Your first meeting

What the start does

The start sets up the things KeptNote needs: permission to record, a first recording to prove that it works, and a first note you can read. It takes a few minutes. Every part of it is optional, and you can leave at any time.

Seven dots at the top show where you are. Back is at the top left and returns to the step before. Skip is at the top right and opens KeptNote at once. You can also press Command-[ to go back and Escape to skip. Each step has one main button at the bottom right.

The start opens by itself only the first time. Press Skip and KeptNote treats the start as done.

The seven steps

Step 1. The dots at the top show where you are.

1. Welcome. The card says The meeting ends. The meaning stays. You can type your first name in the box that asks What should KeptNote call you? It is optional. KeptNote uses it for the greeting on Home. Press Get started.

2. Let KeptNote record the meeting. KeptNote asks for two permissions. It says that the audio stays on this Mac.

   Microphone lets KeptNote record you and anyone in the room. Press Allow.

   Call audio is for online calls, so the other side is recorded too. macOS lists it under Screen & System Audio Recording. KeptNote does not save any screen video. Choose Allow, then Request access or Open System Settings.

   Each row shows its state, for example Not allowed yet, Ready, Ready for calls or Only needed for calls. Then press Continue. If you only record meetings in the room, you do not need call audio.

3. Your first recording. This is a 20-second try, recorded and written up like a real meeting. KeptNote saves it as “Your first KeptNote”, and you can delete it later. Press Start recording and say a few sentences about your week. KeptNote asks nothing else first. A line counts down, for example 20 seconds left. Press Stop now to finish early.

   When the recording ends, the card says Recorded. Your note is on its way. and KeptNote moves on by itself. To leave this step out, press Record later.

4. Your first note. KeptNote transcribes your recording on your Mac, then writes the note. This takes a few seconds. When the note is ready, a short animation shows the word Kept. Then the note appears. A hint beside the first time on a line says: Press a time to read the moment it came from. Press the time, and the words said at that moment appear next to the note. Then press Continue. If the note takes a long time, you can continue anyway, and the note will be in your meetings when it is ready.

5. Notes, or the Reef. During a meeting you can take notes, or rest your eyes in the Reef. Use the switch to see both. Kelp, Jelly, Nautilus and Sand are free. Dive, Drift and Bubbles come with KeptNote Personal. Notes and Reef during a meeting says more.

6. Calendar and writing. Press Connect Calendar if you want your next meeting to show on Home, ready to record. This is optional. Then choose how notes are written under How notes are written.

   On this Mac needs no key. It needs Apple Intelligence on macOS 26 or later.

   With my own AI key uses a key you add later in Settings.

   Neither gives you local highlights from the transcript, with no writing step.

7. You’re set. The card repeats how your trial works. Press Open KeptNote. Start a recording at any time from Home, or press Command-N. The icon in the menu bar can start one too. See The menu bar and the recording capsule.

If the first recording does not start

KeptNote tells you why, and what to do.

• KeptNote can’t use the microphone yet. Turn on KeptNote under Privacy & Security, then Microphone, in System Settings. Then try again. The Open System Settings button takes you there. Other causes use the same title: a Mac that does not allow apps to use the microphone, or no microphone connected.
• The recording was silent. Nothing came through. In System Settings, under Sound, check that the right microphone is chosen. Then try again. The silent recording stays in your meetings, and you can delete it.
• The recording didn’t start. Something on the Mac stopped it. Press Try again.

You can also press Record later and record from Home when you are ready. Microphone and screen permissions and No sound in a recording help with the common causes.

After the start

KeptNote opens on Home. Your first note is in Recent. To remove the practice note, right-click it and choose Move to Trash.

See the steps again

Choose Help in the menu bar, then Show Onboarding Again. The same seven steps open. You can also press Help in the rail and choose Show onboarding again. Both Help places also have KeptNote Guide, which opens this guide.