The Built-in Browser
vord’s preview contains a real browser. You can view local development servers and web pages, follow links, and send feedback to your agent. It identifies itself to websites with a Safari-compatible application name, so Safari-only sites such as WhatsApp Web load correctly.
Opening a page
Section titled “Opening a page”- Click a recognized link in a session.
- Open an empty browser via the globe symbol in the session header and enter an address.
- Open a web page shown by the agent. The browser choice also applies to these links when they are displayed on the Mac.
Each of these opens in its own tab. The preview appears in the right-hand column, alongside the cockpit grid. That column remembers a separate width for the preview and for the other panel types, so opening the browser does not reuse a width you chose for the Inspector or Repo overview. Use the diagonal-arrow button in the preview header to Expand to full width, and press it again to return to the column; this temporary view does not change the saved preview width.
Choose Open in Window in the preview header to move the current preview target into its own window. The window has no panel header: its title and subtitle are in the window title, and the feedback tools, Markdown toggle, and external-open action are in the window toolbar. It has its own tabs and state; opening the same target again brings the existing window to the front.
Every page or file you open in the preview gets its own tab, so a second one never replaces the first. The tab bar appears below the header as soon as two tabs are open.
- Switch by clicking a tab. Web pages keep their state while in the background: scroll position, form input, sign-in, and back/forward history.
- Already open? Opening the same address, file, or shown entry again switches to its existing tab instead of adding a duplicate.
- Close with the × on the tab, with ⌘W while the preview has keyboard focus, or via the tab’s context menu, which also offers Close Other Tabs. Closing the last tab closes the preview.
- Up to 10 tabs. Opening an eleventh closes the tab you haven’t used the longest, never the one you’re looking at. Everything an agent showed you stays in the archive.
- Session binding. Each tab remembers the session it came from. Switching tabs moves feedback, recognized links, and relative paths in the address bar to that session.
Tabs live until you close them or quit vord. Closing the preview keeps them.
The browser bar
Section titled “The browser bar”The current address is shown at the top. It is also updated on redirects, when paging, on navigation within a web page, and when you switch tabs. While you type an address, your input is kept; merely clicking into the field doesn’t freeze it.
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Edit address | Click into the address field or press ⌘L; ⌘L selects the entire address |
| Open address | Enter; it opens in the current tab |
| Discard input | Escape; the current address is restored and the preview stays open |
| Back and forward | The two arrows on the left of the browser bar |
| Reload | Circular arrow; while loading, Stop loading appears there |
| Copy link | Copy symbol to the right of the address; a checkmark confirms success |
| Close tab | × on the tab or ⌘W |
| Open in default browser | The diagonal arrow in the header |
| Change browser choice | ⋯ → Browser options |
Copying and external opening use the current page. An input not yet confirmed with Enter is not opened or copied by them. An empty preview has no external link; the corresponding actions are then unavailable.
The address bar also accepts file paths and search terms:
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
example.com, localhost:3000, IP address, or .local host |
Web page |
~/notes.md or an absolute file path |
Local file |
notes.md, if the file exists in the session’s working directory |
Local file |
| Free text without a recognizable path or host | DuckDuckGo search |
0.0.0.0 is mapped to localhost as a development address. Self-signed certificates
are accepted exclusively for local development targets; public hosts are checked
normally. Invalid explicit URLs lead to a visible message.
Default browser and saved passwords
Section titled “Default browser and saved passwords”Under Browser options you can have web links open in vord or in the default browser. A specific app already selected in the settings is also offered there. The detailed app selection is under Settings → Workspace → Sessions & Opening.
The choice applies to clicked web links and web pages shown by the agent on the Mac. Addresses you type directly into the open browser bar, as well as opening an empty preview, stay in vord. The diagonal arrow opens the current page once in the default browser.
Files have their own open-with choice. The browser choice changes neither this setting nor the local file preview of results.
Recognized links
Section titled “Recognized links”The link count in the browser bar opens a list of the targets recognized in the active session. A click opens the target in a new tab.
HTTP(S) addresses and existing local files with recognizable paths or file extensions are recognized. Recognition runs as long as the preview is open and bound to a session. It is throttled; very briefly visible terminal output can remain undetected.
Loading and errors
Section titled “Loading and errors”While loading, the browser bar shows progress. With the stop symbol you can cancel the operation.
If the page cannot be loaded, the preview shows an understandable error view with the concrete error message. You can correct the address, reload, or open the page in the default browser. The web view remains intact so its navigation is preserved.
If the WebKit process is terminated, vord reloads the page and restores feedback mode.
Uploads, downloads and other links
Section titled “Uploads, downloads and other links”On a page that offers a file upload, choosing a file opens the Mac file dialog. You can select multiple files or a folder when the page allows it.
Before each download, vord asks you to confirm the filename and source. Choose Download
or Cancel. The file is saved to your Downloads folder, and vord adds 2, 3, and
so on if a filename is already taken. Only one confirmation can be open at a time; any
other downloads that arrive while it is open are discarded. Downloaded files carry the
macOS quarantine, so macOS checks them when you open them. After a download, Finder shows
the file. A failed download opens a notice; cancelling a download is silent.
Clicking a mailto:, tel:, or sms: link opens the app that handles it. Other app
links are blocked.
Dialogs and new windows
Section titled “Dialogs and new windows”JavaScript dialogs such as alert, confirm, and prompt appear as native Mac
dialogs. Links with target="_blank" and window.open() open in the current tab.
Websites that need an independent pop-up can therefore work in a limited way; use the
default browser for those.
Right-hand column
Section titled “Right-hand column”The preview shares the main window’s right-hand column with the Inspector, Repo overview, and session peek. Opening one replaces the current column content. Close the preview from its header; there is no minimize-to-sidebar action. The saved width is per content type, and the preview’s header button can temporarily expand it across the content area beside the sidebar.
The browser has no bookmarks. Each tab has its own history. For development pages, the web inspector is available via the context menu.