Turn features on or off

Last published : Nov 09, 2026
This guide shows you how to turn Knowledge Worker Agent features on or off for a workspace, with environment variables.
Set the variables where Knowledge Worker Agent starts, for example in the workspace image. Changes apply the next time Knowledge Worker Agent starts. For every variable and its default, see Environment variables.
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Turn off dictation

Set KWA_VOICE=off.
Dictation is on by default wherever the speech engine and model are installed. They're included in the Knowledge Worker Agent image. Any value that isn't recognized also turns dictation off, so KWA_VOICE=disabled works too.
While someone dictates, the engine uses most of the workspace's CPU. For the CPU, memory, and disk it needs, see Dictation in Workspace requirements.

Turn off chat sharing

Set KWA_GUEST_PORT=off.
This closes the listener that shared chats use, and the Share action disappears. Sharing is also unavailable when the workspace isn't on the SecurSpaces platform, or when the port is already taken.

Turn off file sharing

Set KWA_ARTIFACT_PORTS=off.
Share disappears from the Files panel, and the Artifacts page says that sharing files is turned off. Files that are already shared stop opening, and the Artifacts page shows each as Turned off. Each keeps its link and who can open it, and opens again when you turn sharing back on. To stop sharing a file for good, select Stop sharing on the Artifacts page.

Turn off scripts in HTML previews

Set KWA_PREVIEW_PORT=off.
HTML files in the Files panel then show without running their scripts. Shared files aren't affected.

Turn off the tidy-up review

Set KWA_HYGIENE_ENABLED=false.
This turns off both the review of idle chats and the removal of empty chats. To change the timing instead, see KWA_HYGIENE_REVIEW_AFTER, KWA_HYGIENE_SNOOZE, and KWA_HYGIENE_EMPTY_AFTER in Environment variables.

Turn off scheduled tasks

Set KWA_SCHEDULED_TASKS=off. Tasks stay saved, but none run.

Turn off automatic sync for repository projects

Set KWA_PROJECT_AUTO_SYNC=off. Projects backed by a repository are then only pulled when a user selects Pull.

Turn off automatic chat names

Set KWA_AUTO_TITLE=off. New chats keep the name they start with until users rename them.

Turn off the Obsidian connector install

Set KWA_OBSIDIAN_AUTO_INSTALL=off.
By default, Knowledge Worker Agent installs the Obsidian connector at startup when it's missing, using npm. The connector lets the assistant read and write an Obsidian vault in ~/Knowledge_Worker_Agent/ObsidianVault.

Turn off opencode updates

Set KWA_OPENCODE_AUTO_UPDATE=false.
By default, Knowledge Worker Agent checks opencode, the agent it runs, at startup. If it isn't the version this release of Knowledge Worker Agent is pinned to, it installs that version from the npm registry, so opencode changes only with a new release of Knowledge Worker Agent. With updates off, it keeps the opencode binary it finds. It still installs one if none works.

Turn off the workspace heartbeat

Set KWA_WORKSPACE_HEARTBEAT=false.
The heartbeat keeps the workspace from going idle while the assistant is working. For more information, see Workspace heartbeat.

Turn off database snapshots

Set KWA_DB_BACKUP=off.
By default, Knowledge Worker Agent saves a copy of its database at startup, at most once a day, and keeps the five newest. For where they're saved, see Storage locations.