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Learn how to use Notably

Getting Started with Notably

Everything you need to start recording and transcribing meetings on your Mac

Welcome to Notably

Notably is a meeting recording and transcription app for macOS and iPhone. On your Mac, transcription runs on-device by default, with no account and no audio upload; Notably Cloud is an optional engine you can switch on. On iPhone, transcription runs in Notably Cloud and needs a free account. These docs cover the Mac app.

  • ✓ On-device transcription by default - recordings stay on your Mac
  • ✓ AI-powered transcription using on-device models
  • ✓ You decide what leaves your Mac, if anything
  • ✓ No account and no subscription for local transcription

System Requirements

  • ✓ Operating System: macOS 14.2 or later
  • ✓ Processor: Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) or Intel
  • ✓ Storage: 2GB free space (for app and transcription models)
  • ✓ Permissions: Microphone access (required), System Audio (optional)

Installation

  1. 1.
    Download Notably

    Get the DMG installer from notably.binarygap.io

  2. 2.
    Open the DMG file

    Double-click the downloaded Notably.dmg file to mount it

  3. 3.
    Drag to Applications

    Drag the Notably app icon to your Applications folder

  4. 4.
    Launch Notably

    Open Notably from your Applications folder or Spotlight (⌘ + Space, type "Notably")

First Launch Setup

When you first launch Notably, you'll need to grant permissions for recording:

Required: Microphone Permission

  1. 1. Notably will prompt for microphone access on first launch
  2. 2. Click "OK" to grant permission
  3. 3. If you missed the prompt, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and enable Notably

Optional: System Audio Permission

For recording system audio (meeting participants, videos, etc.), you'll need to grant additional permission:

  1. 1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording
  2. 2. Enable Notably in the list
  3. 3. Restart Notably for changes to take effect

Quick Start Workflow

Get your first recording and transcript in seconds:

Step 1: Start Recording

  • • Click the record button in the menu bar or main window
  • • Or use the keyboard shortcut (customizable in Settings)

Step 2: Speak or Play Audio

  • • Notably records your microphone input
  • • System audio is captured if you granted Screen Recording permission
  • • Real-time transcription appears as you speak (if enabled)

Step 3: Stop Recording

  • • Click the stop button or use the keyboard shortcut
  • • Recording is saved immediately to your local storage

Step 4: View Transcript

  • • Transcription runs automatically (if enabled in Settings)
  • • View, edit, and export your transcript from the recordings list
  • • Transcription runs on your Mac unless you pick the cloud engine

Keyboard Shortcuts

Control Notably quickly with keyboard shortcuts:

  • ✓ Global shortcut: Start/stop recording from anywhere (customizable in Settings)
  • ✓ ⌘ + , Open Settings
  • ✓ ⌘ + Q Quit Notably

Customize your global recording shortcut in Settings → General

Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore these features:

  • → Download transcription models: Settings → Models to choose quality/speed preferences
  • → Configure languages: Settings → General for UI and transcription language
  • → Export transcripts: Choose from multiple formats (TXT, MD, JSON)
  • → Manage recordings: Delete, rename, or re-transcribe from the recordings list
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