Getting Started

In this article: Account creation, workspace orientation, first-session walkthrough, spotlight tour, profile and workspace preferences, plan selection guidance, and a full FAQ.

What Is Clarami AI?

Clarami AI is an intelligent research workspace that brings your draft, sources, and citations into a single environment. It is purpose-built for research writing — not a general-purpose AI chatbot with a text box bolted on. Every drafted claim stays connected to the exact page and passage in your source, so evidence checks are fast and you can write with confidence from first notes to final export.

If you want a full introduction to Clarami AI, Watch the full video here:
Introducing Clarami AI | The all-in-one AI writing workspace for researchers and academics

Who uses Clarami:

• Undergraduate and graduate students writing research papers, essays, and literature reviews
• PhD candidates and academic researchers managing large reference sets across long projects
• Professionals in research-heavy fields: policy analysis, science communication, technical writing, law

What makes it different from other AI writing tools:

Most AI tools generate text from a general model with no connection to your specific sources. Clarami structures the relationship between your writing and your sources at the application level — the AI suggestions, citation tools, and verification features all operate on your actual uploaded materials. Every suggestion can be traced back to where it came from.

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Creating Your Account

Step-by-step signup

1. Go to app.claramiai.com/signup.
2. Enter your email address and create a password. Use a password you do not use elsewhere.
3. Click Create account.
4. Check your inbox for a verification email from Clarami AI. Click the verification link.
5. After verification, you are taken directly into your workspace at /documents.

No credit card required. The Free plan is genuinely free with no trial expiration. You can use it indefinitely within its limits (3 saved documents, 25 references, 3 PDF uploads, 20 Clara messages, and 2,000 AI words per month).

Signing in with Google or another provider: If single sign-on options are available on your account, they will appear on the login page. Check the current login page for available options, as these may expand over time.

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Workspace Orientation

When you sign in for the first time, you land in your workspace. Here is what you are looking at:

Sidebar (left)

Document area (center)

The document area shows either your Library (list of documents) or an open document (the editor). The editor includes:

• Title bar at the top — click to rename your document
• Formatting toolbar — bold, italic, headings, lists, tables, citations, etc.
• Editor canvas — the full-width writing area
• AutoDraft ghost text — gray suggestion text that appears as you type (when AutoDraft is on)
• Word count — visible in the toolbar; updates live

Top bar (within an open document)

References rail (right, when open)

Open the References rail from the sidebar to see sources attached to the current document. From here you can search, add, upload PDFs, and insert citations.

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Your First Document — Step by Step

This walkthrough covers what to click, in what order, for your very first research document.

Step 1: Create a new document

Click New document in the sidebar. A dialog appears with two workflow options:

• Long-form writing — for papers, essays, literature reviews, dissertations, reports
• STEM & coursework — for lab reports, problem sets, technical write-ups, science coursework

Choose the one that fits your current project. If you are unsure, choose Long-form writing — you can always start over, and the workflows share most features.

Step 2: Fill in Document settings

After creating the document, click the gear icon in the top bar to open Document settings. Fill in:

• Title — give your paper a working title (you can change it later)
• Document type — select the type of assignment (research paper, essay, literature review, etc.)
• Citation style — choose your required style: APA 7th, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE, or Vancouver
• Target length — optional, but useful for AI tools (e.g., "3000 words" or "10 pages")
• Instructions or notes — paste any assignment prompt or specific requirements here

Click Save or close the panel. Document settings improve the relevance of all AI features.

Step 3: Add your sources

Before drafting, add the sources you plan to use. Open the References rail from the sidebar. Then:

Option A — Upload a PDF:

1. Click Upload PDF.
2. Select a file from your computer.
3. Clarami extracts metadata and creates a reference entry. The PDF is stored and linked.

Option B — Add by DOI:

1. Click Add reference.
2. Type or paste a DOI (e.g., 10.1038/s41586-021-03819-2).
3. Clarami resolves the metadata automatically.

Option C — Search the academic index:

1. Click Search in the References rail.
2. Type keywords, a title, or an author name.
3. Click Add next to any result to add it to your library and attach it to this document.

You do not need to add all your sources before starting. You can add more as you write.

Step 4: Draft your paper

Write directly in the editor, exactly as you would in a word processor. As you type:

• AutoDraft offers inline continuation suggestions as gray text. Press Tab to accept, Esc to dismiss.
• Clara is available in the right panel to help with specific passages, argument structure, or source exploration.
• Toolbar provides all standard formatting controls plus citation insertion.

To insert a citation while writing: click the citation button in the toolbar, search for your source, and select it. The in-text citation appears at your cursor.

Step 5: Review your work

When you have a draft, open the Review panel (top bar > Review):

• ClaimShield — scans your claims against your sources, flags misaligned or unsupported claims
• Draft Tone Check — checks for tone consistency, clarity, and common grammatical issues
• Advisory originality scan — checks for passages similar to published text (advisory only, not Turnitin)

Work through any flags ClaimShield raises. Use evidence trace to check the original source passage.

Step 6: Refresh the bibliography

After inserting all your citations, go to Review > Refresh bibliography. Clarami re-renders the bibliography at the end of your document in your chosen citation style.

Step 7: Export

When your document is ready, click ⋯ > Export and choose:

• DOCX — for submission to instructors or further editing in Word
• PDF — for print-ready submission
• LaTeX — for STEM and journal submission

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What to Expect in Your First 10 Minutes

Here is a realistic timeline for a brand-new user:

After 10 minutes, you will have a functioning document with sources attached and at least one citation in place. That is enough to understand the core workflow before diving deeper.

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The Spotlight Tour

The spotlight tour runs automatically the first time you open a document. It is a guided overlay that highlights each key workspace area in sequence.

What the tour covers:

1. Library — where your documents are stored
2. Document editor — where you write
3. Document settings — how to configure your paper
4. References rail — where sources and PDFs live
5. Toolbar — formatting and citation tools
6. Review panel — ClaimShield, tone check, originality scan
7. Clara — the AI assistant
8. Help — how to get answers

If you dismiss the tour early: You can re-run it at any time from Help > Restart tour (if available), or browse the help center for the same information in written form.

The tour is not required. If you have used similar tools before and just want to start working, dismiss the tour and use the Help center (⌘K / Ctrl+K) if you get stuck.

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Profile and Workspace Preferences

Account settings

Go to Account > Account settings to:

• Change your display name
• Update your email address (requires email verification at the new address)
• Set your preferred language for the UI (does not translate document content)

Writing style preferences

Go to Account > Writing style to configure:

• AutoDraft suggestion frequency (how often suggestions appear automatically)
• Default tone preference for AI suggestions (formal, neutral, etc.)
• Whether AutoDraft is on or off by default when opening a new document

Notification preferences

If email notifications are available, manage them from Account settings. Options typically include subscription renewal notices and product update emails.

Security

Go to Account > Password & security to:

• Change your password
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for extra account protection

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Choosing the Right Plan

If you are not sure which plan to start with, this guidance will help.

Start with Free if:

• You are trying Clarami for the first time
• You have a small, focused project (one paper, limited sources)
• You do not need more than 3 saved documents
• You write fewer than 2,000 AI-assisted words per month
• You want to evaluate the product before paying

Upgrade to Pro ($11.99/month) if:

• You are actively writing more than one paper at a time
• You need more than 3 saved documents or 25 references
• You regularly upload PDFs longer than 12 pages
• You use Clara or AutoDraft heavily and hit the word limit
• You need the advisory originality scan in full

Upgrade to Platinum ($24.99/month) if:

• You write frequently and need unlimited AI words
• You regularly work with long PDFs (up to 120 pages)
• You want priority AI generation (faster responses during peak hours)
• You are a researcher or professional with ongoing, intensive writing needs

You can upgrade at any time — the change takes effect immediately and is prorated for the remainder of your billing cycle. See the Subscription and plans article for full details.

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FAQ — Getting Started

Q: Can I use Clarami without uploading any sources?Yes. You can write in the editor without any sources attached. However, many features rely on having sources present: ClaimShield needs sources to verify claims, AutoDraft suggestions are more relevant with source context loaded, and Clara can only reference sources that have been attached to the document. Even one or two PDFs or DOI-resolved references will meaningfully improve the experience.

Q: I did not receive a verification email. What do I do?First, check your spam or junk mail folder — verification emails occasionally land there. If it is not there, go back to the signup page and look for a "Resend verification email" option. If the problem persists, contact support from the Feedback button with your account email.

Q: Can I sign up with a work or school email?Yes. Any email address works. If your institution uses single sign-on (SSO), check the login page for SSO options — these vary by institution and may not be available for your organization.

Q: Is there a mobile app?There is no dedicated mobile app. Clarami runs in your web browser on any device. The experience is optimized for desktop — a laptop or desktop computer with a full keyboard is strongly recommended for serious writing work. Basic viewing and short edits are possible on a tablet or phone, but editing-intensive work (long drafts, citation management, PDF review) works best on a larger screen.

Q: How do I find a document I created earlier?Open the Library from the sidebar. All your saved documents are listed there. Use the search bar within the Library to search by title. Documents are sorted by last modified date by default.

Q: Can I use Clarami offline?No. Clarami is a cloud-based application and requires an internet connection to function. AI features (Clara, AutoDraft, ClaimShield) require a server connection. The editor itself requires the connection to save your work. Autosave will stop working if your connection drops — you will see a save indicator change state. Reconnect before continuing to ensure nothing is lost.

Q: Is there a free trial of the paid plans?Clarami does not currently offer a time-limited free trial of Pro or Platinum. The Free plan is permanently free and gives you access to the core features so you can experience the product before deciding to upgrade. Some features are limited on the Free plan, but you can evaluate the workflow thoroughly before committing.

Q: What happens to my documents if I stop using Clarami?Your documents remain associated with your account as long as the account exists. Free accounts are not automatically deleted for inactivity. If you want to delete your account and its data, contact support — your documents and data are permanently deleted within 30 days of the request. We recommend exporting any documents you want to keep before requesting deletion.

Q: Can multiple people use the same Clarami account?Accounts are individual — one account per person. Sharing login credentials is not supported and can cause data conflicts. If collaborators need to access a document, use the Share feature to share specific documents with them. For team or institutional access options, contact support.

Q: I accidentally closed the spotlight tour. Can I restart it?Check Help > Restart tour within the app. If that option is not visible, the full content of the tour is available in this Help center — every topic the tour covers is documented in the relevant article.

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Next: Document editor

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Need More Help?

If you cannot find your answer here, use the Feedback button in the app sidebar (or Help > Feedback and support) to reach the support team. Include your account email, a description of what you were trying to do, and any error messages you saw. Screenshots are helpful.

The Clarami team is a small operation, but we read every message.

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Clarami AI Help Center. Last updated May 2026.