Tutorial

How to use Marcus AI (the plain-English tour)

New here? This walkthrough shows you how to install Marcus, run your first prompt, grab your files, and graduate to workflows — no tech degree required.

Marcus doesn't make your art. Marcus clicks the buttons on Google Flow, ChatGPT, and Grok so you don't have to — batch after batch, while you grab coffee.

You still need your own accounts (and credits) on those platforms. Marcus is the helpful sidekick, not the artist.

Step 1 — Install the extension

  1. Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions.
  2. Turn on Developer mode (top right).
  3. Click Load unpacked and choose the extension folder from this project (or install from the Chrome Web Store when we ship there).
  4. Pin Marcus AI from the puzzle-piece menu so it's one click away.

What Marcus is: automation for prompts, queues, and downloads.
What Marcus isn't: an image or video generator on its own.

Step 2 — Open the side panel

Click the Marcus icon in your toolbar. The side panel opens — that's home base.

Tabs you'll use most:

  • Gen — run prompts now
  • Queue — watch jobs run
  • Prompts — save lines you reuse
  • Workflow — chain steps together (Premium)

Step 3 — Sign in and pick a plan

Sign in with Google so your plan and settings sync. Free includes Flow Gen and any-tab capture; Pro unlocks more platforms and multi-ref; Premium adds workflows and unlimited runs.

No pressure — start free, upgrade when Marcus saves you a Saturday.

Step 4 — Your first generation (Gen tab)

  1. Open Gen.
  2. Paste one prompt — e.g. "Cinematic portrait, soft window light, shallow depth of field".
  3. Pick a platform: Google Flow, ChatGPT, or Grok.
  4. Choose image or video, model, and aspect ratio.
  5. Click Generate.

Marcus sends the prompt to the platform you chose. Keep that tab open (especially Flow) while jobs run.

Step 5 — Queue, downloads, and where files go

Switch to Queue to see progress. When a job finishes, Marcus can auto-download to a MarcusAI folder under your Downloads.

If something fails, you'll see it in the queue — fix the prompt or check that you're logged into Flow/ChatGPT in another tab, then retry.

Step 6 — Save prompts and albums

Prompts — save lines you like. Import a .txt file if you have a list ready.

Albums — stash reference images. With mention mode on, type @albumname in a prompt to attach refs.

Think of albums as labeled pockets for your visual references.

Step 7 — Level up with workflows

On Premium, open Workflow to chain steps: prompt → enhance → generate → download. Templates get you started; you wire nodes like a tiny assembly line.

For the deep technical guide, see our User guide.

Quick FAQ

Does Marcus create images?
No. Your Flow/ChatGPT/Grok account does. Marcus automates the clicking and queuing.

Do I need credits on Flow?
Yes. Marcus doesn't replace your Google or OpenAI subscription.

What if a job fails?
Check the queue message, confirm you're logged in on the platform tab, and try again. Policy violations on Flow show up in the queue too.

Is my data safe?
Prompts and settings stay in your browser/extension storage unless you use cloud features you've enabled. See our Privacy policy.

Ready? Install Marcus and run one prompt today. One is enough to see if this fits your workflow — then come back for batch two.

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