Choose where to use Glean
Glean is most useful when it's one shortcut away from the work in front of you. Pick the surface that fits the moment, and install it only when you need it.
Which surface should I use?
Each row in the table pairs a moment in your workday with the Glean surface built for it. Surfaces marked as needing admin setup won't appear until your admin turns them on.
| When you're | Use |
|---|---|
| Reading a page or ticket in your browser and have a question about it | Extension sidebar |
| Stuck on an unfamiliar term or a rough paragraph on a web page | Glean companion |
| Working in a desktop app, such as your email client or a slide deck, and don't want to switch to a browser | Glean for Desktop |
| Discussing something in Slack that your team also needs answered | Glean in Slack (needs admin setup) |
For longer work, such as research, drafting a document, or comparing sources, open Glean in a browser tab at app.glean.com. You get the full chat, your Library, and agents in one place.
Start using each surface
Each surface opens with a shortcut or a single action. Install steps are on each surface's own page.
Extension sidebar
Press ⌘ + J (Mac) or Alt + J (Windows) and ask in Chat. Glean uses the page you're on as context.
Chat and Search work as soon as you sign in to the browser extension. Agents are available only on supported pages after your admin has configured the browser-extension experience and shared the relevant agents with you. See Extension Sidebar.
Glean companion
Highlight text on a page and click the Glean icon to explain it, summarize it, translate it, or find experts.
Companion is part of the browser extension and turns on automatically for a set of common work sites. See Glean companion.
Glean for Desktop
Press ⌘ + ⇧ + J (Mac) or Ctrl + Shift + J (Windows) to open Quick Entry, or use Quick Chat to keep Glean on top of your other apps.
You can install the app yourself, and some organizations deploy it to managed devices for you. See Use Glean for Desktop.
Glean in Slack
Mention @Glean with your question in a channel, so everyone sees the answer and its sources.
Your admins must install and configure Glean in Slack and enable the features you want to use. See Glean in Slack.
See also
- Installing the browser extension — set up the sidebar and companion in your browser
- Embedded integrations — use Glean inside Microsoft Teams and other apps your organization supports
- MCP overview — bring Glean's company context into the AI tools you already use
- Start using Glean — a guided first task for new users