Did you like Clippy? Here’s how to bring it back on Windows or Mac

Clippy, the iconic animated assistant from Microsoft Office, is back—this time as a local AI-powered tool. While once dismissed as annoying and outdated, Clippy is now enjoying a second life thanks to an open-source project that lets users bring the nostalgic character to modern computers. The best part? It works entirely offline, preserving both the retro feel and your privacy.

Clippy returns as a privacy-first AI assistant

This modern version of Clippy has been rebuilt by the team at Electron and is compatible with Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), and Linux systems. You can download it directly from GitHub, where you’ll find a ZIP file tailored to your operating system. After unzipping and launching the app, Clippy reappears in a Windows 95-style interface, ready to assist you just like in the old days—only smarter.

Upon first use, you’re prompted to select a local AI model, with the lightweight Gemma 3 (1B) being the default recommendation. While this model offers decent offline performance, it can deliver inaccurate or humorous responses, highlighting its experimental nature.

Clippy’s new capabilities include answering questions, generating ideas, telling jokes, and offering basic assistance, all without an internet connection. Users can also minimize the chat window while keeping the animated Clippy visible on the screen, maintaining that familiar “always-there” helper vibe.

This revival blends nostalgia with modern tech, offering a fun and private AI tool that runs locally. For those who miss the charm of 90s-era digital helpers, this updated Clippy offers both sentimentality and surprising utility—no network required.