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Getting started

What you need to get from a fresh install to reading your first chapter.

Installing Tsugi#

Tsugi is in a closed testing round. If you are taking part, install it the way your invitation describes. Public releases will be published on GitHub.

Tsugi needs Android 8.0 or later.

The first launch#

Two questions may appear:

  • Notifications (Android 13 and later). Tsugi posts library update progress, new chapters, downloads and backups as notifications. If you decline, the app still works; you just will not see those.
  • Keep background work running. Library updates and backups run in the background, and Android can stop them to save power. Allow asks Android to let Tsugi run unrestricted; Skip leaves it as it is. You can change this later in More > Settings > Advanced > Allow background work.

The app opens on the Library tab, which is empty at first. The bottom bar has five tabs: Library, Updates, History, Browse and More.

Coming from another reader#

If you already use a reader that makes .tachibk backups, you do not have to start over:

  1. In that reader, create a backup (usually More > Settings > Data and storage > Create backup).
  2. In Tsugi, open More > Backup > Restore backup and pick that .tachibk file. Opening the file with Tsugi from a file manager also works: it opens the Backup screen and starts the restore. See Backups and restore.
  3. Add the same extension repositories in Tsugi and install the extensions your library uses (the backup carries your repositories when Extension stores was included). See Extensions and repositories.
  4. To bring your downloaded chapters over as well, open More > Settings > Downloads > Copy downloads from a folder and pick that reader's folder. Do this after the restore: only chapters of entries already in your library are copied. See Downloads.

Adding content#

Tsugi does not come with any content. There are two ways to add some.

Files on your device#

The Local source reads comic archives and image folders stored on the device. See The Local source.

Extensions from a repository#

Extensions are small add-ons that each connect Tsugi to one site. They come from repositories, which are lists of extensions published by third parties.

  1. Open More > Extension repositories (or Browse > Extensions, then the button shown when no repository is configured).
  2. Under Add a repository, paste the repository's address into Repository address and tap Add.
  3. Go to Browse > Extensions and tap Install next to an extension.

Extensions and repositories are made by third parties. An extension runs its code inside Tsugi and can see what Tsugi can see, so only add repositories and extensions you trust. Tsugi helps with this: an extension signed by a key Tsugi does not know is held under Needs trust until you look at its signer and tap Trust. See Extensions and repositories.

Tsugi installs extensions inside the app itself. Android's "Install unknown apps" permission is not needed for them.

Adding an entry to your library#

  1. Open Browse. The Sources tab lists the sources of your installed extensions.
  2. Tap a source. Use Popular or Latest, or the search field, to find something.
  3. Tap an entry to open its page, then tap Add to library.

If you have made categories and no default category is set, Tsugi asks which categories to put the entry in. If an entry with the same title is already in your library from another source, Tsugi says so and offers Add anyway, View chapters (open the one you have) or Migrate (move your progress to this source). See Migration.

Searching every source at once#

On Browse, tap the search icon in the top bar (Search all sources). Type a title and Tsugi searches every enabled source and shows the results source by source. More from this source opens the full results of one source.

If you cannot find a title:

  • Check the spelling, and try the romanized Japanese title as well as the English one. Sources often list a series under one or the other.
  • Try a shorter part of the title. Sources spell and word titles differently.

Where to go next#