1# Agent Panel
  2
  3The Agent Panel is where you interact with AI agents that can read, write, and run code in your project. Use it for code generation, refactoring, debugging, documentation, and general questions.
  4
  5Open it with `agent: new thread` from [the Command Palette](../getting-started.md#command-palette) or click the ✨ icon in the status bar.
  6
  7## Getting Started {#getting-started}
  8
  9If you're using the Agent Panel for the first time, you need to have at least one LLM provider or external agent configured.
 10You can do that by:
 11
 121. [subscribing to our Pro plan](https://zed.dev/pricing), so you have access to our hosted models
 132. [using your own API keys](./llm-providers.md#use-your-own-keys), either from model providers like Anthropic or model gateways like OpenRouter.
 143. using an [external agent](./external-agents.md) like [Gemini CLI](./external-agents.md#gemini-cli) or [Claude Agent](./external-agents.md#claude-agent)
 15
 16## Overview {#overview}
 17
 18With an LLM provider or external agent configured, type in the message editor and press `enter` to submit. Expand the editor with {#kb agent::ExpandMessageEditor} if you need more room.
 19
 20Responses stream in with indicators showing [which tools](./tools.md) the model is using. The sections below cover what you can do from here.
 21
 22> Note that for external agents, like [Gemini CLI](./external-agents.md#gemini-cli) or [Claude Agent](./external-agents.md#claude-agent), some of the features outlined below may _not_ be supported—for example, _restoring threads from history_, _checkpoints_, _token usage display_, and others.
 23> Their availability varies depending on the agent.
 24
 25### Creating New Threads {#new-thread}
 26
 27By default, the Agent Panel uses Zed's first-party agent.
 28
 29To choose another agent, go to the plus button in the top-right of the Agent Panel and pick either one of the [external agents](./external-agents.md) installed out of the box or a new [Text Thread](./text-threads.md).
 30
 31### Editing Messages {#editing-messages}
 32
 33Any message that you send to the model is editable.
 34You can click on the card that contains your message and re-submit it with an adjusted prompt and/or new pieces of context.
 35
 36### Queueing Messages
 37
 38Messages sent while the agent is in the generating state get, by default, queued.
 39
 40For the Zed agent, queued messages get sent at the next turn boundary, which is usually between a tool call and a response, whereas for external agents, the message gets sent at the end of the generation.
 41
 42You can edit or remove (an individual or all) queued messages.
 43You can also still interrupt the agent immediately if you want by either clicking on the stop button or by clicking the "Send Now" (double-enter) on a queued message.
 44
 45### Checkpoints {#checkpoints}
 46
 47Every time the model performs an edit, you should see a "Restore Checkpoint" button at the top of your message, allowing you to return your code base to the state it was in prior to that message.
 48
 49The checkpoint button appears even if you interrupt the thread midway through an edit, as this is likely a moment when you've identified that the agent is not heading in the right direction and you want to revert back.
 50
 51### Context Menu {#context-menu}
 52
 53Right-click on any agent response in the thread view to access a context menu with the following actions:
 54
 55- **Copy Selection**: Copies the currently selected text as Markdown (available when text is selected).
 56- **Copy This Agent Response**: Copies the full text of the agent response you right-clicked on.
 57- **Scroll to Top / Scroll to Bottom**: Scrolls to the beginning or end of the thread, depending on your current position.
 58- **Open Thread as Markdown**: Opens the entire thread as a Markdown file in a new tab.
 59
 60### Navigating the Thread {#navigating-the-thread}
 61
 62In long conversations, use the scroll button at the bottom of the panel to jump to your most recent prompt.
 63
 64### Navigating History {#navigating-history}
 65
 66To quickly navigate through recently updated threads, use the {#kb agent::ToggleNavigationMenu} binding when focused on the panel's editor, or click the menu icon button at the top right of the panel.
 67Doing that will open a dropdown that shows you your six most recently updated threads.
 68
 69To view all historical conversations, reach for the `View All` option from within the same menu or via the {#kb agent::OpenHistory} binding.
 70
 71Thread titles are auto-generated based on the conversation content. To regenerate a title, open the ellipsis menu in the top right of the panel and select "Regenerate Thread Title".
 72
 73### Following the Agent {#following-the-agent}
 74
 75Follow the agent as it reads and edits files by clicking the crosshair icon at the bottom left of the panel. Your editor will jump to each file the agent touches.
 76
 77You can also hold `cmd`/`ctrl` when submitting a message to automatically follow.
 78
 79### Get Notified {#get-notified}
 80
 81If you send a prompt to the Agent and then put Zed in the background, you can choose to be notified when its generation wraps up via:
 82
 83- a visual notification that appears in the top right of your screen
 84- a sound notification
 85
 86These notifications can be used together or individually, and you can use the `agent.notify_when_agent_waiting` and `agent.play_sound_when_agent_done` settings keys to customize that, including turning both off entirely.
 87
 88### Reviewing Changes {#reviewing-changes}
 89
 90Once the agent has made changes to your project, the panel will surface which files, how many of them, and how many lines have been edited.
 91
 92To see which files specifically have been edited, expand the accordion bar that shows up right above the message editor or click the `Review Changes` button ({#kb agent::OpenAgentDiff}), which opens a special multi-buffer tab with all changes.
 93
 94You can accept or reject each individual change hunk, or the whole set of changes made by the agent.
 95
 96Edit diffs also appear in singleton buffers.
 97If your active tab had edits made by the AI, you'll see diffs with the same accept/reject controls as in the multi-buffer.
 98You can turn this off, though, through the `agent.single_file_review` setting.
 99
100## Adding Context {#adding-context}
101
102The agent can search your codebase to find relevant context, but providing it explicitly improves response quality and reduces latency.
103
104Add context by typing `@` in the message editor. You can mention files, directories, symbols, previous threads, rules files, and diagnostics.
105
106Copying images and pasting them in the panel's message editor is also supported.
107
108When you paste multi-line code selections copied from a buffer, Zed automatically formats them as @-mentions with the file context.
109To paste content without this automatic formatting, use {#kb agent::PasteRaw} to paste raw text directly.
110
111### Selection as Context
112
113Additionally, you can also select text in a buffer and add it as context by using the {#kb agent::AddSelectionToThread} keybinding, running the {#action agent::AddSelectionToThread} action, or choosing the "Selection" item in the `@` menu.
114
115## Token Usage {#token-usage}
116
117Zed surfaces how many tokens you are consuming for your currently active thread near the profile selector in the panel's message editor.
118
119Once you approach the model's context window, a banner appears above the message editor suggesting to start a new thread with the current one summarized and added as context.
120You can also do this at any time with an ongoing thread via the "Agent Options" menu on the top right, where you'll see a "New from Summary" button, as well as simply @-mentioning a past thread in a new one..
121
122## Changing Models {#changing-models}
123
124After you've configured your LLM providers—either via [a custom API key](./llm-providers.md) or through [Zed's hosted models](./models.md)—you can switch between their models by clicking on the model selector on the message editor or by using the {#kb agent::ToggleModelSelector} keybinding.
125
126> The same model can be offered via multiple providers - for example, Claude Sonnet 4 is available via Zed Pro, OpenRouter, Anthropic directly, and more.
127> Make sure you've selected the correct model **_provider_** for the model you'd like to use, delineated by the logo to the left of the model in the model selector.
128
129### Favoriting Models
130
131You can mark specific models as favorites either through the model selector, by clicking on the star icon button that appears as you hover the model, or through your settings via the `agent.favorite_models` settings key.
132
133Cycle through your favorites with {#kb agent::CycleFavoriteModels} without opening the model selector.
134
135## Using Tools {#using-tools}
136
137The Agent Panel supports tool calling, which enables agentic editing.
138Zed includes [built-in tools](./tools.md) for searching your codebase, editing files, running terminal commands, and fetching web content.
139
140You can also extend the set of available tools via [MCP Servers](./mcp.md).
141
142### Profiles {#profiles}
143
144Profiles act as a way to group tools.
145Zed offers three built-in profiles and you can create as many custom ones as you want.
146
147#### Built-in Profiles {#built-in-profiles}
148
149- `Write`: A profile with tools to allow the LLM to write to your files and run terminal commands. This one essentially has all built-in tools turned on.
150- `Ask`: A profile with read-only tools. Best for asking questions about your code base without the concern of the agent making changes.
151- `Minimal`: A profile with no tools. Best for general conversations with the LLM where no knowledge of your code base is necessary.
152
153You can explore the exact tools enabled in each profile by clicking on the profile selector button > `Configure` button > the one you want to check out.
154
155Alternatively, you can also use either the command palette, by running {#action agent::ManageProfiles}, or the keybinding directly, {#kb agent::ManageProfiles}, to have access to the profile management modal.
156
157Use {#kb agent::CycleModeSelector} to switch between profiles without opening the modal.
158
159#### Custom Profiles {#custom-profiles}
160
161You can also create a custom profile through the Agent Profile modal.
162From there, you can choose to `Add New Profile` or fork an existing one with a custom name and your preferred set of tools.
163
164It's also possible to override built-in profiles.
165In the Agent Profile modal, select a built-in profile, navigate to `Configure Tools`, and rearrange the tools you'd like to keep or remove.
166
167Zed will store this profile in your settings using the same profile name as the default you overrode.
168
169All custom profiles can be edited via the UI or by hand under the `agent.profiles` key in your `settings.json` file.
170
171To delete a custom profile, open the Agent Profile modal, select the profile you want to remove, and click the delete button.
172
173### Tool Approval
174
175> **Note:** In Zed v0.224.0 and above, tool approval is controlled by `agent.tool_permissions.default`.
176
177Zed's Agent Panel provides the `agent.tool_permissions.default` setting to control tool approval behavior:
178
179- `"confirm"` (default) — Prompts for approval before running any tool action
180- `"allow"` — Auto-approves tool actions without prompting
181- `"deny"` — Blocks all tool actions
182
183You can change this in either your `settings.json` or via the Agent Panel's settings view.
184
185Even with `"default": "allow"`, per-tool `always_deny` and `always_confirm` patterns are still respected — so you can auto-approve most actions while blocking or gating specific ones. For the `copy_path` and `move_path` tools, patterns are matched independently against both the source and destination paths. See [Per-tool Permission Rules](./agent-settings.md#per-tool-permission-rules) for details.
186
187When the agent requests permission for an action, the confirmation dialog includes options to allow or deny once, plus "Always for <tool>" choices that set a tool-level default. When Zed can extract a safe pattern from the input, it also offers pattern-based "Always for ..." choices that add `always_allow`/`always_deny` rules. MCP tools only support tool-level defaults.
188
189> **Note:** Before Zed v0.224.0, tool approval was controlled by the `agent.always_allow_tool_actions` boolean (default `false`). Set it to `true` to auto-approve tool actions, or leave it `false` to require confirmation for edits and tool calls (including MCP tools).
190
191### Model Support {#model-support}
192
193Tool calling needs to be individually supported by each model and model provider.
194Therefore, despite the presence of tools, some models may not have the ability to pick them up yet in Zed.
195You should see a "No tools" label if you select a model that falls into this case.
196
197All [Zed's hosted models](./models.md) support tool calling out-of-the-box.
198
199### MCP Servers {#mcp-servers}
200
201Similarly to the built-in tools, some models may not support all tools included in a given MCP Server.
202Zed's UI will inform you about this via a warning icon that appears close to the model selector.
203
204## Text Threads {#text-threads}
205
206["Text Threads"](./text-threads.md) present your conversation with the LLM in a different format—as raw text.
207With text threads, you have full control over the conversation data.
208You can remove and edit responses from the LLM, swap roles, and include more context earlier in the conversation.
209
210Text threads are Zed's original assistant panel format, preserved for users who want direct control over conversation data.
211Autonomous code editing (where the agent writes to files) is only available in the default thread format, not text threads.
212
213## Errors and Debugging {#errors-and-debugging}
214
215In case of any error or strange LLM response behavior, the best way to help the Zed team debug is by reaching for the `agent: open thread as markdown` action and attaching that data as part of your issue on GitHub.
216
217You can also open threads as Markdown by clicking on the file icon button, to the right of the thumbs down button, when focused on the panel's editor.
218
219## Feedback {#feedback}
220
221You can rate agent responses to help improve Zed's system prompt and tools.
222
223> Note that rating responses will send your data related to that response to Zed's servers.
224> See [AI Improvement](./ai-improvement.md) and [Privacy and Security](./privacy-and-security.md) for more information about Zed's approach to AI improvement, privacy, and security.
225> **_If you don't want data persisted on Zed's servers, don't rate_**. We will not collect data for improving our Agentic offering without you explicitly rating responses.
226
227The best way you can help influence the next change to Zed's system prompt and tools is by rating the LLM's response via the thumbs up/down buttons at the end of every response. In case of a thumbs down, a new text area will show up where you can add more specifics about what happened.
228
229You can provide feedback on the thread at any point after the agent responds, and multiple times within the same thread.