# Introduction

Your on-device audio recording and transcription app for macOS.

Welcome to the official documentation for Silkwave Voice!

Silkwave Voice is a lightweight, privacy-focused macOS application for audio recording, transcription, and AI-powered summarization. It uses Apple's on-device speech-to-text models for transcription and Apple Intelligence for summarization.

### [Core Capabilities](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#core-capabilities/index.html)

#### [Versatile Audio Recording](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#versatile-audio-recording/index.html)

Capture audio from any source to suit your needs:

- **Microphone:** Record external sound (voice notes, in-person meetings).
- **System Audio:** Record internal sound directly from apps (browser tabs, video streams) - no third-party audio drivers needed.
- **Hybrid Mode:** Capture both microphone and system audio simultaneously - perfect for recording interviews or Zoom calls.

#### [On-Device Transcription](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#on-device-transcription/index.html)

Convert speech to text in near-realtime using Apple's on-device speech-to-text models ( **macOS 26+**). Because the process is completely local, it is free, fast, and secure. Supports [10 languages](/content/docs/silkwave-voice/managing-languages/index.html) with downloadable language packs.

#### [AI Summarization](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#ai-summarization/index.html)

Automatically generate structured summaries of your recordings using Apple Intelligence and the ChatGPT extension via macOS Shortcuts. Summaries include key topics, action items, and an overall theme. See [AI Summarization](/content/docs/silkwave-voice/ai-summarization/index.html) for setup.

#### [Menu Bar App](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#menu-bar-app/index.html)

Access recording controls directly from the macOS menu bar without opening the main window. Start, pause, and resume recordings, switch audio sources, and change languages - all from a compact popover.

#### [Global Search](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#global-search/index.html)

Search across all your past recordings and transcripts instantly. Find specific keywords or phrases across your entire library to quickly locate what was said.

### [Privacy First](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#privacy-first/index.html)

Silkwave Voice is built with privacy as a priority.

- **On-Device Transcription:** All audio recording and transcription happens locally. Your audio files never leave your device.
- **No Cloud Required for Transcription:** No internet connection needed for transcription. No data sent to external servers.
- **Summarization:** When using AI Summarization, the transcript text is shared with ChatGPT through Apple Intelligence. Your original audio is never uploaded - only the text transcript is sent, and only when you choose to generate a summary.

### [Requirements](/content/docs/silkwave-voice#requirements/index.html)

- **macOS 26+**
- **Microphone Permission:** Required to capture external audio.
- **System Audio Permission:** Required to capture internal audio from applications, browsers, and video calls.
- **Shortcuts Events Permission:** Required for AI summarization. See [Permissions & Setup](/content/docs/silkwave-voice/permissions-and-setup/index.html) for details.

[Permissions & Setup](/content/docs/silkwave-voice/permissions-and-setup/index.html)\
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Grant the required permissions for recording and AI features.