Overview
Safety Rules is the simplest way to control your agent’s behavior. Available to all ArgentOS users, it lets you set guardrails in under a minute without touching config files.
Find it in: Dashboard > Settings > Safety Rules
Getting Started
Open the Dashboard
Run argent dashboard or navigate to http://localhost:8080
Go to Settings
Click the gear icon
Find Safety Rules
Located at the top of the settings panel
Enable
Click Disabled to toggle it to Enabled
Three Controls
1. Cautiousness Level
How careful should your agent be? Choose a preset:
| Preset | Runtime Mode | Behavior |
|---|
| Relaxed | Off | Agent acts freely. Safety rules exist in config but aren’t actively enforced. Good for personal use where you trust your agent. |
| Balanced | Advisory | Agent sees your rules as guidance in its system prompt. It will try to follow them but isn’t hard-blocked. Default for most users. |
| Strict | Enforce | Agent is actively constrained. Violations trigger escalation or action blocking. Best for business use or shared environments. |
2. Never Do
Actions that are always blocked, regardless of context. These are hard prohibitions your agent cannot override.
Examples:
- Delete files without asking
- Share personal information with third parties
- Make financial commitments
- Access systems outside the approved list
- Send emails without explicit approval
Click + or press Enter to add rules. Each rule appears as a red tag. Click the trash icon to remove one.
3. Requires Your Approval
Actions where your agent will pause and ask before proceeding. The agent can still perform these actions, but only after you confirm.
Examples:
- Sending messages on your behalf
- Creating calendar events
- Modifying shared documents
- Running terminal commands
- Making API calls to external services
How It Works
When you save Safety Rules, it writes to the intent engine config at ~/.argentos/argent.json:
{
"intent": {
"enabled": true,
"runtimeMode": "advisory",
"global": {
"neverDo": ["delete files without asking"],
"requiresHumanApproval": ["sending messages on my behalf"]
}
}
}
runtimeMode is advisory or enforce, these rules are injected into your agent’s system prompt on every interaction. The agent sees them as behavioral constraints and adjusts its actions accordingly.
Tips
- Start with Balanced. It provides good guardrails without being restrictive. Switch to Strict if you’re running agents for clients.
- Be specific. “Don’t do bad things” is vague. “Never delete files without asking first” is clear and enforceable.
- Review periodically. As you use your agent more, you’ll discover new boundaries you want to set. Add them as they come up.
- Approval rules are training wheels. Start with many approval requirements and remove them as you build trust with your agent’s judgment.
Upgrading to Full Governance
Safety Rules covers the basics. When you need departments, per-agent policies, simulation testing, or industry compliance packs, upgrade to Intent Governance (ArgentOS Business).
The Advanced Governance Console is available in the same Settings panel, collapsed under “Advanced Governance Console (Business).”