Help and Support

PrivateWispr: dictation and meeting notes

Frequently asked questions

Where does my voice data go?

Nowhere. Recognition and Smart Cleanup run on your device, and your audio and transcripts stay on it. The apps go online to download model files from Hugging Face, and the Mac app also checks a Pro licence key with Polar and looks for updates on privatewispr.com. None of those requests carry your voice or text. The Privacy Policy lists every connection.

Why does the keyboard ask for "Full Access"?

iPhone keyboard extensions can't record audio, so the PrivateWispr app owns the microphone and the speech model. The keyboard needs Full Access to talk to its own app and start dictation. It doesn't read your clipboard and opens no network connection. Turn Full Access off any time in Settings; normal typing keeps working.

Why is the microphone indicator on between dictations?

On iPhone the app keeps its audio session ready so the next dictation starts without delay, and iOS shows the orange microphone indicator while the microphone is live. You can revoke microphone access in Settings any time; the app then stops dictating, and it sends nothing either way.

The model download is large or stalls. What can I do?

Model files are large and download best over Wi-Fi. If a download fails, retry from the app's settings (Mac) or the Languages screen (iPhone). On Mac, "Remove data" on the Smart Cleanup page in Settings frees the Smart Cleanup model's disk space, and the Performance page unloads the speech engines from memory. On iPhone you can remove the Smart Cleanup model data in Settings and language packs on the Languages screen, then download them again later.

How do I delete my dictations, recordings and meetings?

On Mac: Settings, Privacy & data, "Delete everything" removes your dictation history, recordings and finished meetings. It keeps your Dictionary, Snippets and Style, which you can delete in their own settings. Exported Markdown notes are files you saved yourself, so delete them where you saved them. You can also delete single dictations and meetings from their lists. The Mac app is not sandboxed: its data stays in ~/Library/Application Support/PrivateWispr/ even after you delete the app, so run "Delete everything" first and then delete that folder if you want everything gone.

On iPhone: Settings, "Clear history" deletes all saved dictations, and you can delete meetings one by one in the Meetings tab. Deleting the iPhone app removes all of its data.

Do I need an account?

No. There is no sign-up and nothing to log in to. On iPhone, Apple handles purchases. On Mac, you paste the licence key from your purchase email.

I bought Pro on Mac. How do I activate it?

Open Settings, Plan, paste the key from your purchase email, and press Activate. A key works on up to 3 Macs. If it says the key is already on 3 Macs, remove it from a Mac you no longer use ("Remove key from this Mac"), or write to us.

I bought on iPhone and the app still shows Free.

Open Settings in the app and tap Restore Purchases. Use the same Apple Account you bought with.

Does one purchase cover Mac and iPhone?

No. They are separate purchases: Apple sells the iPhone plans, and the Mac licence comes from our store, run by Polar.

Can I record meetings?

Yes. Both apps record and transcribe meetings on the device. You must get consent from everyone you record. The apps remind you: the reminder sits on the Start card on iPhone and in the meetings setup on Mac.

Can I send a transcript to another app?

Yes, when you choose to. On iPhone, the share sheet in a meeting can send the transcript as plain text to any app you pick, including AI apps. On Mac, the "Send to an app" button on a dictation pastes it into the app you choose; if it can't paste, the text goes to your clipboard instead, where clipboard tools and Universal Clipboard may see it. The Mac app's "AI apps (MCP)" setting, off by default, lets the AI tools you connect read your meeting notes and transcripts. Once you share, that app's own privacy policy applies to what you shared.

The transcript has mistakes. Can I fix them?

Speech recognition and cleanup make mistakes, especially with names and technical terms. Add the words to your Dictionary on Mac or iPhone and the app spells them your way from then on. You can edit the pasted text like any other text. Check important transcripts before you rely on them.

What does Smart Cleanup do to my words?

It removes filler words like "uh" and "um", applies your spoken self-corrections (when you say "no wait" and correct yourself), and fixes punctuation. It doesn't rephrase what you said. It runs on your device (in the app on iPhone; keyboard takes get filler-word cleanup), and you can remove its data in settings.

How do refunds and cancellation work?

Mac: subscription fees are non-refundable, except where the law requires a refund. We may grant a refund case by case; to ask, email support@privatewispr.com from the address you bought with. Cancelling stops the next renewal and your access runs to the end of the paid period. iPhone: Apple handles App Store purchases and refunds at reportaproblem.apple.com. The refunds and cancellation page has the details.

Something else?

Email support@privatewispr.com and we will help.