🚀 Getting Started
How do I install Gauge? +
Go to the Chrome Web Store listing for Gauge and click "Add to Chrome." The usage strip appears automatically the next time you open claude.ai — no setup, no login, no configuration needed for the free tier.
The inline strip isn't showing on Claude. +
1) Hard refresh claude.ai: Ctrl+Shift+R (Cmd+Shift+R on Mac). 2) Check it's enabled at
chrome://extensions. 3) Click the Gauge icon and press the ↻ refresh button. 4) Start a new conversation. 5) Uninstall and reinstall.The meter shows "—" instead of usage numbers. +
Gauge reads usage data when claude.ai makes its own internal API call — usually when you send a message or the page loads. Send one message and the meter updates within seconds. Or click ↻ in the popup to force a refresh.
Does Gauge work on Edge, Brave, and Arc? +
Yes — any Chromium-based browser. Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, and Vivaldi all supported. Firefox is not yet supported.
What does Ctrl/⌘+Shift+G do? +
Opens and closes Gauge's expandable details panel. Customise the shortcut at
chrome://extensions/shortcuts.🔑 Pro License
How do I activate my Pro license key? +
Click the Gauge icon → Settings → paste your key in the "Pro License Key" field (format:
GAUGE-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX) → click Verify. All Pro features unlock instantly. Your key syncs across all Chrome devices you're signed into.Where is my license key after purchase? +
Polar.sh emails it instantly after purchase. Check the address you used at checkout — subject line from Polar.sh, contains "Your license key for Gauge Pro." Check spam. Still missing? Email [email protected] with your order ID.
My key says "Invalid" — I just purchased. +
Copy the key exactly — all uppercase, all dashes, no spaces:
GAUGE-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. Still failing? Email [email protected] with your key and order ID and we'll fix it within 24 hours.How do I cancel my monthly subscription? +
Log in at polar.sh → Purchases → Gauge Pro Monthly → Cancel. Key stays active until the billing period ends, then reverts to free. No data is deleted.
Can someone get Pro access for free? +
Yes — we can generate and send a Pro license key to anyone we choose to grant access. Enter it in Settings → Pro License Key → Verify. Works identically to a purchased key.
📊 Claude Meter & Context Features
What's the difference between the session meter and the weekly meter? +
The session (5-hour) meter tracks your rolling 5-hour message quota. The weekly meter tracks your 7-day utilization across all sessions. On plans with separate Opus/Sonnet limits, Gauge shows individual bars for each model.
Why does the context bar show a different % than the session meter? +
They measure different things. The session meter tracks your 5-hour message quota. The context bar tracks this specific conversation's token usage vs the model's context-window limit. You can hit either ceiling — Gauge shows both simultaneously.
How does the live token counter work? +
As you type, Gauge runs your text through a bundled o200k tokenizer locally — no API calls. The count updates in real time. The context-window bar breaks down your entire conversation by files, history, and system prompt.
What does the context trim-coach warning mean? +
"Context 78% full — your 3 files are 61K, detach to reclaim ~30%" means attached files are consuming most of your context window. Detaching them frees space and lets you send more messages. Pro users get a one-click Remove button directly on the attachment.
What is the cache timer? +
Claude caches your prompt for ~5 minutes. While cached, replies are faster and cheaper. The timer shows when the cache expires — explaining why responses sometimes slow down mid-conversation.
What does the 2× boost-window badge mean? +
Anthropic occasionally doubles Claude usage limits during promotional windows. Gauge detects active boosts and shows a badge. Free users see the badge; Pro users get a push notification when the boost starts.
🔄 Cross-Platform Handoff
Why doesn't Gauge track ChatGPT, Gemini, or Grok usage? +
Because those platforms don't provide a real usage API — any "tracking" would be guesswork. Gauge only shows you numbers it can actually verify. Claude is the only major AI platform with a real usage API, which is why Gauge is a Claude-first product. ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok are handoff destinations only.
What is the Resume Kit handoff? +
When you hit your Claude limit and click a handoff button, Gauge extracts your full both-sides conversation, formats it for the destination AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, or a new Claude chat), attaches code blocks as separate files, and opens the destination in a new tab. The other AI gets full context and can continue exactly where Claude left off. Free: 5 handoffs/day. Pro: unlimited. Copy and Download (.md) always unlimited.
The pasted conversation looks wrong in ChatGPT. +
Wait for the ChatGPT tab to fully load, click inside the message box, then paste (Ctrl+V / Cmd+V). If it looks off, paste into a plain text editor first to inspect, then paste from there.
I used all 5 free handoffs. When do they reset? +
Free handoffs reset at midnight in your local timezone. The popup shows "X of 5 used today." Copy and Download (.md) are always unlimited regardless of tier. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited daily handoffs.
Does Gauge read anything from ChatGPT, Gemini, or Grok? +
No. Gauge only opens those platforms in a new tab and copies your conversation context to the clipboard. It does not read data, inject scripts for tracking purposes, or monitor anything on those platforms. The host permissions for those domains exist solely to allow tab creation for handoff.
🔒 Privacy & Data
Does Gauge see my Claude conversations? +
No. Gauge reads usage numbers (%, counts, reset times) and measures token lengths locally. Conversation content is only read transiently during handoff to copy to your clipboard — it never goes to a Gauge server because Gauge has no servers.
How do I delete all my data? +
chrome://extensions → Gauge → Details → Clear data. Wipes everything immediately. Uninstalling also removes all data. Nothing is stored externally.Can I export my Claude usage history? +
Yes — Gauge options page → Usage History → Export. Available as CSV or JSON. Covers the last 7 days (Free) or 30 days (Pro).