> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ollim.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tell the bot about yourself

> Create USER.md to give the bot persistent context about your work, schedule, and preferences.

The bot can only help with what it knows. `USER.md` gives it persistent
context about you — your work, schedule, ADHD patterns, and priorities.
This context survives conversation resets and compaction, so the bot
doesn't lose track of who you are.

## Why this matters

Without `USER.md`, the bot learns about you through conversation — but
that context gradually fades as older messages get compacted. Writing
things down in `USER.md` means the bot always has access to your
baseline context, even after a `/clear` or a long break.

## Where to create it

Create the file at `~/.ollim-bot/USER.md`. Unlike `IDENTITY.md`, this
file is **not** created automatically — you write it yourself when
you're ready.

`~` is your home directory — `/home/you` on Linux, `/Users/you` on
macOS, or `C:\Users\you` on Windows.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Ask the bot">
    Tell the bot to create or update it:

    > "Create a USER.md with the following: I'm in Pacific time,
    > I work from home, and I have ADHD — mornings are my hardest
    > time to get started."

    The bot will write the file for you and keep the new context in mind
    for the rest of the session — no restart needed.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Use /setup">
    Run [`/setup`](/core-usage/slash-commands#setup) for a guided
    walkthrough that covers user context alongside names and personality.
    The wizard asks conversational questions about your work, schedule,
    ADHD patterns, and priorities, then writes `USER.md` for you.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Create it yourself">
    Create `USER.md` at the path above in any text editor. It's plain
    markdown — write whatever you want the bot to know about you.

    <Note>
      The bot won't notice your edits automatically — ask it to re-read
      `USER.md` afterward, or run `/compact` to rebuild the session
      with your changes.
    </Note>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## What to include

The file is freeform, but here are useful categories:

```markdown title="USER.md" theme={null}
# About me

- Pacific timezone, work from home
- Usually available 9am-5pm weekdays
- Kids get picked up at 3:30 — don't schedule anything 3-4pm

# ADHD patterns

- Mornings are the hardest — I need help getting started
- Once I'm focused, don't interrupt unless it's urgent
- I tend to forget things that aren't written down

# Current priorities

- Finish quarterly report (due Friday)
- Schedule dentist appointment (been putting it off)
- Plan weekend trip

# Preferences

- Give me one thing at a time, not a full list
- Ping me about deadlines, skip routine check-ins
- I use Google Tasks for everything
```

You don't need all of these sections. Start with whatever feels most
useful and add more over time.

## The bot can update it too

The bot has permission to read and edit `USER.md` at runtime. If you
tell it something important during conversation, you can ask it to
save that to your profile:

> "Add to my USER.md that Tuesdays and Thursdays I have calls from
> 1-2pm — don't ping me during those."

This is especially useful for context that comes up naturally — you
don't have to remember to edit the file later. The bot keeps the new
context in mind immediately, not just for future sessions.

## When changes take effect

It depends on how the change was made:

* **You or the bot added it during conversation** — the bot already
  knows what changed and acts on it immediately. The file is also saved,
  so the context persists across restarts.
* **The change happened in a fork** — the fork sends an update to the
  main session summarizing what was added, so the main session knows
  about it too.
* **You edited the file yourself** — the bot doesn't watch the file
  for changes, so ask it to re-read `USER.md`, or run `/compact`
  to rebuild the session with your changes.

## Next steps

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Customize personality" icon="face-smile" href="/personalizing/personality">
    Change the bot's tone, humor, and communication style.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Data directory" icon="folder" href="/configuration/data-directory#profile-files">
    Technical reference for profile files and the data directory.
  </Card>
</Columns>