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Getting Started

Quick Start

Make your first transcription with Echo in under 60 seconds.

Once Echo is installed and permissions are granted, you're ready to transcribe. This guide walks you through your very first transcription.

Choose an AI Model

Before you can transcribe, Echo needs an AI model. If you went through the onboarding setup, you've already done this. If not:

  1. Open Echo -- the app will prompt you to select a model
  2. On the Choose Your AI Model screen, select a model. The one marked RECOMMENDED is a good starting point.
  3. Click Continue with [model name] and wait for the model to download

The download size depends on the model you choose. The recommended model typically downloads in under a minute on a broadband connection.

Your First Transcription

Once a model is downloaded and your keyboard shortcut is set, you're ready to go:

  1. Click into any text field -- open a note, an email draft, a chat window, or any app where you type
  2. Press your keyboard shortcut -- the Echo recorder will appear on screen
  3. Speak naturally -- say whatever you want to type
  4. Press your keyboard shortcut again -- Echo stops recording and transcribes your speech

Your words appear right where your cursor was. That's it.

What Happens Behind the Scenes

When you press your shortcut, here's what Echo does:

  1. Recording -- Echo captures your voice through your selected microphone
  2. Transcribing -- The AI model converts your speech to text
  3. Processing -- Text formatting, word replacements, and filler word removal are applied (if enabled)
  4. Enhancing -- If AI Enhancement is turned on, your text is refined by an AI model
  5. Output -- The final text is pasted at your cursor (or copied to clipboard if Accessibility isn't enabled)

The whole process typically takes one to three seconds after you stop recording, depending on the length of your recording and the model you're using.

Try It in the Setup

If you're still in the onboarding flow, the final step is a built-in practice area:

  1. Click the text area on the right side of the screen
  2. Press your shortcut key
  3. Speak something
  4. Press your shortcut key again

Your transcribed text will appear in the text area. The Complete Setup button activates once your first transcription appears. Click it to finish onboarding. You can also click Skip for now to continue without testing.

Tips

  • Speak at a natural pace. You don't need to slow down or over-enunciate -- the AI models handle natural speech well.
  • If you want to cancel a recording without transcribing, double-tap Escape while the recorder is visible.
  • You can change your AI model at any time. Go to Settings > Transcription to browse and download additional models.

Permissions

Grant the macOS permissions Echo needs to transcribe and paste text.

Transcription

How Echo turns your voice into text using local, cloud, or Apple transcription engines.

On this page

Choose an AI ModelYour First TranscriptionWhat Happens Behind the ScenesTry It in the SetupTipsRelated