App basics, updates, and uninstall
Learn how the tray or menu bar app, startup option, updates, support links, offline documentation, and uninstall work.
Keep Whisperstream available
Whisperstream stays available from the Windows notification area, or the menu bar on a Mac, while you work. Closing the main window hides it instead of ending the app, so your dictation shortcuts continue to work.
| Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Close the Whisperstream window | Hides the window and keeps Whisperstream running. |
| Select the Whisperstream tray icon | Opens the window, or brings it to the front. |
| Select Quit from the tray menu | Stops Whisperstream and its dictation shortcuts. |
After selecting Quit, use the Start menu or desktop shortcut to start an installed app again. For a source checkout, restart its launcher.
On a Mac, the Whisperstream icon is in the menu bar. Click it to open the window, or open its menu for Settings and Quit. The Dock icon appears only while a Whisperstream window is open. To start Whisperstream again after quitting, open it from Applications.
Turn on Home > Run on Startup to start Whisperstream in the background when you sign in. On a Mac, macOS may ask you to approve Whisperstream in System Settings before startup is enabled. On the same page, choose Light or Dark to change Whisperstream's appearance.
Included features and updates
All features are included free. No license key or activation server is required.
How you update depends on how you installed Whisperstream:
- Official installer (Windows and Mac): Whisperstream checks for a signed update at most about once a day, and when you select Check for updates in About. When an update is available, select Update now to download and install it. Nothing is downloaded or installed until you accept, and Whisperstream verifies the update's signature first. Lockdown Mode stops update checks.
- Built from source: Whisperstream makes no update checks or downloads. To update, get newer source from the source repository and follow its README to rebuild. About > Source code opens the repository.
To switch from the older commercial edition, run the open-source installer.
Updates and responses to reports are provided as available; no schedule or guaranteed support is promised.
Keep your installer, or your source revision and its build instructions, and a backup of the models you use. See Install and recover models offline.
Get help or report a bug
Open About to use these actions:
- Report a bug asks you to save logs before opening the public bug-report form on GitHub.
- Request a feature opens a public feature-request form on GitHub.
- Read documentation opens the online guide.
- Source code opens the Whisperstream repository on GitHub.
GitHub issues are public. Do not include transcripts, recordings, API keys, or personal information. For private support or security reports, email support@whisperstream.io.
When reporting a bug, select Export logs and choose where to save the ZIP. After Logs saved appears, select Continue to GitHub Issues and attach the ZIP yourself. You can choose Continue without logs to skip the export, or Email logs instead after saving to share them privately. Attach the ZIP to the email yourself too.
Review the ZIP before sharing it. No report is submitted by opening a link. Attaching a file uploads it to GitHub immediately, before submitting the issue. Nothing is uploaded automatically.
External support links and update checks are unavailable in Lockdown Mode. Local documentation, legal documents, and log exports remain available.
Save the documentation
Open About and select Save documentation. Choose a folder in the folder picker. Whisperstream saves a PDF of the complete guide and an unpacked Markdown folder for search and AI tools. Both formats are bundled with the app and work without the website.
When Documentation saved appears, select Open folder to find the files. Cancelling the folder picker does not save anything. Repeated saves use a separate folder so existing files are preserved.
For local diagnostic information, see Export logs.
Uninstall Whisperstream or remove a source checkout
For a source development checkout, stop its launcher before removing the checkout. Keep or remove its isolated data separately; see the source README.
For an installed app, on Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps. On Windows 10, open Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Find Whisperstream and select Uninstall.
The uninstaller asks whether to remove Whisperstream's local data with the app. Review what survives uninstall before choosing.
On a Mac, select Quit from the menu bar icon, then move Whisperstream from Applications to the Trash. This leaves your settings, history, and models in place; see what survives uninstall to remove them.