diff --git a/src-tauri/src/ollama/installer.rs b/src-tauri/src/ollama/installer.rs
index 6048d93c..6d33081c 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/ollama/installer.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/ollama/installer.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,12 @@ pub async fn check_ollama() -> anyhow::Result<OllamaStatus> {
 
     let which_result = std::process::Command::new(which_cmd).arg("ollama").output();
 
-    let installed = which_result.map(|o| o.status.success()).unwrap_or(false);
+    // Check common install paths explicitly — Tauri's process PATH may omit /usr/local/bin
+    let in_common_path = ["/usr/local/bin/ollama", "/opt/homebrew/bin/ollama", "/usr/bin/ollama"]
+        .iter()
+        .any(|p| std::path::Path::new(p).exists());
+
+    let installed = which_result.map(|o| o.status.success()).unwrap_or(false) || in_common_path;
 
     let version = if installed {
         std::process::Command::new("ollama")
@@ -32,6 +37,9 @@ pub async fn check_ollama() -> anyhow::Result<OllamaStatus> {
         .map(|r| r.status().is_success())
         .unwrap_or(false);
 
+    // If the API is responding, Ollama is definitely installed even if binary wasn't found in PATH
+    let installed = installed || running;
+
     Ok(OllamaStatus {
         installed,
         version,
diff --git a/src/pages/Settings/AIProviders.tsx b/src/pages/Settings/AIProviders.tsx
index 2ed1a2d3..2c06fb1d 100644
--- a/src/pages/Settings/AIProviders.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Settings/AIProviders.tsx
@@ -195,9 +195,18 @@ export default function AIProviders() {
                 <Label>Type</Label>
                 <Select
                   value={form.provider_type}
-                  onValueChange={(v) =>
-                    setForm({ ...form, provider_type: v as ProviderConfig["provider_type"] })
-                  }
+                  onValueChange={(v) => {
+                    const type = v as ProviderConfig["provider_type"];
+                    const defaults: Partial<ProviderConfig> =
+                      type === "ollama"
+                        ? { api_url: "http://localhost:11434", api_key: "", model: "llama3.2:3b" }
+                        : type === "openai"
+                        ? { api_url: "https://api.openai.com/v1" }
+                        : type === "anthropic"
+                        ? { api_url: "https://api.anthropic.com" }
+                        : {};
+                    setForm({ ...form, provider_type: type, ...defaults });
+                  }}
                 >
                   <SelectTrigger>
                     <SelectValue />
diff --git a/src/pages/Settings/Ollama.tsx b/src/pages/Settings/Ollama.tsx
index 2d56360f..ea766090 100644
--- a/src/pages/Settings/Ollama.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Settings/Ollama.tsx
@@ -23,15 +23,18 @@ import {
   pullOllamaModelCmd,
   deleteOllamaModelCmd,
   listOllamaModelsCmd,
+  getOllamaInstallGuideCmd,
   type OllamaStatus,
   type HardwareInfo,
   type ModelRecommendation,
   type OllamaModel,
+  type InstallGuide,
 } from "@/lib/tauriCommands";
 import { listen } from "@tauri-apps/api/event";
 
 export default function Ollama() {
   const [status, setStatus] = useState<OllamaStatus | null>(null);
+  const [installGuide, setInstallGuide] = useState<InstallGuide | null>(null);
   const [models, setModels] = useState<OllamaModel[]>([]);
   const [hardware, setHardware] = useState<HardwareInfo | null>(null);
   const [recommendations, setRecommendations] = useState<ModelRecommendation[]>([]);
@@ -45,13 +48,18 @@ export default function Ollama() {
   const loadData = async () => {
     setIsLoading(true);
     try {
-      const [ollamaStatus, hw, recs, modelList] = await Promise.all([
+      const platform = navigator.platform.toLowerCase().includes("mac") ? "macos"
+        : navigator.platform.toLowerCase().includes("win") ? "windows" : "linux";
+
+      const [ollamaStatus, hw, recs, modelList, guide] = await Promise.all([
         checkOllamaInstalledCmd(),
         detectHardwareCmd(),
         recommendModelsCmd(),
         listOllamaModelsCmd().catch(() => [] as OllamaModel[]),
+        getOllamaInstallGuideCmd(platform),
       ]);
       setStatus(ollamaStatus);
+      setInstallGuide(guide);
       setHardware(hw);
       setRecommendations(recs);
       setModels(modelList);
@@ -157,6 +165,32 @@ export default function Ollama() {
         </CardContent>
       </Card>
 
+      {/* Install Instructions — shown when Ollama is not detected */}
+      {status && !status.installed && installGuide && (
+        <Card className="border-yellow-500/50">
+          <CardHeader>
+            <CardTitle className="text-lg flex items-center gap-2">
+              <Download className="w-5 h-5 text-yellow-500" />
+              Ollama Not Detected — Installation Required
+            </CardTitle>
+          </CardHeader>
+          <CardContent className="space-y-4">
+            <ol className="space-y-2 list-decimal list-inside">
+              {installGuide.steps.map((step, i) => (
+                <li key={i} className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{step}</li>
+              ))}
+            </ol>
+            <Button
+              variant="outline"
+              onClick={() => window.open(installGuide.url, "_blank")}
+            >
+              <Download className="w-4 h-4 mr-2" />
+              Download Ollama for {installGuide.platform}
+            </Button>
+          </CardContent>
+        </Card>
+      )}
+
       {/* Model List */}
       <Card>
         <CardHeader>