Annex Orbis
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Getting started with Annex Orbis HAL

Welcome to the Human Application Layer—open-source software where your team works and agents can connect under the same audit rules. This guide walks through creating an account, adding your first domain, and sending your first encrypted email from HAL.

Setup Overview

1

Create Account

Sign up and set your encryption password

2

Add Domain

Connect your custom domain

3

Verify DNS

Configure DNS records

4

Create Email

Set up your first mailbox

1

Create Your Account

Start by creating your AnnexOrbis account at annexorbis.com/auth/register.

Important: Your Encryption Password

During registration, you'll create an encryption password. This password is used to encrypt your private key - it's never sent to our servers. Choose a strong, unique password and store it safely.

What happens during registration:

  • Your RSA key pair is generated locally in your browser
  • Your private key is encrypted with your password before storage
  • A recovery key is generated - save this somewhere safe!
2

Add Your Domain

Navigate to Dashboard → Domains and click "Add Domain".

Steps to add a domain:

  1. Enter your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com)
  2. Click "Add Domain" - we'll generate a verification token
  3. You'll be shown the DNS records you need to configure

Tip:If you don't have a domain yet, you can purchase one from any domain registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, Porkbun, and Hover are popular choices).

3

Configure DNS Records

You'll need to add several DNS records to your domain. Go to your domain registrar's DNS settings and add:

MX
MXRequired

Routes email to our mail servers

SPF
SPFRequired

Authorizes AnnexOrbis to send email on your behalf

DKIM
DKIMRequired

Cryptographically signs your outgoing emails

DMARC
DMARCRecommended

Tells receiving servers how to handle authentication failures

For detailed DNS setup instructions, see our Domain Setup Guide.

4

Create Your First Email Account

Once your domain is verified, go to Dashboard → Email Accounts and click "Create Email Account".

  1. Choose a username (the part before @) - e.g., "hello" for hello@yourdomain.com
  2. Set a display name (shown when you send emails) - e.g., "John Smith"
  3. Click "Create" - your mailbox will be provisioned

You're ready!

Open your inbox by clicking "Open Inbox" in the sidebar to start sending and receiving secure emails.

Next Steps

Set up email signature

Add a professional signature to your emails

Invite team members

Create a workspace and collaborate

Enable 2FA

Add an extra layer of security

Set up forwarding

Forward emails to another address