Fikira

Release Status

Ready for safer installation and updates

Fikira 26.6.39 repairs the student pathway builder so full weekly course maps drive study plans, flashcards, quizzes, and practice tests. It also hardens in-app update recovery. Mac is Apple Developer ID signed, notarized, and Gatekeeper verified; Windows remains an unsigned beta installer.

Verified

Mac security

The Mac app is signed with Apple Developer ID and accepted by Gatekeeper as a Notarized Developer ID app outside the Mac App Store.

Windows

Beta installer

The Windows installer is available for testing. Version 26.6.39 is not yet code-signed with a Windows publisher certificate, so SmartScreen may warn during beta installs.

Local-first

Privacy by default

Learning conversations and saved work stay on the computer by default. Optional account, sync, feedback, and update services use the internet only when needed.

Continuity

Profiles and updates

Fikira is moving toward smoother shared-device profiles, profile restore, and cross-device child access while keeping local use simple.

Learning Science

Built to preserve student thinking

Fikira is not trying to be a chatbot with school branding. It is being shaped around learning science, responsible AI, and practical classroom and family use.

Available in this beta

Role-aware setup for students, teachers, and parents/caregivers.
Local-first tutoring that uses productive struggle, concise hints, and subject-aware guardrails.
Teacher tools for lesson planning, syllabus and assignment analysis, rubrics, assessments, and ProSocial AI design.
Shared-device profile improvements so returning users can continue without repeating onboarding.
Mac release trust: Apple Developer ID signing, notarization, stapling, and Gatekeeper verification.

Actively improving next

Adaptive practice that tracks question IDs, avoids unnecessary repetition, and changes difficulty based on performance.
More age-specific content: visual, audio-first K-2 activities with read-aloud prompts, image choices, counting, phonics, puzzles, stories, and playful practice.
Stronger grades 2-12 study modes with mastery practice, flashcards, diagnostics, and practice tests.
Postsecondary workflows for source-grounded studying: notes, readings, flashcards, practice exams, and tutor conversations.
Account-backed profile restore and cross-device child login while keeping local-first use available.

Getting Started

Three steps to get started

Fikira is designed to handle the technical setup for you. No command lines. No separate app installs. A short profile setup helps personalize the experience.

Download and install Fikira

Click the download button for your system. Mac users: choose Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) or Intel. Once the DMG downloads, open it and drag Fikira to your Applications folder.

On Mac: version 26.6.39 is signed with Apple Developer ID, notarized by Apple, and Gatekeeper verified. It is distributed outside the Mac App Store.

On Windows: download and run the installer. The 26.6.39 Windows installer is an unsigned beta build, so SmartScreen may show a warning. Click "More info" then "Run anyway" if you trust the source.

Ready to use in about 60 seconds.

Fikira sets up the AI automatically

When you open Fikira for the first time, it checks whether the local AI model is ready on your device. If the model needs to be downloaded, Fikira handles this completely on its own.

You will see a progress bar while the AI model downloads (approximately 1.7 GB, one time only). After that, everything runs privately on your device with no internet needed.

Setting up your AI. This only happens once.

72%, about 2 minutes remaining

No separate applications to install. Fikira handles everything.

Choose your role and start

Select whether you are a Student, Teacher, or Parent. Complete a short setup: enter your name, grade or subject area, and preferred language.

Returning users can choose their saved profile from the shared-device profile picker. You can switch users without deleting anyone's learning context.

Setup takes under two minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Fikira

Is Fikira free?

Fikira is free to download and includes a free plan for getting started. Optional paid plans add deeper usage, family profiles, and teacher tools. Frame the Change LAB built Fikira to keep serious learning support accessible.

Does Fikira need an internet connection?

Internet is only needed during the very first setup, when Fikira downloads the local AI model (approximately 1.7 GB). After that, Fikira runs entirely offline. No internet connection is required for day-to-day use, which also means it works well in schools or homes with limited or unreliable connectivity.

What languages does Fikira support?

Fikira currently focuses on core supported languages in the app experience, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Kiswahili, and Arabic. The tutor is instructed to respond in the selected language, and read-aloud or voice input use the closest device-supported speech setting where available.

Is my data private?

Fikira is local-first. By default, your learning conversations and saved work stay on your computer. Optional anonymous usage telemetry, feedback, update checks, and any commercial AI provider you choose may contact external services. Fikira is designed so privacy is the default, not a premium feature.

Why does Fikira ask about profiles?

Profiles let Fikira remember the learner's role, grade, working level, language, subject, and learning context on a shared computer. A parent can support more than one child, and each learner can return to their own space without repeating setup.

Is Fikira fully adaptive yet?

Fikira is moving in that direction. The app now has scaffolding for stable question IDs, question-count choice, seen-question tracking, and non-repetition. The deeper goal is adaptive practice that gets harder when a learner is ready, slows down when misconceptions appear, and avoids showing the same quiz and practice questions as if they were new.

What should I do if setup gets stuck?

If the initial setup appears stuck, try the following steps:

Check that your internet connection is active and stable. The initial download is about 1.7 GB.
Close Fikira completely and reopen it. Setup will resume where it left off.
Make sure you have at least 6 GB of free storage on your device.
Temporarily disable any VPN or firewall that may be blocking the download.
If the issue persists, email us at fikira@framethechangelab.com with your system details and a description of what you see.

Can teachers use Fikira for lesson planning?

Yes, and it is one of Fikira's strongest use cases. When you select the Teacher role during setup, Fikira activates a mode optimized for instructional design. You can describe a learning objective and ask Fikira to help structure a lesson, generate formative assessment questions, draft a syllabus outline, or suggest differentiation strategies for mixed-ability groups. Fikira can also help you think through how to introduce AI tools to your own students in a responsible and grade-appropriate way, including ProSocial AI course design and assignment redesign.

Does Fikira just give students answers?

Fikira is designed to avoid answer-copying. It uses productive-struggle rules, response audits, and tutoring prompts that favor hints, reasoning, and one next step at a time. It can still explain concepts directly when a learner needs instruction, but the goal is to help the learner think rather than simply finish the task for them.

How does Fikira support advanced, struggling, or atypical learners?

Fikira separates actual grade from working level. This matters for gifted learners, learners working above grade level, learners who need extra support, multilingual learners, and students whose age does not match the level of work they are doing. The app also asks about confidence and motivation so tutoring can adjust pace and cognitive load.

How do I update Fikira?

When a new version of Fikira is available, you will see a notification inside the app. Fikira downloads the update, closes, installs, and restarts automatically. If the automatic restart does not complete (a known limitation of Squirrel.Mac on modern macOS), a red bar appears with a "Quit to Install" button. Clicking it closes Fikira, installs the update, and relaunches the new version. No browser download needed. Users on older versions can install 26.6.39 for Mac directly from this page.