Mac User Guide

Installation

Download the Mac installer (DMG) from the koedesk.app download page and follow the on-screen instructions.

Initial Setup

Log In

On first launch, the login screen appears automatically. A browser window opens where you can sign in with Apple, GitHub, Google, Microsoft, or an email address (one-time code).

Setup Wizard (6 steps)

After logging in, the setup wizard launches. On Mac it has 6 steps: ① microphone permission ② accessibility permission ③ Fn key setup ④ microphone device selection ⑤ a test dictation ⑥ language and launch-at-login settings. If you restart the app partway through, you can pick up where you left off.

Fn Key Setup

To use the Fn key as koedesk's activation key, set the Fn key's action to "Do Nothing" in macOS System Settings. Follow the wizard's instructions to configure it.

Test Dictation

During the wizard, you can hold the Fn key and speak to confirm dictation works correctly. Microphone device selection and a level meter test are also part of the same step.

Basic Operation

1. While holding the Fn key, say what you want to write
2. Release the key to start transcription automatically
3. The recognized text is copied to the clipboard, then pasted automatically. It stays on the clipboard afterward, so you can paste it again if needed.

Press Esc while recording to discard it.

The pill (a small on-screen indicator) shows idle (dot), recording (waveform), processing (shimmer text), copied, or error states. You can drag it anywhere on screen and reset its position.

Changing the Activation Shortcut

In Settings, under "Activation shortcut" you can change the key from the default Fn. Tap the pencil icon, press the key combination you want, and tap "Save". Use "Reset to default" to go back to Fn.

You can only set a modifier key (Ctrl, Alt, Shift, Cmd, Fn) or a function key (F1–F20). Other keys can't be saved.

Muting Audio While Recording

When you start recording, other apps' audio is automatically muted by default. You can turn this off with a toggle in Settings.

Menu Bar Icon

The menu bar icon lets you open the dashboard ("Dashboard...") or quit the app ("Quit koedesk"). Clicking the pill also opens the dashboard.

Automatic Updates

koedesk checks for updates automatically on launch and then every 4 hours. You can also check manually via "Check for Updates" in Settings.

Dashboard Layout

The left sidebar switches between Settings, Account, Logs, and Dictionary. Logs shows the model name, STT latency, and total time for each past transcription.

Language Settings

Choose your transcription language from 36 options in the dashboard's language setting. There's no automatic detection. This setting also controls the app's display language — changing it switches the menu language too.

Plan & Free Tier

The free plan gives you 5 minutes per day (resets at UTC). The Account screen shows a FREE/PRO badge and your usage for the current month.

You upgrade through web checkout (Stripe) on koedesk.app. Once subscribed, you can manage your plan anytime via "Manage Subscription" on the Account screen.

Troubleshooting

Recording doesn't seem to do anything

If no speech is detected, the recording is silently discarded with no error shown.

The pill turned red / shows an error

When there's an error, the pill turns red. Click it to see log details, or to re-sign in if your session expired. A session-expired notice doesn't dismiss on its own.

The Fn key (activation shortcut) stops responding

If accessibility permission is revoked, key monitoring can stop working and you'll be sent back to the setup wizard automatically. If key monitoring itself fails to start, Option+Space works as a fallback shortcut.

Is there a recording length limit

A single recording is capped at 6 minutes by the server.

What happens when offline

When there's no connection, an offline banner is shown on screen.