where it runs: a Desktop executor driving the AI CLI tools on your computer, Apple Intelligence on a recent Mac or iPhone, or Cloud AI when neither is available.
No per-analysis cost. Desktop uses the AI CLI subscriptions you already pay for, and Apple Intelligence costs nothing at all. Neither spends Social Archiver Cloud credits.
Full control. Choose the provider, the model, and your own prompts.
Privacy — when you pick the right target. Apple Intelligence never sends the post anywhere. Desktop is not the same thing; see Privacy & Security.
Three ways to run AI Comments
Desktop (AI CLI tools on your computer), Apple Intelligence (on-device, macOS 26+ or iOS 26+), or Cloud AI (the Social Archiver server). Mobile and web can complete supported actions with no desktop open. See Where AI Comments Run.
Every AI Comment is produced by an executor. The target picker in the AI comment sheet names them by the machine that does the work: Cloud AI, Desktop, and This iPhone (or Apple Intelligence on a Mac).
A Desktop executor runs the AI CLI tools you installed (Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini CLI) on your computer. Any of these can be the executor:
Obsidian desktop plugin — desktop Obsidian with AI Comments enabled.
Social Archiver desktop app — the standalone desktop app can run AI Comment jobs with your AI CLIs, no Obsidian required.
Headless CLI — sa executor --watch runs queued jobs from your terminal. See Command Line (CLI).
Desktop supports every comment type, uses your existing CLI subscriptions, and does not spend Social Archiver Cloud credits. A request from mobile or web is queued until one of your desktops picks it up.
Desktop is not the same as on-device
The CLI runs on your computer, but Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI each send the post to their vendor's servers to produce an answer. If the text must stay on the machine, use Apple Intelligence.
Apple's built-in Foundation Model runs the comment entirely on the device. No internet, no account, no credits, and the post never leaves it.
Requirements
Mac
macOS 26 or newer on Apple silicon, with Apple Intelligence turned on. Desktop app 0.6.16+, or Obsidian plugin 4.7.7+.
iPhone
iOS 26 or newer with Apple Intelligence turned on. Social Archiver 2.2.9+.
What each one can run on-device differs, because the Mac helper and the iPhone module ship different prompt sets:
On-device actions
Mac
Summary, Key points, Glossary, Reformat, Translation, Custom, tag suggestions, place extraction
iPhone
Summary, Glossary, Custom
Fact check is never available on-device — it needs a web search, so it stays on Desktop or Cloud AI. On iPhone, anything outside the three above (tag suggestions, translation, place extraction) also runs on Desktop or Cloud AI, not on the phone.
The model is small and its context window is limited, so a very long post is refused rather than silently truncated; run those on Desktop or Cloud AI. The first run after a restart can take a few seconds longer while the system loads the model.
How to pick it: open the target dropdown in the AI comment sheet and choose This iPhone (Apple Intelligence on a Mac). On iPhone the default also lives in Settings → On-device AI → Where AI comments run; its Auto setting prefers a running desktop, then this iPhone, then Cloud AI.
Cloud AI runs supported actions on the Social Archiver server (Cloudflare Workers AI), so they complete even when no local executor is open — useful from the mobile app or web. Cloud AI currently supports these comment actions:
Summary
Glossary
Translation
It also powers AI tag suggestions (see Tags). Other comment types — Fact Check, Critique, Sentiment, Connections, Reformat, and Custom — need Desktop or, where supported, Apple Intelligence.
How Cloud AI differs from the other two:
Your content is sent to our server. Cloud AI forwards the archive text needed for the action to Cloudflare Workers AI, and asks for your consent the first time. Choose Local only (below) if you never want archive text to reach it.
Credits. Translation with Cloud AI uses Cloud credits from the same monthly balance as supported paid cloud services such as Google Maps search. Desktop and Apple Intelligence use none. Premium plans include monthly Cloud credits.
Length limit. Very long archives can exceed the Cloud AI limit — split the content, or run it on Desktop.
In the mobile app, Settings → AI Execution controls how the desktop and cloud paths combine. (This is the older server-side preference; the per-comment target picker described above takes precedence when you choose one explicitly.)
Mode
Behavior
Local first
Use a desktop executor when available, then Cloud AI for eligible fallback actions
Cloud first
Use Cloud AI first for eligible actions, with desktop as fallback
Local only
Never send archive text to Cloud AI; a desktop executor is required
Obsidian security scans may show a Shell Execution warning for Social Archiver. For AI Comments, this is expected because desktop Obsidian launches the selected AI CLI as a local process. Commands run only after you enable AI Comments and request generation, and they use the CLI account/session already installed on your computer. Mobile requests can queue jobs, but mobile Obsidian does not run the shell command; the connected desktop executor does.
Use this checklist when the mobile app says AI Comments need setup:
Install the Social Archiver Obsidian plugin and sign in to the same account used by the mobile app.
Install and sign in to at least one supported desktop AI CLI: Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini CLI.
In desktop Obsidian, open Settings → Social Archiver → AI Comments and turn on Enable AI Comments.
Keep desktop Obsidian open when you want requests to run immediately. If it is offline, mobile requests are queued until the desktop plugin reconnects.
Improve the markdown formatting of archived content without changing the actual text. Useful when:
Post content has broken line breaks or spacing
Content could benefit from section headers
Inline lists need proper bullet formatting
Visual hierarchy needs improvement
The AI will only modify formatting (headers, lists, emphasis) while preserving the original words, links, media embeds, and comments section.
Apply Changes
After generating a Reformat comment, click the Apply button (checkmark icon) to replace the post body with the reformatted version. The original content is preserved in the AI comment history.
Use your own prompt for specialized analysis. When you select "Custom" from the type dropdown, an input field appears where you can enter your specific request or question about the content.
Click "Add AI Comment": Banner appears on archived posts
Select Type: Choose analysis type from dropdown
Processing: AI CLI runs locally (progress shown)
Result Saved: Comment added to your markdown file
AI Comments are stored in your note's ## AI Comments section:
markdown
## AI Comments### 🤖 Claude · Summary · Dec 16, 2024This post discusses the impact of AI on creative industries,highlighting both opportunities and challenges...---
Where the post actually goes depends on the target you pick:
Target
Where the post goes
Apple Intelligence
Nowhere. The model runs on the device, offline.
Desktop
To the CLI vendor — Anthropic, OpenAI or Google — because that is how those tools produce an answer. It does not pass through Social Archiver's servers.
Cloud AI
To Cloudflare Workers AI on the Social Archiver server, for supported actions only, and only after you consent.
"Desktop" does not mean the text stays on your computer
The CLI process is local; the model it talks to is not. Only Apple Intelligence keeps the post on the device.
Choose Local only in Settings → AI Execution to keep archive text away from Cloud AI, or pick This iPhone / Apple Intelligence as the target to keep it on the device entirely.
AI Comments
Add AI-powered analysis to your archived posts. A comment runs on one of three targets: your Desktop, Apple's on-device model, or Cloud AI on the Social Archiver server.
Overview
AI Comments lets you generate analysis of archived content — summaries, fact checks, sentiment analysis, and more. Pick where it runs: a Desktop executor driving the AI CLI tools on your computer, Apple Intelligence on a recent Mac or iPhone, or Cloud AI when neither is available.
Why run it yourself?
Three ways to run AI Comments
Desktop (AI CLI tools on your computer), Apple Intelligence (on-device, macOS 26+ or iOS 26+), or Cloud AI (the Social Archiver server). Mobile and web can complete supported actions with no desktop open. See Where AI Comments Run.
Where AI Comments Run
Every AI Comment is produced by an executor. The target picker in the AI comment sheet names them by the machine that does the work: Cloud AI, Desktop, and This iPhone (or Apple Intelligence on a Mac).
Desktop
A Desktop executor runs the AI CLI tools you installed (Claude Code, Codex, or Gemini CLI) on your computer. Any of these can be the executor:
sa executor --watchruns queued jobs from your terminal. See Command Line (CLI).Desktop supports every comment type, uses your existing CLI subscriptions, and does not spend Social Archiver Cloud credits. A request from mobile or web is queued until one of your desktops picks it up.
Desktop is not the same as on-device
The CLI runs on your computer, but Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI each send the post to their vendor's servers to produce an answer. If the text must stay on the machine, use Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence (on-device)
Apple's built-in Foundation Model runs the comment entirely on the device. No internet, no account, no credits, and the post never leaves it.
What each one can run on-device differs, because the Mac helper and the iPhone module ship different prompt sets:
Fact check is never available on-device — it needs a web search, so it stays on Desktop or Cloud AI. On iPhone, anything outside the three above (tag suggestions, translation, place extraction) also runs on Desktop or Cloud AI, not on the phone.
The model is small and its context window is limited, so a very long post is refused rather than silently truncated; run those on Desktop or Cloud AI. The first run after a restart can take a few seconds longer while the system loads the model.
How to pick it: open the target dropdown in the AI comment sheet and choose This iPhone (Apple Intelligence on a Mac). On iPhone the default also lives in Settings → On-device AI → Where AI comments run; its Auto setting prefers a running desktop, then this iPhone, then Cloud AI.
Cloud AI
Cloud AI runs supported actions on the Social Archiver server (Cloudflare Workers AI), so they complete even when no local executor is open — useful from the mobile app or web. Cloud AI currently supports these comment actions:
It also powers AI tag suggestions (see Tags). Other comment types — Fact Check, Critique, Sentiment, Connections, Reformat, and Custom — need Desktop or, where supported, Apple Intelligence.
How Cloud AI differs from the other two:
Execution Mode
In the mobile app, Settings → AI Execution controls how the desktop and cloud paths combine. (This is the older server-side preference; the per-comment target picker described above takes precedence when you choose one explicitly.)
Obsidian Shell Execution Warning
Obsidian security scans may show a Shell Execution warning for Social Archiver. For AI Comments, this is expected because desktop Obsidian launches the selected AI CLI as a local process. Commands run only after you enable AI Comments and request generation, and they use the CLI account/session already installed on your computer. Mobile requests can queue jobs, but mobile Obsidian does not run the shell command; the connected desktop executor does.
Setup Checklist
Use this checklist when the mobile app says AI Comments need setup:
Supported AI CLI Tools
You need at least one of the following CLI tools installed:
Recommendation
Claude Code is recommended for most users. It has the easiest setup and includes web search capabilities for fact-checking and glossary features.
→ See AI CLI Setup Guide for detailed installation instructions
When AI Comments Appear
AI Comments are available when all of the following conditions are met:
When these conditions are met, you'll see an "Add AI Comment" banner below archived posts in Timeline View.
Without a local executor, Cloud AI can still run Summary, Glossary, and Translation — see Where AI Comments Run.
Comment Types
Summary
Generate a concise 2-3 sentence overview of the content. Great for quickly understanding long posts.
Fact Check
Verify claims in the content using web search. Returns verdicts with sources for key claims. Best used with Claude Code (has built-in web search).
Critique
Get a balanced critical analysis including:
Sentiment
Analyze the emotional tone of the content:
Glossary
Identify and explain technical or specialized terms in the content. Uses web search to find accurate definitions with sources. Ideal for:
Connections
Find related notes in your Obsidian vault. The AI scans your vault and suggests:
Vault Integration
Connections uses your vault's metadata to find relevant notes. Enable "Vault Context" in settings for best results.
Reformat
Improve the markdown formatting of archived content without changing the actual text. Useful when:
The AI will only modify formatting (headers, lists, emphasis) while preserving the original words, links, media embeds, and comments section.
Apply Changes
After generating a Reformat comment, click the Apply button (checkmark icon) to replace the post body with the reformatted version. The original content is preserved in the AI comment history.
Custom
Use your own prompt for specialized analysis. When you select "Custom" from the type dropdown, an input field appears where you can enter your specific request or question about the content.
How It Works
AI Comments are stored in your note's
## AI Commentssection:Plugin Settings
Configure AI Comments in Settings → Social Archiver → AI Comments:
Platform Visibility
Control which platforms show the AI Comment banner:
Web Sharing
AI Comments are included when you share posts to the web:
Troubleshooting
AI Comment Banner Doesn't Appear
Possible causes:
Solutions:
claude --version(or equivalent)Generation Fails or Times Out
Possible causes:
Solutions:
Poor Quality Results
Solutions:
Privacy & Security
Where the post actually goes depends on the target you pick:
"Desktop" does not mean the text stays on your computer
The CLI process is local; the model it talks to is not. Only Apple Intelligence keeps the post on the device.
Choose Local only in Settings → AI Execution to keep archive text away from Cloud AI, or pick This iPhone / Apple Intelligence as the target to keep it on the device entirely.
Each AI tool has its own privacy policy: