diff --git a/docs/openmemory/quickstart.mdx b/docs/openmemory/quickstart.mdx
index bb411084..f184aa7b 100644
--- a/docs/openmemory/quickstart.mdx
+++ b/docs/openmemory/quickstart.mdx
@@ -38,22 +38,75 @@ We suggest you follow the instructions below to set up OpenMemory on your local
 Getting started with OpenMemory is straight forward and takes just a few minutes to set up on your local machine. Follow these steps:
 
 ### Getting started
-First clone the repository and then follow the instructions:
+
+
+### 1. First clone the repository and then follow the instructions:
 ```bash
 # Clone the repository
 git clone https://github.com/mem0ai/mem0.git
 cd mem0/openmemory
-
-# Create the backend .env file with your OpenAI key
-make env
-
-# Build the Docker images
-make build
-
-# Start all services (API server, vector database, and MCP server components)
-make up
 ```
 
+### 2. Set Up Environment Variables
+
+Before running the project, you need to configure environment variables for both the API and the UI.
+
+You can do this in one of the following ways:
+
+- **Manually**:  
+  Create a `.env` file in each of the following directories:
+  - `/api/.env`
+  - `/ui/.env`
+
+- **Using `.env.example` files**:  
+  Copy and rename the example files:
+
+  ```bash
+  cp api/.env.example api/.env
+  cp ui/.env.example ui/.env
+  ```
+
+ - **Using Makefile** (if supported):  
+    Run:
+
+   ```bash
+   make env
+   ```
+- #### Example `/api/.env`
+
+``` bash
+OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxx
+USER=<user-id> # The User Id you want to associate the memories with 
+```
+- #### Example `/ui/.env`
+
+```bash
+NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:8765
+NEXT_PUBLIC_USER_ID=<user-id> # Same as the user id for environment variable in api
+```
+
+### 3. Build and Run the Project
+You can run the project using the following two commands:
+```bash
+make build # builds the mcp server and ui
+make up  # runs openmemory mcp server and ui
+``` 
+
+After running these commands, you will have:
+- OpenMemory MCP server running at: http://localhost:8765 (API documentation available at http://localhost:8765/docs)
+- OpenMemory UI running at: http://localhost:3000
+
+#### UI not working on http://localhost:3000?
+
+If the UI does not start properly on http://localhost:3000, try running it manually:
+
+```bash
+cd ui
+pnpm install
+pnpm dev
+```
+
+
 You can configure the MCP client using the following command (replace username with your username):
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/openmemory/README.md b/openmemory/README.md
index 0e32c101..5cb8cb0f 100644
--- a/openmemory/README.md
+++ b/openmemory/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,45 @@ curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mem0ai/mem0/main/openmemory/run.sh |
 
 ## Quickstart
 
+### 1. Set Up Environment Variables
+
+Before running the project, you need to configure environment variables for both the API and the UI.
+
+You can do this in one of the following ways:
+
+- **Manually**:  
+  Create a `.env` file in each of the following directories:
+  - `/api/.env`
+  - `/ui/.env`
+
+- **Using `.env.example` files**:  
+  Copy and rename the example files:
+
+  ```bash
+  cp api/.env.example api/.env
+  cp ui/.env.example ui/.env
+  ```
+
+ - **Using Makefile** (if supported):  
+    Run:
+  
+   ```bash
+   make env
+   ```
+- #### Example `/api/.env`
+
+```env
+OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxx
+USER=<user-id> # The User Id you want to associate the memories with 
+```
+- #### Example `/ui/.env`
+
+```env
+NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:8765
+NEXT_PUBLIC_USER_ID=<user-id> # Same as the user id for environment variable in api
+```
+
+### 2. Build and Run the Project
 You can run the project using the following two commands:
 ```bash
 make build # builds the mcp server and ui
@@ -47,6 +86,17 @@ After running these commands, you will have:
 - OpenMemory MCP server running at: http://localhost:8765 (API documentation available at http://localhost:8765/docs)
 - OpenMemory UI running at: http://localhost:3000
 
+#### UI not working on `localhost:3000`?
+
+If the UI does not start properly on [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000), try running it manually:
+
+```bash
+cd ui
+pnpm install
+pnpm dev
+```
+
+
 ## Project Structure
 
 - `api/` - Backend APIs + MCP server
diff --git a/openmemory/api/.env.example b/openmemory/api/.env.example
index b29363f9..64c53073 100644
--- a/openmemory/api/.env.example
+++ b/openmemory/api/.env.example
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxx
\ No newline at end of file
+OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxx
+USER=user
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/openmemory/ui/store/profileSlice.ts b/openmemory/ui/store/profileSlice.ts
index 29da1daf..aff65d14 100644
--- a/openmemory/ui/store/profileSlice.ts
+++ b/openmemory/ui/store/profileSlice.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ interface ProfileState {
 }
 
 const initialState: ProfileState = {
-  userId: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_USER_ID || 'deshraj',
+  userId: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_USER_ID || 'user',
   totalMemories: 0,
   totalApps: 0,
   status: 'idle',
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ const profileSlice = createSlice({
     resetProfileState: (state) => {
       state.status = 'idle';
       state.error = null;
-      state.userId = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_USER_ID || 'deshraj';
+      state.userId = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_USER_ID || 'user';
     },
     setTotalMemories: (state, action: PayloadAction<number>) => {
       state.totalMemories = action.payload;