TranscribeNext for macOS — Desktop App

TranscribeNext for macOS is a separate native app for your Mac. Unlike the web version (which only accepts uploaded files), the desktop app records your meetings live — capturing both your microphone AND the audio coming from your computer (Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams running on the same Mac) — and transcribes them on your machine.

What the Desktop App Does

• **Records system audio + microphone together** — captures both sides of any meeting playing on your Mac, no need to be the host
• **Local transcription** — runs Whisper on your computer, so your audio never has to leave your Mac
• **Works offline** — once installed, you can record and transcribe without an internet connection
• **Live transcript** — text appears as you speak, not after the meeting ends
• **Local meeting library** — every recording is saved in a local database on your Mac
• **AI summaries** — generate summaries of completed meetings using your choice of LLM provider (configurable in settings)
• **Optional cloud enhancement** — upload a recording to TranscribeNext servers for higher-accuracy cloud transcription if you prefer
• **Native macOS notifications** — get notified when a transcription finishes
• **Auto-update** — checks for new versions in the background

System Requirements

• **Mac with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4)** — the production build is distributed for Apple Silicon
• Several GB of free disk space for the Whisper model files (downloaded on first use)
• 8 GB of RAM is comfortable; more is better for the larger Whisper models
• Internet connection only required to download the app, sign in, or use cloud transcription

How to Install

1. 1Open transcribenext.com/download in your browser
2. 2Click the macOS download button — you will receive a .dmg installer
3. 3Open the downloaded .dmg file
4. 4Drag the TranscribeNext icon into your Applications folder
5. 5Open the app from Applications (or Spotlight)
6. 6Because the app is signed by TranscribeNext and notarized by Apple, macOS opens it without a Gatekeeper warning

First-Time Setup: macOS Permissions

The first time you start a recording, macOS will ask you to grant two permissions. Both are required:

• **Microphone** — needed to record your voice
• **Screen Recording** — needed to capture system audio (the audio from Zoom, Meet, Teams, browser tabs, or any other app playing sound on your Mac). macOS bundles system audio capture under the Screen Recording permission, even though only audio is recorded

Signing In

1. 1On the login screen, click "Sign in with TranscribeNext"
2. 2Your default browser opens to the TranscribeNext sign-in page
3. 3Sign in (or create an account)
4. 4Click the link to return to the desktop app — your account is now connected
5. 5Your plan and usage limits sync automatically with the desktop app

Recording a Meeting

1. 1Open TranscribeNext on your Mac
2. 2Click the Record button on the main screen
3. 3Start your meeting in Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, or any other app
4. 4TranscribeNext captures both your microphone and the meeting audio simultaneously
5. 5Watch the live transcript scroll as people speak
6. 6Click Stop when the meeting ends — the transcript is saved to your local meeting library

After the Recording

• **View the transcript** — open the meeting from the sidebar to see the full text, edit the title, or delete the file
• **Generate a summary** — use the AI summary feature to get key points and action items (LLM provider is configurable in settings)
• **Cloud-enhance** — optionally upload the recording to TranscribeNext servers for higher-accuracy cloud transcription
• **Notes** — add free-form notes alongside the transcript

Choosing Your AI Provider

Open Settings to choose how summaries are generated. Supported options include local models via Ollama and cloud providers such as Claude, Groq, and OpenRouter. Each cloud provider needs its own API key, which you enter in Settings. Ollama runs entirely on your Mac and requires no key.

Web App vs Desktop App

• **Web app** — best for uploading existing audio or video files, sharing transcripts, and accessing your full account from any browser
• **Desktop app** — best for recording live meetings on your Mac and keeping audio fully local
• Both products use the same TranscribeNext account — your plan applies to both

What the Desktop App Does NOT Do

• No global system-wide keyboard shortcuts — the app window must be open to start or stop recording
• No team or multi-user features — one TranscribeNext account per Mac install
• No browser tab transcription separate from system audio (any audio playing through your speakers is captured together)
• No automatic Zoom/Meet detection — you start recording manually, the app does not auto-join meetings
• No mobile (iOS / iPadOS) version — desktop is currently macOS only