diff --git a/libs/ktem/ktem/assets/css/main.css b/libs/ktem/ktem/assets/css/main.css
index fcef5341..87d173ce 100644
--- a/libs/ktem/ktem/assets/css/main.css
+++ b/libs/ktem/ktem/assets/css/main.css
@@ -441,7 +441,11 @@ div.markmap {
 }
 
 #google-login {
-  width: 250px;
+  max-width: 450px;
+}
+
+#user-api-key-wrapper {
+  max-width: 450px;
 }
 
 #login-row {
diff --git a/libs/ktem/ktem/index/file/ui.py b/libs/ktem/ktem/index/file/ui.py
index 7ab4cf29..842747e3 100644
--- a/libs/ktem/ktem/index/file/ui.py
+++ b/libs/ktem/ktem/index/file/ui.py
@@ -1194,13 +1194,16 @@ class FileIndexPage(BasePage):
         request: gr.Request,
     ):
         if KH_DEMO_MODE:
+            user = None
+            if request is None:
+                raise ValueError("This feature is not available")
+
             try:
                 import gradiologin as grlogin
 
                 user = grlogin.get_user(request)
             except (ImportError, AssertionError):
-                user = None
-
+                pass
             if not user:
                 raise ValueError("Please sign-in to use this feature")
 
diff --git a/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/__init__.py b/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/__init__.py
index 0b7dcdcf..424078d0 100644
--- a/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/__init__.py
+++ b/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/__init__.py
@@ -247,6 +247,14 @@ function() {
     MINDMAP_HTML_EXPORT_TEMPLATE.replace("\n", "").replace('"', '\\"'),
 )
 
+fetch_api_key_js = """
+function(_, __) {
+    api_key = getStorage('google_api_key', '');
+    console.log('session API key:', api_key);
+    return [api_key, _];
+}
+"""
+
 
 class ChatPage(BasePage):
     def __init__(self, app):
@@ -263,6 +271,7 @@ class ChatPage(BasePage):
         )
         self._info_panel_expanded = gr.State(value=True)
         self._command_state = gr.State(value=None)
+        self._user_api_key = gr.Text(value="", visible=False)
 
     def on_building_ui(self):
         with gr.Row():
@@ -452,6 +461,7 @@ class ChatPage(BasePage):
                     self.chat_panel.text_input,
                     self.chat_panel.chatbot,
                     self._app.user_id,
+                    self._user_api_key,
                     self._app.settings_state,
                     self.chat_control.conversation_id,
                     self.chat_control.conversation_rn,
@@ -590,6 +600,10 @@ class ChatPage(BasePage):
         )
 
         if KH_DEMO_MODE:
+            self.chat_control.btn_demo_logout.click(
+                fn=None,
+                js=self.chat_control.logout_js,
+            )
             self.chat_control.btn_new.click(
                 fn=lambda: self.chat_control.select_conv("", None),
                 outputs=[
@@ -858,6 +872,7 @@ class ChatPage(BasePage):
         chat_input,
         chat_history,
         user_id,
+        user_api_key,
         settings,
         conv_id,
         conv_name,
@@ -866,6 +881,7 @@ class ChatPage(BasePage):
     ):
         """Submit a message to the chatbot"""
         if KH_DEMO_MODE:
+            print("API key", user_api_key)
             try:
                 import gradiologin as grlogin
 
@@ -904,6 +920,7 @@ class ChatPage(BasePage):
                 True,
                 settings,
                 user_id,
+                request=None,
             )
         elif file_names:
             for file_name in file_names:
@@ -1031,7 +1048,13 @@ class ChatPage(BasePage):
     def _on_app_created(self):
         if KH_DEMO_MODE:
             self._app.app.load(
+                fn=lambda x: x,
+                inputs=[self._user_api_key],
+                outputs=[self._user_api_key],
+                js=fetch_api_key_js,
+            ).then(
                 fn=self.chat_control.toggle_demo_login_visibility,
+                inputs=[self._user_api_key],
                 outputs=[
                     self.chat_control.cb_suggest_chat,
                     self.chat_control.btn_new,
diff --git a/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/control.py b/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/control.py
index c02cec5d..eb46dbde 100644
--- a/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/control.py
+++ b/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/chat/control.py
@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@ if not os.path.isdir(ASSETS_DIR):
     ASSETS_DIR = "libs/ktem/ktem/assets/icons"
 
 
+logout_js = """
+function () {
+    removeFromStorage('google_api_key');
+    window.location.href = "/logout";
+}
+"""
+
+
 def is_conv_name_valid(name):
     """Check if the conversation name is valid"""
     errors = []
@@ -37,6 +45,7 @@ class ConversationControl(BasePage):
 
     def __init__(self, app):
         self._app = app
+        self.logout_js = logout_js
         self.on_building_ui()
 
     def on_building_ui(self):
@@ -158,7 +167,6 @@ class ConversationControl(BasePage):
                 )
                 self.btn_demo_logout = gr.Button(
                     "Sign-out",
-                    link="/logout",
                     min_width=120,
                     size="sm",
                     scale=1,
@@ -429,7 +437,7 @@ class ConversationControl(BasePage):
 
         gr.Info("Chat suggestions updated.")
 
-    def toggle_demo_login_visibility(self, request: gr.Request):
+    def toggle_demo_login_visibility(self, user_api_key, request: gr.Request):
         try:
             import gradiologin as grlogin
 
@@ -437,7 +445,7 @@ class ConversationControl(BasePage):
         except (ImportError, AssertionError):
             user = None
 
-        if user:
+        if user or user_api_key:
             return [
                 gr.update(visible=True),
                 gr.update(visible=True),
diff --git a/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/help.py b/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/help.py
index 6a7cf86a..2ecdf7eb 100644
--- a/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/help.py
+++ b/libs/ktem/ktem/pages/help.py
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import gradio as gr
 import requests
+from decouple import config
 from theflow.settings import settings
 
 KH_DEMO_MODE = getattr(settings, "KH_DEMO_MODE", False)
+HF_SPACE_URL = config("HF_SPACE_URL", default="")
 
 
 def get_remote_doc(url: str) -> str:
@@ -65,12 +67,14 @@ class HelpPage:
             with gr.Accordion("Create Your Own Space"):
                 gr.Markdown(
                     "This is a demo with limited functionality. "
-                    "Use Duplicate space button to install Kotaemon "
+                    "Use **Create space** button to install Kotaemon "
                     "in your own space with all features "
                     "(including upload and manage your private "
                     "documents securely)."
                 )
-                gr.DuplicateButton(
+                gr.Button(
+                    value="Create Your Own Space",
+                    link=HF_SPACE_URL,
                     variant="primary",
                     size="lg",
                 )
@@ -84,7 +88,7 @@ class HelpPage:
                 f"{self.remote_content_url}/v{self.app_version}/docs/usage.md"
             )
         if user_guide_md:
-            with gr.Accordion("User Guide"):
+            with gr.Accordion("User Guide", open=not KH_DEMO_MODE):
                 gr.Markdown(user_guide_md)
 
         if self.app_version:
diff --git a/sso_app_demo.py b/sso_app_demo.py
index 69871564..ff50b50c 100644
--- a/sso_app_demo.py
+++ b/sso_app_demo.py
@@ -25,6 +25,30 @@ GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET = config("GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET", default="")
 SECRET_KEY = config("SECRET_KEY", default="default-secret-key")
 
 
+save_api_key_js = """
+function(api_key) {
+    setStorage('google_api_key', api_key);
+    window.location.href = "/app";
+}
+"""
+
+global_js = """
+function () {
+  // store info in local storage
+  globalThis.setStorage = (key, value) => {
+      localStorage.setItem(key, value)
+  }
+  globalThis.getStorage = (key, value) => {
+    item = localStorage.getItem(key);
+    return item ? item : value;
+  }
+  globalThis.removeFromStorage = (key) => {
+      localStorage.removeItem(key)
+  }
+}
+"""
+
+
 def add_session_middleware(app):
     config_data = {
         "GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID": GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID,
@@ -93,8 +117,9 @@ async def auth(request: Request):
 with gr.Blocks(
     theme=KotaemonTheme(),
     css=gradio_app._css,
+    js=global_js,
 ) as login_demo:
-    with gr.Row(elem_id="login-row"):
+    with gr.Column(elem_id="login-row"):
         gr.Markdown("<h1 style='text-align:center;'>Welcome to Kotaemon</h1>")
         gr.Button(
             "Login with Google",
@@ -102,6 +127,24 @@ with gr.Blocks(
             variant="primary",
             elem_id="google-login",
         )
+        with gr.Accordion(
+            "Or use your own Gemini API key",
+            elem_id="user-api-key-wrapper",
+            open=False,
+        ):
+            api_key_input = gr.Textbox(
+                placeholder="API Key",
+                label="Enter your Gemini API key",
+            )
+            api_key_save_btn = gr.Button(
+                "Save",
+            )
+
+    api_key_save_btn.click(
+        fn=lambda _: True,
+        inputs=[api_key_input],
+        js=save_api_key_js,
+    )
 
 app = gr.mount_gradio_app(app, login_demo, path="/login-app")
 app = gr.mount_gradio_app(