Settings

The settings window is where you configure Vowen. Most options live in their own dedicated pages in the sidebar; this page covers the overall layout and the handful of settings that affect Vowen itself rather than a specific feature.

Opening Settings

• Click the Vowen icon in the menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows) and choose Open Settings
• Use Cmd+, (macOS) when the Vowen window is already in focus. Since Vowen is a background app, the menu bar route is usually the faster way in.

Sidebar Navigation

The main sidebar has four top-level sections:

Section	What’s There
Home	Voice log, daily activity, quick stats
Notes	Meeting notes list and recordings
Transcribe	Manual file transcription
Settings	All configuration options

Settings Pages

Inside the Settings section, each page covers a specific area:

• General: theme, startup, text insertion method, restore clipboard, sound effects, recording indicator
• Audio: input device selection and testing
• Models: download and manage transcription models
• Shortcuts: configure keyboard shortcuts
• AI Setup: connect AI providers, select models
• Language: set transcription language
• Recording: VAD, silence detection, hands-free options
• Tones: per-app writing style profiles (Pro)
• Dictionary: custom vocabulary and threads
• Workflows: voice-triggered automations
• Privacy: data handling preferences
• Sync: cloud sync setup (Pro)
• Account: license and plan management

Menu Bar (macOS) and System Tray (Windows)

Vowen lives in your menu bar on macOS and your system tray on Windows. Right-click the icon to:

• See current recording status
• Switch microphone
• Switch transcription model
• Start or stop meeting notes
• Open settings
• Copy last transcription
• Quit the app

Text Insertion

Vowen can deliver your transcription using either the paste method (simulates Cmd+V / Ctrl+V) or direct insertion (types each character as if you were typing it).

The paste method is fast but overwrites your clipboard; enable Restore clipboard after paste in the same settings page to put your previous clipboard contents back automatically. Direct insertion is the right choice on non-QWERTY keyboard layouts (AZERTY, QWERTZ, Dvorak) or in apps that block standard paste.

See Text Insertion Methods for the full explanation.

Themes

Vowen supports Light and Dark themes. Change it in Settings > General > Theme.

Hide Dock Icon (macOS)

If you prefer Vowen to be a pure background app without a Dock icon, enable Settings > General > Hide Dock Icon. The app stays accessible from the menu bar.