diff --git a/cortex/routers/settings.py b/cortex/routers/settings.py
index b797670..f3395d3 100644
--- a/cortex/routers/settings.py
+++ b/cortex/routers/settings.py
@@ -42,20 +42,11 @@ def _settings_page(username: str, personas: list[str], success: str = "", error:
html = (_STATIC / "settings.html").read_text()
html = html.replace("{{ username }}", username)
- # Connected Google account
+ # Connected Google account (OAuth sign-in)
auth_data = _read_auth(username)
google_email = auth_data.get("google_email") or ""
html = html.replace("{{ google_email }}", google_email)
- # Gemini API key — show masked hint only, never the full key
- gemini_key = auth_data.get("gemini_api_key") or ""
- if gemini_key:
- hint = f"Saved (…{gemini_key[-4:]})"
- else:
- hint = "Using server key"
- html = html.replace("{{ gemini_key_hint }}", hint)
- html = html.replace("{{ gemini_key_set }}", "true" if gemini_key else "false")
-
persona_items = "\n".join(
f'''
{p}
diff --git a/cortex/static/HELP.md b/cortex/static/HELP.md
index a18f387..6b9534c 100644
--- a/cortex/static/HELP.md
+++ b/cortex/static/HELP.md
@@ -109,57 +109,60 @@ Each response shows a **model tag** (bottom-right of message) with the model lab
---
-## Model Registry ( Settings → Models )
+## Model Registry
-The Model Registry is where you configure which AI models are available and which handles each task type.
+Configure which AI models are available and which handles each task type.
-**Navigate to:** Settings (top-right of any page) → **Models**
+**Navigate to:** ☰ (top-right menu) → **Account** → scroll to **Model Registry** → **Manage models →**
-### Cloud Providers
+---
-**Anthropic** — Claude is accessed via the Claude Code CLI. No API key setup needed in the registry — just make sure you're authenticated (`claude auth login` in a terminal).
+### Step 1 — Set up providers and hosts
-**Google** — Gemini models use the Gemini API with an explicit API key:
-1. Settings → Models → Cloud Providers → Google → **Add account**
-2. Enter a label (e.g. "Work", "Personal") and your Gemini API key
-3. Get a free key at [aistudio.google.com](https://aistudio.google.com/apikey) — free tier is sufficient for most use
-4. Add one account per Google account you want to use
+Do this before adding models — models need a provider account or local host to attach to.
-### Local Hosts
+**Anthropic (Claude):** Nothing to configure. Claude uses your existing CLI OAuth session. If Claude isn't working, run `claude auth login` in a terminal.
-For Open WebUI, Ollama, LM Studio, OpenRouter, or any OpenAI-compatible server:
-1. Settings → Models → Local Hosts → expand **Add host**
-2. Enter a label, the API URL (e.g. `http://192.168.1.100:3000`), and an optional API key
-3. Choose **Type**: Open WebUI / Ollama, or OpenAI-compatible (OpenRouter, etc.)
-4. Save, then use **Fetch models** on the host card to verify connectivity
+**Google (Gemini):** Add one entry per API key you want to use:
+1. Scroll to **Cloud Providers → Google** → click **+ Add Google account**
+2. Enter a label (e.g. "Work", "Personal") and your API key
+3. Get a free key at [aistudio.google.com/apikey](https://aistudio.google.com/apikey)
-### Adding a Model
+**Local hosts** (Open WebUI, Ollama, OpenRouter, etc.):
+1. Scroll to **Local Hosts** → click **+ Add host** to expand the form
+2. Enter a label, the API URL (e.g. `http://192.168.1.100:3000`), and optional API key
+3. Set **Type**: Open WebUI / Ollama, or OpenAI-compatible (for OpenRouter, LM Studio, etc.)
+4. Click **Fetch models** on the saved host card to verify connectivity
-Settings → Models → Add Model. Use the tabs to select provider:
+---
-| Tab | How it works |
+### Step 2 — Add models
+
+Scroll to **Add Model**. Select the provider tab, fill in the details, click **Add Model**:
+
+| Tab | What you need |
|---|---|
-| **Local** | Select a host → enter model name (or use "Fetch from host" to pick from a live list) |
-| **Google** | Pick a Gemini model from the catalog → select which Google account to use |
-| **Anthropic** | Pick a Claude model from the catalog → uses your CLI OAuth session |
+| **Local** | Select a host (from Step 1) → enter model name, or use **Fetch from host** to pick from a live list |
+| **Google** | Select a Gemini model from the catalog → select a Google account (from Step 1) |
+| **Anthropic** | Select a Claude model from the catalog → uses your CLI session automatically |
-Enter a label (auto-filled from the catalog), context window size, and optional tags. Click **Add Model**.
+The label and context window size auto-fill from the catalog — edit them if you want. Tags are optional.
-### Role Assignments
+---
-Once models are added, assign them to task types at the bottom of Settings → Models:
+### Step 3 — Assign models to roles
+
+Scroll to **Role Assignments** at the bottom of the page. Each role has **Primary**, **Backup 1**, and **Backup 2** slots — Primary is tried first, then backups in order. Changes save automatically.
| Role | Used for |
|---|---|
-| **Chat** | Regular conversation — the main chat model |
+| **Chat** | Regular conversation |
| **Orchestrator** | Agent mode tool loop |
-| **Distill** | Memory distillation (short/mid/long) |
+| **Distill** | Memory distillation (short / mid / long) |
| **Coder** | Code-focused tasks |
-| **Research** | Research and long-context tasks |
+| **Research** | Long-context research tasks |
-Each role has **Primary**, **Backup 1**, and **Backup 2** slots. If Primary fails or is unreachable, Backup 1 is tried, then Backup 2. Changes save immediately on select.
-
-Leave all slots empty to use the server-default model (configured in `.env`).
+Leave all slots empty to use the server default.
---
diff --git a/cortex/static/settings.html b/cortex/static/settings.html
index fef4f7c..2141534 100644
--- a/cortex/static/settings.html
+++ b/cortex/static/settings.html
@@ -269,44 +269,18 @@
-
+
-
Gemini API Key
+
Model Registry
- Paste your personal key from
- aistudio.google.com/apikey
- to use your own Gemini quota. Leave blank to use the shared server key.
-
-
-
- Current: {{ gemini_key_hint }}
-
- — remove
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Local Models
-
- Configure OpenAI-compatible hosts and models (Open WebUI, Ollama, LM Studio, etc.).
+ Configure AI providers (Anthropic, Google), local hosts (Open WebUI, Ollama, OpenRouter, etc.),
+ and assign models to roles — chat, orchestrator, distill, and more.
- Manage local models →
+ Manage models →