Setup & help.

A spoken note, an in-person conversation, or a call in Google Meet, Zoom, Slack huddles, FaceTime, or Phone on Mac. Choose Record and Stop recording when you’re done. Meadow saves the transcript, not the audio. Real-call reliability is still being tested; automatic call detection and speaker names are experimental.

In Settings → Meeting prompts, choose Enable notifications. A recognized call offers Record or Not now. Prompts are silent, respect Focus, and don’t repeat for the same call. Automatic recording takes priority when enabled.

Connected Calendar meetings get an Open note reminder a minute before they start. Opening a note doesn’t start audio. Live-call prompts need Accessibility access; calendar reminders need Calendar access. Videos and an open calling app alone don’t trigger a prompt.

Try Send test notification in Settings. The test’s Record button confirms the notification without recording audio. If macOS blocks notifications, allow Meadow in System Settings → Notifications.

Version 0.2.8 monitors recognized calls even when you start with Record. When the call disappears, it blocks new audio immediately and saves after a short grace period. Visible live-call controls protect quiet periods and holds. If a hidden call is retained only through microphone activity, the quiet-pause timeout still applies.

Voice notes and unrecognized calls stop after two minutes without recognized speech. Change this in Settings → Stop after a quiet pause. The saved note shows why recording stopped.

The default Microphone + detected call captures the call’s app instead of all Mac audio. Other tabs in the same browser can still be heard during a live browser call, and microphones can pick up nearby voices or speakers. Headphones help. Choose Record after joining the call, and allow Accessibility for call controls. A busy microphone alone cannot select the call app. Real-call qualification is ongoing.

Press ⌘⇧Space from any app to record, then press it again to stop. Meadow must be running; it stays in your menu bar when its window closes. The shortcut appears beside Record.

Change or turn it off in Settings → Keyboard shortcut. Choose Try shortcut to check it without recording audio. ⌘⇧R also works while Meadow is active.

This build has a development signature and hasn’t been notarized by Apple yet. macOS may block it. If you choose to try the preview, review it in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Apple’s guide to opening apps.

Version 0.2.8 uses system audio only on macOS 14.2 and later, without reading screen contents. In System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording, allow Meadow under System Audio Recording Only. Also enable Microphone. On macOS 14.0 and 14.1, only an explicit all-Mac audio choice uses the combined permission. Call-scoped audio requires macOS 14.2 or later.

After a computer-audio denial, Meadow pauses further attempts. Use Check audio inputs in Meadow Settings to retry after changing access. Microphone only records a voice note without requesting computer audio. Meadow shows which source is active.

This preview is still development-signed, so an enabled switch can refer to an older app signature after an update. Stable Apple Developer ID signing and notarization remain pending. Keep one copy in Applications. Check audio inputs verifies live input without saving or uploading; Check transcription tests the speech engine silently.

Version 0.2.7 transcribed both physical audio sources and completed Record/Stop on the test Mac. Long calls and older-Mac legacy transcription still need qualification.

Meadow keeps Keychain dialogs out of Record, Stop, opening Settings, and background retries. Your saved keys remain in Keychain. If a connection needs access, choose Connect saved key beside that connection in Settings. Only that explicit action can ask macOS for authorization.

Recording works without AI or cloud keys. If cloud access is paused, notes stay saved locally and delivery stays queued. After connecting the saved cloud key, choose Save and sync now for immediate delivery. Blank unopened key fields keep your existing keys.

Add your own OpenAI or Anthropic API key in Meadow Settings for optional summaries and questions about your notes. Your provider’s API charges apply. Writing notes and on-device transcription don’t require an AI API key.

The app starts with local notes. Audio is processed on-device and isn’t saved. Notes and transcripts go to an AI provider or cloud archive only when you configure those options. AI summaries use your own API key.

Cloud sync and ChatGPT retrieval currently require a privately configured archive. Self-service cloud accounts aren’t available in this preview.