First Steps

Congratulations on installing zer0! This guide will walk you through the essential features and help you get the most out of your privacy-first browsing experience.

🎯 Understanding the zer0 Interface

Main Browser Window

When you open zer0, you'll see a clean, minimal interface designed for distraction-free browsing:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  ← → ↻  [🛡️] https://example.com          [≡] [👤]    │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                         │
│                   Your Content Here                     │
│                                                         │
│  🟢 Tor Connected  |  💰 Earning: 0.13 $zer0/min       │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Interface Elements:

Icon
Meaning

🛡️ Shield (Green)

Tor protection active - you're anonymous

🛡️ Shield (Gray)

Tor disconnected - check connection

💰 Earnings Counter

Real-time $zer0 earnings display

👤 Wallet Icon

Access your wallet and balance

≡ Menu

Settings, agents, and more

🔐 Your First Browsing Session

Step 1: Verify Tor Connection

Before browsing, ensure you're protected:

  1. Look for the green shield icon in the address bar

  2. Visit check.torproject.org

  3. You should see: "Congratulations. This browser is configured to use Tor."

All your traffic is now anonymous! Your IP address is hidden, and your browsing cannot be tracked.

Step 2: Start Earning $zer0

You're already earning just by browsing! Here's how it works:

  • 0.13 $zer0 per minute of active browsing

  • Earnings are credited every 10 minutes

  • View your balance by clicking the wallet icon 👤

Maximize Your Earnings:

  • Keep zer0 open while working

  • Browse normally - every page counts

  • Enable privacy-preserving ads for 2x earnings

  • Refer friends for 5% of their earnings

Step 3: Explore AI Agents

Click the menu (≡) → AI Agents to access on-device AI:

Built-in Agents:

  • 🔍 Research Agent - Summarize articles and extract insights

  • 💱 DeFi Agent - Private crypto swaps and yield optimization

  • 📊 Data Agent - Analyze spreadsheets without uploading

  • ✍️ Writing Agent - Generate content locally

All AI processing happens on your device. No data is sent to cloud servers.

💰 Managing Your Wallet

Viewing Your Balance

  1. Click the wallet icon 👤 in the top-right

  2. View your current $zer0 balance and earnings

  3. See pending rewards and transaction history

Sending $zer0

To send tokens to another wallet:

  1. Click Send in wallet panel

  2. Enter recipient's shielded address

  3. Enter amount

  4. Confirm transaction

  5. Funds arrive in ~2 minutes (zk-shielded)

Always verify addresses! zer0 uses shielded addresses that start with zs1... for maximum privacy.

Receiving $zer0

To receive tokens:

  1. Click Receive in wallet panel

  2. Copy your shielded address (starts with zs1...)

  3. Share with sender

  4. Funds appear automatically in your wallet

🔧 Essential Settings

Privacy Settings (Recommended)

Navigate to Menu (≡) → Settings → Privacy:

Essential Privacy Controls:

✅ Always Incognito Mode (cannot be disabled - your protection)
✅ Block Third-Party Cookies
✅ Block Trackers & Ads
✅ WebRTC Leak Prevention
✅ Fingerprinting Protection
✅ Auto-clear on Exit

Network Settings

Menu (≡) → Settings → Network:

Setting
Recommended
Description

Tor Routing

✅ Always On

Routes all traffic through Tor

Use Bridges

⚠️ If Blocked

For regions blocking Tor

Auto-Connect

✅ Enabled

Connect to Tor on startup

New Circuit

Manual

Get new Tor route (click shield)

Earning Settings

Menu (≡) → Settings → Earning:

✅ Earn $zer0 While Browsing (enabled by default)
⬜ Privacy-Preserving Ads (2x earnings, optional)
⬜ Auto-Stake Rewards (earn 15% APY, optional)
⬜ Referral Tracking (earn from referred users)

🤖 Using Your First AI Agent

Let's run a simple agent to see the power of private AI:

Example: Research Agent

  1. Open AI Agents Panel

    • Click Menu (≡) → AI Agents

  2. Select Research Agent

    • Click on Research Agent tile

  3. Give it a Task

    "Summarize the latest developments in zero-knowledge proofs"

  4. Watch it Work

    • Agent searches privately

    • Processes data on-device

    • Returns summary in ~30 seconds

  5. Results

    • Get a concise summary

    • No data left your device

    • No tracking or logging

All agent processing is local. Even we don't know what you're researching!

🎓 Learning More

Understanding the Basics

🛡️ Privacy Architecture

How zer0 keeps you completely anonymous

🤖 AI Agents Deep Dive

Master the full power of zer0 agents

💰 Token Economics

Understanding the $zer0 flywheel

🚀 Power User Tips

Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts for faster browsing:

Shortcut
Action

Ctrl/Cmd + T

New private tab

Ctrl/Cmd + W

Close tab

Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + N

New Tor circuit

Ctrl/Cmd + E

Open AI agent panel

Ctrl/Cmd + ,

Settings

Maximizing Earnings

Pro strategies to earn more $zer0:

  1. Enable Privacy-Preserving Ads

    • Settings → Earning → Enable ads

    • Earn 2x more while maintaining privacy

    • Ads are zk-cohort based (no PII)

  2. Refer Friends

    • Share your referral link

    • Earn 5% of their lifetime earnings

    • They get a bonus 100 $zer0 on signup

  3. Stake Your Tokens

    • Lock $zer0 to run a mixnode

    • Earn 15% APY + transaction fees

    • Help secure the network

  4. Run Premium Agents

    • Rent out specialized agents

    • Earn 10% of usage fees

    • Popular agents can earn 50-100 $zer0/day

🔒 Security Best Practices

Protecting Your Wallet

CRITICAL: Seed Phrase Security

Your 24-word seed phrase is the ONLY way to recover your wallet. Follow these rules:

  • ✅ Write it on paper (never digital)

  • ✅ Store in multiple secure locations

  • ✅ Never share with anyone (even zer0 team)

  • ❌ Don't screenshot or save in cloud

  • ❌ Don't email or message it

  • ❌ Don't store in password managers

Avoiding Phishing

Stay safe from scams:

  • ✅ Only download zer0 from official GitHub

  • ✅ Verify URLs start with https://zer0.build

  • ❌ Never enter seed phrase on any website

  • ❌ Ignore DMs claiming to be zer0 support

  • ❌ Don't click suspicious links promising free $zer0

🆘 Common Issues & Solutions

Earnings not showing up

Solution:

  1. Check that Tor is connected (green shield)

  2. Earnings are distributed every 10 minutes - wait a bit

  3. Ensure wallet is synced (check sync status in wallet panel)

  4. Restart browser if issue persists

Browser is slow

Solution: Tor routing adds slight latency (this is normal for anonymity):

  • First page loads may take 3-5 seconds

  • Subsequent loads are faster

  • Close unused tabs to improve performance

  • Consider disabling heavy extensions

Can't access certain websites

Solution: Some sites block Tor exit nodes:

  • Click shield → "New Tor Circuit" to try different exit node

  • Use "Tor Circuit for this Site" to get dedicated route

  • If persistent, report to [email protected]

AI agent failed to run

Solution:

  1. Ensure you have enough RAM (4GB minimum)

  2. Check internet connection for agent updates

  3. Try restarting the agent

  4. Update zer0 to latest version

🎯 Daily Checklist

Make zer0 part of your routine:

Daily:

Weekly:

Monthly:

📚 What's Next?

Ready to dive deeper? Explore these advanced topics:

🏦 Staking Guide

Earn 15% APY by staking $zer0

🔧 Running a Mixnode

Help secure the network and earn fees

🛍️ Agent Marketplace

Discover and rent specialized agents

Enjoying zer0? Share your experience on Twitter and help spread privacy! 🚀

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