Start here
From download to first notes.
Install the app, complete its six-step setup, then make a short test recording before a real call.
Before you begin
- Meeting Maid requires macOS 26.0 or later.
- WhisperKit transcription requires Apple Silicon and downloads the selected model when first used.
- Apple Speech uses the on-device macOS Speech framework and does not need an app-managed transcription model.
- AWS Transcribe or Amazon Bedrock requires an AWS profile, network access, and service permissions.
- Ollama requires a reachable server with at least one installed model.
Confirm the laws, policies, and expectations that apply to every meeting. Automatic recording is off by default and should remain off until you have a compliant workflow.
Install Meeting Maid
- Download the current disk image. Use the Download button on meetingmaid.com or the current-release link in this documentation.
- Open the DMG. In the Finder window, drag Meeting Maid into Applications.
- Launch from Applications. Keep the app in Applications so update and permission behavior stays consistent.
Complete the first-run setup
With a new empty library, Meeting Maid opens Settings automatically and presents this six-step wizard:
- Permissions. Request only the access you want. Microphone is required to continue; Screen & System Audio Recording, Calendars, and Notifications are optional.
- Calendar. Configure meeting identification, attendee-based speaker names, the menu bar timeline, calendars to search, and reminders.
- Transcription. Choose WhisperKit, Apple Speech, or AWS Transcribe. AWS includes profile, region, and credential checks.
- Notes. Choose Bedrock or Ollama, load models, select a required Notes model, and optionally choose a Quick model. Skip Notes Setup warns that recordings will be transcribed without notes; notes can be generated from saved transcripts later.
- Export. Optionally configure automatic note and transcript publishing. Skip Export Setup warns that notes remain in Meeting Maid, but notes kept elsewhere must be exported manually.
- Ready. Review the summary and choose Go to Dashboard. This opens the dashboard; it does not start a recording.
Skip Setup ends the wizard early. You can configure everything later; Settings > Setup remains the permission and configuration health view.
Grant only the permissions you need
| Permission | Required for | Can be skipped when |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Your voice in live recordings | You only import existing files |
| Screen & System Audio Recording | Other participants and other Mac audio | You record microphone-only or only import |
| Calendars | Today's timeline, meeting matching, attendees, and Join actions | You do not want calendar context |
| Notifications | Upcoming-meeting alerts and automatic update reminders | You do not want Meeting Maid notifications |
Open Settings > Setup to check all four permission states and request or repair access. If you grant Screen & System Audio Recording in System Settings, restart Meeting Maid so ScreenCaptureKit can use the new grant.
Configure matching, calendars to search, and reminders in the wizard's Calendar step or Settings > Calendar. Meeting Maid reads events and never edits them.
Choose a processing path
- Select transcription. Open Settings > Transcription. WhisperKit is local and model-based; Apple Speech is local and built in; AWS Transcribe provides cloud transcription and live text.
- Select a notes provider. In the wizard's Notes step, choose Amazon Bedrock or Ollama, use Load Models, and select a Notes model. Later, Settings > AI Models provides Fetch Models and Test Connection.
- Optionally select a Quick model. It handles titles, classification, customer and folder placement, and attendee-to-speaker matching. If empty, the Notes model performs those tasks.
Skip Notes Setup requires confirmation because Meeting Maid will transcribe without generating notes. Configure a model later, open a saved transcript, and choose Generate Notes.
Make a short test recording
- Play neutral audio on the Mac. Use a short clip that contains no private content, then speak into your microphone.
- Start recording. Click the menu bar icon, use the main-window recording control, choose Recording > Start Recording, or use the Record a Meeting control in Control Center.
- Check both meters. The microphone meter should move when you speak. The system meter should move with Mac audio when Record the other participants is enabled.
- Stop after 20 to 30 seconds. Watch the status move through transcription, speaker identification, note generation, and export.
- Review the result. Play it back, select a transcript line, inspect speaker labels, and open the Notes tab.
Know the main window
The sidebar contains Dashboard, search, and your meeting library. The navigation controls beside the sidebar toggle import media and start or stop recording. A selected meeting opens Transcript and Notes tabs with status beside the title. Edit Details changes its title and classification metadata, Share exports artifacts, and Generate Notes creates another durable note version.