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Quick check: Does your chosen AI model support tools? Some smaller models don’t have tool-calling capabilities.

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What’s happening?

You ask Alter to do something like “Send a message to John” or “Add a calendar event,” but:
  • The AI responds with text instead of taking action
  • Nothing happens in the target app
  • You get “I don’t have access to that” or similar responses

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Why this happens

Model Doesn't Support Tools

Some AI models can’t call tools – they only generate text

Tool Not Enabled

The tool is available but not turned on in Tools Manager

Wrong Prompt Format

The AI needs clear instructions about what tool to use and how

Global Tools Toggle Off

All tools are disabled via the global toggle in Active Tools

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Step-by-step fix

1

Switch to a tool-capable model

Not all models can use tools. Try one of these:
  • Alter Best (our smart router)
  • Gemini 2.0 Flash
  • Claude Sonnet
  • GPT-5
Press / in the prompt box to switch models.
2

Check the global tools toggle

In the Tools Manager, there’s a master switch that can disable all tools at once:
  1. Click the three dots in Alter → Tools Manager
  2. Look for the global toggle in the Active Tools section
  3. Make sure it’s turned on (enabled)
If this is off, none of your individual tools will work even if they’re enabled.
3

Enable the right tools

Once the global toggle is on, enable specific tools:
  1. In the Tools Manager, find the tool you want (Messages, Calendar, etc.)
  2. Toggle it on
  3. Check if it needs additional setup (like signing in)
4

Be explicit in your request

Instead of: “Tell John I’m running late”Try: “Send a message to John Smith saying ‘I’m running 10 minutes late’ using the Messages tool”The more specific you are, the better the AI understands.
5

For Apple Shortcuts

If using Apple Shortcuts:
  1. Open the Shortcuts app
  2. Edit your shortcut
  3. Add “Receive input from” and set it to accept text
  4. Save the shortcut
  5. Try again in Alter

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Test it

Try this simple test:
  1. Make sure you’re using a tool-capable model
  2. Enable the System Notification tool
  3. Say: “Send a system notification saying ‘Test successful’”
  4. Success: You should see a macOS notification appear!
Start simple: Test with basic tools like System Notification before trying complex integrations. This helps identify if it’s a general tool issue or specific to one integration.
Try Flow: If you’re unsure which tool to use or having trouble with tool selection, enable Flow - Alter’s tool orchestrator that automatically selects the right tool for you.

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Still not working?

Some models are better at tools than others. If one model isn’t working well with tools:
  1. Switch to Alter Best (it automatically picks capable models)
  2. Or try Gemini 2.0 Flash or Claude Sonnet