Chervil is AI-first, but it's also a real browser — it has the everyday furniture you expect, so you can make it your only one. This page is the quick reference.
Zoom
Zoom the current page or embedded site with Ctrl +, Ctrl −, and Ctrl 0 to reset. There's also a − 100% + cluster in the toolbar (click the percentage to reset). Your zoom level is remembered between sessions. Don't need the cluster? Hide it in Settings → General → Toolbar buttons, or right-click the toolbar.
Downloads
Files you download from embedded sites save straight to your Downloads folder and appear in Library → Downloads, with Open, Show in folder, and Remove. Removing an item only clears it from the list — it never deletes the file.
Press Ctrl+P (or View → Print… in the menu bar) to print the current page or site through your system's normal print dialog. There's an optional 🖨 toolbar button too.
Reader view
On a live website, click the 📖 Reader button to strip the article down to clean, readable text — no ads or clutter. The reader page is a normal Chervil page, so you can go Back to the site, listen to it, export it, or bookmark it. It runs entirely on your machine (no model call, no cost).
Bookmarks, folders & the bookmarks bar
Bookmark the current page or site with the ☆ button. In Library → Bookmarks you can organize bookmarks into folders (each row has a folder picker, and there's a + Folder button). Turn on the bookmarks bar under the address bar from Settings → General, the toolbar right-click menu, or Ctrl+Shift+B — folders become dropdowns and loose bookmarks become one-click buttons.
The Library
The Library button (formerly "History") opens your History, Bookmarks, Sites, Downloads, and Trash — with a search box that filters whatever list you're viewing.
Address bar: search & suggestions
Type in the address bar and Chervil suggests matching sites from your history and bookmarks, plus quick Search the web and Ask Sprig actions — use the arrow keys and Enter to pick one.
By default a plain question goes to Sprig. To do a traditional web search instead, start with a bang:
g!— Googleddg!— DuckDuckGob!— Bings!— your default engine (set it in Settings → General → Search)
For example, g! best hiking boots opens Google results.
Private tabs
Open a private tab with Ctrl+Shift+N or the tab right-click menu. Nothing in a private tab is saved to your history, Library, or living pages, and it isn't reopened after you restart. (Private tabs keep local traces out of your session; they aren't network-level anonymity.)
Multiple windows
Open another window with Ctrl+N, File → New Window, or the tab right-click menu — handy across monitors. Extra windows are for browsing in the moment; your saved session lives in your main window.
Ad & tracker blocking
Turn on Block ads & trackers in Settings → General → Browsing & privacy to block common ad and tracking hosts on embedded sites. It shows a running count of what it blocked this session. It's off by default.
Clear browsing data
Settings → General → Browsing & privacy → Clear… wipes cookies, cache, and site data for embedded sites, plus your Sites history and Downloads list. Your bookmarks and saved logins are kept.
Picture-in-picture & tab audio
Pop a playing video out of an embedded site into a floating window with the 📺 Picture-in-picture button. When a site is making sound, a 🔊 badge appears on its tab — click it to mute or unmute.
Make Chervil your default browser
In Settings → General → Browsing & privacy, click Make default…. Chervil registers as an http/https handler and opens your operating system's default-apps picker, where you confirm the choice (Windows and macOS don't let an app set itself). After that, links you click in other apps open in a Chervil tab.
Show the menu bar
The native File / Edit / View menu bar is hidden by default (press Alt to reveal it). To keep it visible, turn on Always show the menu bar in Settings → Appearance.