Question 1

What is Spellar?

Accepted Answer

Spellar records your meetings on your own device — in Chrome, on a Mac or on an iPhone — and turns them into a summary, action items and a searchable transcript. No bot joins the call.

Question 2

Which app should I use?

Accepted Answer

Chrome extension — for calls you join in the browser: Google Meet, Zoom, Teams or Webex in a tab.
Mac app — for any call on your Mac, including the Zoom and Teams desktop apps. It records your microphone and the system audio.
iPhone app — for meetings in person. It records with the phone's microphone.
One account works on all of them. The downloads are in Settings ▸ Apps.

Question 3

What do I need to run Spellar?

Accepted Answer

Chrome extension: Chrome or another Chromium browser on a computer.
Mac app: macOS 15 or later, on Apple silicon or Intel.
iPhone and iPad app: iOS 18 or later.

Question 4

Is there a Windows or Android app?

Accepted Answer

No. On Windows, record in Chrome with the extension. There is no Android app; you can read your notes on spellar.ai in any browser.

Question 5

Mac App Store, website or Setapp — which Mac version should I get?

Accepted Answer

All three record the same way. The website version updates itself and can read participant names from Zoom, Slack and Teams. The Mac App Store version is billed by Apple and has "Restore Purchases". The Setapp version is included in your Setapp membership.

Mac

Question 6

How do I sign in?

Accepted Answer

With Google, with Apple, or with a sign-in link sent to your email. Setapp members use "Continue with Setapp" in the Mac app; on the web, open spellar.ai/login?setapp=true.

Question 7

My sign-in link doesn't work.

Accepted Answer

A sign-in link works once and expires after 30 minutes. Ask for a new one and open it straight away.

Question 8

Can I use one account on all my devices?

Accepted Answer

Yes — sign in the same way everywhere. If you use Sign in with Apple with "Hide My Email", Apple gives Spellar a different address, which becomes a separate account, so use the same option on every device.

Web · Chrome · Mac · iPhone

Question 9

Can I switch between dark and light mode?

Accepted Answer

Web: account menu ▸ "Theme: Dark" / "Theme: Light".
Mac: Settings ▸ General ▸ "Theme Mode".
iPhone: Settings ▸ General ▸ Appearance.

Question 10

How do I install the Chrome extension?

Accepted Answer

Click "Add to Chrome" in Settings ▸ Apps or on spellar.ai/download, then pin the Spellar icon to the toolbar. Tabs you already have open don't need a reload — except a Google Meet call you are already in, if you want speaker names.

Chrome

Question 11

How do I record a Google Meet, Zoom, Teams or Webex call in the browser?

Accepted Answer

Join the call in a Chrome tab, click the Spellar icon in the toolbar and press "Start Recording". You can also click "Record with Spellar" on the call page, or press ⌘⇧S (Ctrl+Shift+S on Windows).
If you see "Click the Spellar icon in the toolbar — recording will start right away.", click the icon within 2 minutes: Chrome needs that click once per tab.

Question 12

How do I record a desktop app (Zoom or Teams) or another website from Chrome?

Accepted Answer

On any web page, click the Spellar icon and press "Start Recording". Chrome's share dialog opens:
for a desktop app, choose "Entire Screen" and turn on "Share with system audio";
for a browser tab, choose "Chrome Tab" with "Share with tab audio" on;
then click "Share". Only the audio is kept. On a Mac, the Mac app records any app without this dialog.

Question 13

Only my voice was recorded, or I see "No audio was shared".

Accepted Answer

The audio switch in Chrome's share dialog was off. Start again and turn on "Share with system audio" (Entire Screen) or "Share with tab audio" (Chrome Tab). Recording with the Mac app? See The Mac app records me but not the other people.

Chrome

Question 14

Can I start a recording from spellar.ai?

Accepted Answer

Yes: "Start recording" in the top bar ▸ "Record a call" opens the extension, which records through Chrome's share dialog. For a call in a browser tab it is better to start from that tab: there is no dialog, and the note gets the meeting's title from your calendar.

Web · Chrome

Question 15

What is the keyboard shortcut, and how do I change it?

Accepted Answer

⌘⇧S on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+S on Windows: it starts recording on the current tab, and stops it while recording. Change it at chrome://extensions/shortcuts ▸ "Start or stop the meeting recording". The Spellar card always shows the default key, even after you change it.

Chrome

Question 16

How do I choose the template, microphone or language before recording?

Accepted Answer

Click the Spellar icon. In the card, pick the "Note template", the "Microphone" (Spellar runs a quick check — "Say something…") and the language at the bottom ("Auto" or one of 45 languages). Your choice applies from the next recording.

Chrome

Question 17

How do I hide the floating "Record with Spellar" button?

Accepted Answer

Click the Spellar icon ▸ the gear ("Settings") ▸ turn off "Meeting recording control". You can still record from the card or with the shortcut.

Question 18

How do I stop a recording?

Accepted Answer

Press "Stop Recording" in the card, hover the floating button and click "◼ Stop", or press the shortcut. A Meet, Teams or Zoom recording in the browser also stops about 6 seconds after you leave the call, and any tab recording stops when you close its tab. A recording made through the share dialog stops with Chrome's "Stop sharing".

Chrome

Question 19

How do I throw a recording away without saving it?

Accepted Answer

While recording, press "Delete without saving" in the card, or the trash icon on the floating button, and confirm. The audio and the note are deleted.

Question 20

Is there a time limit in Chrome?

Accepted Answer

A Chrome recording can last up to 90 minutes. In the last 5 minutes the timer counts down; then you see "Recording stopped — 90 minute limit reached." Start a new recording to continue.

Question 21

What if my internet drops or Chrome crashes during a call?

Accepted Answer

The audio is saved on your computer first and uploaded as you go. If the connection drops you see "Connection lost — retrying upload…" — keep Chrome open, and the upload finishes when you are back online, also after a restart.

Chrome

Question 22

It says "Interrupted — click to resume".

Accepted Answer

Chrome stopped the recorder. Click it, or "Resume recording" in the card, to continue the same recording. A recording made through the share dialog asks you to choose the screen again.

Question 23

Where do I find my note after the call?

Accepted Answer

When the recording ends, the note opens in a new tab; it is also in My Notes. The summary is usually ready about a minute after the call.

Question 24

The extension asks for the microphone.

Accepted Answer

The first time, a tab "Enable your microphone" opens: click "Allow microphone" and choose Allow, then start the recording again. If you see "Microphone was blocked", allow the microphone for the Spellar extension in Chrome's site settings and try again.

Chrome

Question 25

How do I sign in to the extension?

Accepted Answer

The extension uses your spellar.ai sign-in in the same Chrome profile: sign in on spellar.ai and you are done. If you are signed out, "Sign in with Spellar" in the card takes you to the sign-in page. To switch accounts, sign out and back in on spellar.ai.

Chrome

Question 26

Why does the extension ask to "read and change all your data on all websites"?

Accepted Answer

So the Spellar card and recording button can appear on any page you record from, including a desktop app recorded through Chrome's share dialog. On other sites it only draws its own controls. On meeting sites it watches for when you join and leave the call, and on Google Meet it also reads participant and caption data to name speakers.

Chrome

Question 27

Are the speakers named?

Accepted Answer

On Google Meet, speakers are named from the call. On Zoom, Teams and Webex in the browser, the transcript separates speakers but doesn't name them. If you see "Speaker names are off for this Meet tab", the tab was open before you installed or updated Spellar — reload it.

Chrome

Question 28

Chrome says my account "keeps recordings local-only".

Accepted Answer

Browser recordings are always processed in the cloud to write the transcript and summary. On a local-only account the audio is deleted from Spellar's servers within an hour, and a copy is saved to your Downloads folder. For fully local recording, use the Mac app.

Chrome

Question 29

Which permissions does the Mac app need?

Accepted Answer

Microphone ("Transcribe my voice") — required.
System Audio Recording ("Transcribe other speakers") — required to hear the other participants, especially with headphones.
Calendar and Notifications — optional.
Accessibility — website and Setapp versions only, to read participant names in Zoom, Slack huddles and Teams.
See and grant them in Settings ▸ General ▸ "Permissions".

Question 30

The Mac app records me but not the other people.

Accepted Answer

Give Spellar the System Audio Recording permission: Settings ▸ General ▸ "Permissions" ▸ "Enable System Audio", or System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security. Then check that Settings ▸ Recording ▸ "Full Meeting Recording" is on.

Mac

Question 31

How do I start and stop a recording on Mac?

Accepted Answer

Click "Start Recording" in the main window, or the Spellar icon in the menu bar ▸ "Start Recording". Stop it from the same place, or with "Stop" in the copilot.

Question 32

Why did Spellar start recording by itself? How do I turn that off?

Accepted Answer

The Mac app can start recording when a calendar event with a call link begins — "Auto-start Recording" is on by default. Turn it off in Settings ▸ Recording ▸ Automation, or in the menu bar ▸ Recording Options ▸ "Automatically Start on Meeting". You can also set a single event to "No recording". No bot ever joins your call.

Mac

Question 33

How do meeting reminders and detection work?

Accepted Answer

The Mac app notices a call in Zoom, Teams, Meet, Slack and other apps and suggests recording it ("Meeting Detected"). Turn this off in Settings ▸ Recording ▸ Automation ▸ "Smart Meeting Detection". Reminders for calendar meetings are in Settings ▸ Notifications ▸ "Ongoing events". You can snooze a reminder for 2 hours or for the rest of the day.

Mac

Question 34

Can the recording stop by itself when the meeting ends?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Settings ▸ Recording ▸ Automation ▸ "Stop recording when the meeting ends" (off by default). You get a 20-second countdown with "Keep recording".

Question 35

Do reminders and auto-recording work when Spellar is closed?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if the menu bar part keeps running: Settings ▸ General ▸ "Start the Menu Bar at Login". When you quit with ⌘Q you can keep the menu bar ("Quit") or close everything ("Quit Completely"); set the default in "When you quit Spellar".

Mac

Question 36

What is the copilot, and can I move it?

Accepted Answer

While you record, the copilot lets you ask AI, take notes and see your meeting prep. Choose where it appears in Settings ▸ General ▸ "Copilot": "Notch" or "Classic window". Hold ⌥ in the menu bar menu for "Start Recording in Stealth Mode" — a recording without the copilot.

Mac

Question 37

Which transcription engine should I use?

Accepted Answer

Choose it in Settings ▸ Recording ▸ "Transcription Provider":
"On-device — Whisper" (the default) — private, and works offline;
"On-device — Apple Speech" — fast, 34 languages, on macOS 26 and iOS 26;
server engines — OpenAI Whisper, ElevenLabs Scribe and Mistral Voxtral — use your own API key for that provider (on Setapp, OpenAI and ElevenLabs run on your Setapp AI credits).
Spellar's own transcription and AI need no key with a subscription.

Question 38

The transcript came back empty.

Accepted Answer

"On-device transcription returned no text" means the engine heard nothing it could use. Choose another engine in Settings ▸ Recording ▸ "Transcription Provider" and make a short test recording.

Question 39

Can I import an audio or video file?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in the Mac app: "Import" in the toolbar, or drop the file on the window. MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, M4A, AAC, OGG, MP4 or MOV, up to 90 minutes and 500 MB. Importing is included with a Spellar subscription. There is no import on the web or on iPhone.

Mac

Question 40

Where does the Mac app keep recordings?

Accepted Answer

Settings ▸ Storage: "Save recordings locally" (on by default, in Documents ▸ Spellar Recordings), the folder and file names, "Show Recording Folder", "Clear Local Audio" and "Save to iCloud".

Question 41

How do I record on iPhone?

Accepted Answer

Tap "+" in the middle of the tab bar; recording starts at once. The iPhone records with its microphone, so it is made for meetings in person. Recording continues when you switch apps and shows on the Lock Screen. A phone call can stop it ("Recording Interrupted").

iPhone

Question 42

How do I rename speakers?

Accepted Answer

In the Mac app, open the note ▸ "Manage Speakers" ▸ "Rename Speaker", or answer "Who is this?". The website and Setapp versions can also take names straight from Zoom, Slack huddles and Teams ("Names from meeting apps"). The web app shows speaker names but can't change them yet.

Mac · Web

Question 43

How do I update the Mac app?

Accepted Answer

Website version: Settings ▸ General ▸ "Check for Updates". The Mac App Store and Setapp versions update through their stores; the menu bar shows "New Version Available" when there is one.

Question 44

How long until my notes are ready?

Accepted Answer

Usually about a minute after the call ends. You can close the page: Spellar emails you when the note is ready if Settings ▸ Notifications ▸ "A note is ready" is on.

Question 45

How do I make summaries shorter or longer?

Accepted Answer

On the web: Settings ▸ Notes ▸ "Summary length" — "Only highlights", "Detailed Summary" or "Full Breakdown". On Mac: Settings ▸ Recording ▸ "Summary Length". It applies to new recordings; to change a note you already have, see Can I redo a summary with different settings?

Web · Mac · iPhone

Question 46

How do I change the language of transcripts and summaries?

Accepted Answer

On the web: Settings ▸ Notes ▸ "Summary length" — "Only highlights", "Detailed Summary" or "Full Breakdown". On Mac: Settings ▸ Recording ▸ "Summary Length". It applies to new recordings; to change a note you already have, see Can I redo a summary with different settings?

Web · Mac · iPhone

Question 47

Which languages are supported?

Accepted Answer

Leave the language on "Same as the meeting" and Spellar detects it, including languages that aren't in the list below. Summaries can be written in 45 languages: Albanian, Armenian, Basque, Belarusian, Bosnian, Breton, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malayalam, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Welsh. In the Mac and iPhone apps, the Apple Speech engine supports 34 languages and Mistral 9.

Web · Chrome · Mac · iPhone

Question 48

Can I redo a summary with different settings?

Accepted Answer

On the web: open the note ▸ "Reanalyze" and choose the language and length. On Mac: "Redo Notes" — language, length, meeting type, template and AI model. On iPhone: "Regenerate Summary". On the free plan this needs Pro.

Web · Mac · iPhone

Question 49

What are templates, and how do I make one?

Accepted Answer

A template tells Spellar how to write the summary: its format and what to focus on. Go to Templates ▸ "New template" and set the name, format, summary context, AI model, language, a folder for its notes, a Slack channel, and "Apply to meetings" (pick meetings from your calendar; repeating ones apply to every future occurrence).

Web · Mac · iPhone

Question 50

How do I set a default template, or use one for a single meeting?

Accepted Answer

Default: "Make default" on a template, or Settings ▸ Notes ▸ "Default template". For one meeting: pick it in the Chrome card ("Note template") or the Mac copilot before you record, or link it to the calendar meeting. A template set on the recording wins over a calendar match, which wins over the default. To switch the template of a note you already have, use "Redo Notes" in the Mac app — the web can't do that yet.

Web · Chrome · Mac · iPhone

Question 51

Can I edit the summary or the transcript?

Accepted Answer

Not the text itself. You can rename the note, add tags, move it to a folder, and copy or delete single blocks — "Undo" stays for 5 seconds.

Question 52

How do I copy the transcript or the notes?

Accepted Answer

In the "Transcript" tab, "Copy" copies it with timestamps. "Share" ▸ "Copy as text" copies the note as Markdown.

Question 53

How do I work with action items?

Accepted Answer

The "Actions" tab lists them; tick one to mark it done (it also updates on Home). To send them to a task app, see How do I send action items to Linear, Todoist, Jira, Asana, ClickUp or Google Tasks?

Question 54

How do I download the audio?

Accepted Answer

Use "Download" in the note's player on the web, or "Download Audio" in the Mac app — as long as the audio is still kept (see How long is my audio kept?).

Question 55

Why is my note locked or blurred?

Accepted Answer

After the free trial, notes and recaps older than 7 days are locked — not deleted — until you subscribe.

Question 56

My note says "skipped" or has no summary.

Accepted Answer

The status tells you why: "needs a plan" — upgrade; "needs a key" — add your own AI key in Settings ▸ Connectors (AppSumo); "too short" — recordings under 30 seconds are not transcribed.

Question 57

How do I delete a note?

Accepted Answer

Open it and click the trash icon ("Delete note"), then confirm. The transcript is deleted with it.

Question 58

Can I ask questions about one meeting?

Accepted Answer

Open the note ▸ "Chat". Try "What decisions were made?" or ask your own question; you can pick the AI model.

Question 59

The speaker names are wrong.

Accepted Answer

Rename speakers in the Mac app (see How do I rename speakers?). The web app shows the names but can't change them yet.

Question 60

How do I use folders?

Accepted Answer

Folders ▸ "New folder". To move a note, hover it in My Notes and click the folder icon ("Move to folder"). Deleting a folder keeps its notes in My Notes.

Question 61

Can new notes go into folders automatically?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Turn on Settings ▸ Notes ▸ "Auto-sort into folders", then give a folder tags in "Edit folder…" ▸ "Auto-sort by tags". New notes with those tags are filed there; notes you already have stay where they are. A template can also send its notes to a folder.

Web

Question 62

How do I tag a note?

Accepted Answer

Under the note title, click "+ Add tag" (up to 15 characters) and press Enter. Remove a tag with ×.

Question 63

How do I find an old meeting?

Accepted Answer

Type in the search field at the top of My Notes. To search inside transcripts, ask AI Chat.

Question 64

Where are my team's notes?

Accepted Answer

In the sidebar under "Teams" ▸ your team. Team notes are read-only.

Help & FAQ

Getting started

Recording in Chrome

Recording on Mac and iPhone

Notes, summaries and transcripts

Organizing and finding notes

Calendar and meetings

AI chat, recaps and AI assistants

Plans, trial and billing

Privacy, data and account

Troubleshooting and support

Help & FAQ

Getting started

Recording in Chrome

Recording on Mac and iPhone

Notes, summaries and transcripts

Organizing and finding notes

Sharing and exporting

Calendar and meetings

AI chat, recaps and AI assistants

Plans, trial and billing

Privacy, data and account

Troubleshooting and support