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Setup guide

Get Notewell running.

Five short steps from a fresh install to your first replies — drafted in your own voice. Takes about 5 minutes, one-time.

~5 minutes · you only do this once

1 Install Notewell

Add Notewell to Chrome from the Web Store (the link is in your welcome email and on the Notewell home page).

Then click the puzzle-piece icon ⧉ in Chrome's toolbar and pin Notewell, so it's one click away.

Notewell only works in desktop Chrome — it can't run on a phone.

2 Get your AI key (OpenRouter)

Notewell writes replies using your own AI key, so you only pay for what you use — usually just pennies a day.

  1. Go to openrouter.ai and sign up.
  2. Open openrouter.ai/keys → Create Key → name it "Notewell" → copy it (it starts with sk-or-v1-…).
  3. Add a little credit (Credits → add $5–$10) and set a monthly limit on the key so there are no surprises.
Keep this key private — it's like a password for your AI usage.

3 Open Notewell & activate your license

Click the Notewell icon — it opens as a panel on the right side of your browser.

Click Settings (top of the panel) → License → paste the license key from your purchase email → Activate. You should see "Subscription active."

4 Add your AI key

Still in Settings, paste your OpenRouter key into the OpenRouter API key field. It saves automatically. (You can leave the model on its default.)

5 Teach it your voice

This is the part that makes replies sound like you, not generic AI.

In Settings → Voice, paste 3–6 replies you've actually written (from Substack, X, anywhere). Optionally add a line of style notes, e.g. casual, a bit dry, concrete examples.

The more real examples you give it, the more it matches your rhythm and vocabulary.

6 Set your run

Back on the main panel:

  • Max posts — how many posts to actually reply to / like this run. Start small (5–8).
  • Avoid notes containing — words that make Notewell skip a post (e.g. connect me, giveaway).
  • Pace (in Settings) — Slow / Normal / Fast. Normal is a calm, human rhythm.

7 Run it

  1. Go to substack.com/notes.
  2. Open the Notewell panel and press Start.
  3. Watch the Activity log fill in — each post shows as commented, liked, or skipped (with the reason).
You'll see a bar at the top: "Notewell is debugging this browser." That's completely normal — it's how Notewell types your replies reliably. It disappears the moment the run ends.

Good practice

Keep it human: small runs, your own voice, and don't blast the feed. Notewell paces itself on purpose. Remember you're engaging from your own account — you're responsible for staying within Substack's terms.

Troubleshooting

It's just scrolling and not doing anything

Make sure you're on substack.com/notes, your OpenRouter key is set and has credit, and your license shows "active." If you just installed or updated, reload the Substack tab once, then press Start again.

What's the "debugging this browser" bar?

That's Notewell's engine — it's how replies get typed and posted reliably. It only shows while a run is active and goes away when you stop. Nothing to worry about.

Why did it skip a post?

Notewell skips posts it can't reply to well, ones you've already engaged, ones from authors you've blocked, and ones matching your avoid-words. The Activity log shows the exact reason for every skip.

The replies don't sound like me

Add more of your own examples in Settings → Voice — 5 or 6 real replies make a big difference. A short style note helps too.

How do I cancel or manage my subscription?

Use the manage-subscription link in your purchase email (Lemon Squeezy), or email support@growsembly.com. Cancelling during the 3-day trial means you're not charged.