Creating an Agent

Custom agents let you build a specialized assistant tailored to a specific task or workflow. Here is how to create one.

Step 1: Go to Agents

Switch to the Agents mode in the left rail. The sidebar lists any agents you have already created.

Step 2: Click New agent

Click New agent at the top of the sidebar. A small dialog asks for a name and optional instructions. Click Create and the agent’s configuration page opens.

Step 3: Fill in the profile

On the agent page, the General section holds the profile:

Name and description: give your agent a clear name that describes what it does, for example “Code Reviewer”, “Research Assistant”, or “Support Bot”.
Image: upload your own image, or click Generate to describe what you want and let Magus create a picture for your agent. This is a great way to give it a unique visual identity without any design work.
Icon: alternatively, a single emoji shown in lists and menus when no image is set.

Step 4: Write the instructions

The instructions are the most important part of your agent. They are a system prompt that tells the AI:

What its role is (“You are a senior code reviewer…”)
What tone to use (concise, friendly, formal, etc.)
What to focus on or avoid
Any background knowledge it should keep in mind
How to handle specific situations

Write these as if you were briefing a new team member. Be specific. The more clearly you explain the context, the more reliably the agent will behave the way you want.

A few tips:

Start with a one-sentence description of the role.
List any hard rules the agent should always follow.
Give examples of good responses if the behavior is subtle.
Keep it focused: an agent that does one thing well beats one that tries to do everything.

Step 5: Set a default chat mode

In the agent’s Tools section, choose the Default mode for conversations that use this agent:

Chat: Standard conversation mode.
Search: The agent searches the web before answering.
Reasoning: The agent takes more time to think through complex problems.
Image generation / Video generation: The agent produces images or videos from descriptions.

You can always change the mode on a per-conversation basis. The default is just what the agent starts with.

Step 6: Save

Each section has its own Save button for text fields; toggles apply immediately. Your agent is ready to use.

Using your agent

Click Start chat at the top of the agent’s page to open a conversation with it, or mention it in any conversation by typing @ followed by its handle. The agent’s instructions, tools, and integrations are active from the first message.

You can edit your agent at any time by returning to Agents and clicking on its name.