# Help center. Dimmy.

> Set up Dimmy in a minute, dictate your first sentence, switch styles, customise the hotkey, troubleshoot the mic. Searchable help in English and Italian.

Source: https://dimmy.app/help/

help center

# How can we  
help you?

Everything you need to set up Dimmy, dictate your first sentence, switch styles, and troubleshoot. Search below or browse by category.

Press/to focus

## Browse by category

[ 🚀 Getting Started Install, grant permissions, dictate your first sentence. 3 articles](#getting-started) [ 💊 The Pill The small overlay that turns into a live waveform when you talk. 4 articles](#the-pill) [ ⌨️ Hotkey How to start and stop recording. Defaults, custom combos, gestures. 5 articles](#hotkey) [ ✨ AI Styles & Tones Polish, summarise, translate, or rewrite the transcription on the fly. 5 articles](#ai-styles) [ 🤖 Providers & Models Local Whisper or cloud STT, your own API key, optional local LLM. 6 articles](#providers) [ 🛡️ History & Privacy Search past transcriptions. Understand and control what is sent. 2 articles](#history-privacy) [ 🛠️ Settings Reference Every Settings tab explained: General, Models, Shortcut, Output, Overlay, History, Privacy, Audio, Stats, About. 6 articles](#settings-reference) [ 🎯 Use Cases AI prompts, meeting recaps, email drafting, code comments, multilingual content, accessibility. 6 articles](#use-cases) [ 🔌 Integrations Plug Dimmy into Claude Desktop, Claude CLI, Notion. MCP setup and recipes. 6 articles](#integrations) [ 🔧 Troubleshooting Microphone, hotkey, install warnings, transcription quality. 3 articles](#troubleshooting)

🚀 Getting Started

Install, grant permissions, dictate your first sentence.

[ Getting StartedInstall Dimmy on Mac, Windows, or LinuxDownload the installer for your operating system, run it, launch Dimmy. Takes around a minute.](https://dimmy.app/help/install/) [ Getting StartedYour first dictation in 60 secondsOpen any app with a text field, press the hotkey, say a sentence, release. The text lands where the cursor was.](https://dimmy.app/help/first-dictation/) [ Getting StartedPermissions Dimmy needsMicrophone everywhere. Accessibility on macOS to type into other apps. Nothing else, ever.](https://dimmy.app/help/permissions/)

💊 The Pill

The small overlay that turns into a live waveform when you talk.

[ The PillWhat the pill isThe small always-on-top overlay. It shows whether Dimmy is idle, recording, transcribing, or done.](https://dimmy.app/help/pill-overview/) [ The PillAll pill states explainedIdle, recording, transcribing, LLM, done, error. Each one has a unique shape, colour, and animation.](https://dimmy.app/help/pill-states/) [ The PillMove, resize, hide the pillDrag the pill anywhere. Pin to a corner. Change opacity when idle. Hide it entirely until the hotkey is pressed.](https://dimmy.app/help/pill-position/) [ The PillTray and menu-bar iconBesides the pill, Dimmy puts a tiny icon in your system tray (Windows, Linux) or menu bar (macOS). Quick access to Settings, History, Quit.](https://dimmy.app/help/tray-menu/)

⌨️ Hotkey

How to start and stop recording. Defaults, custom combos, gestures.

[ HotkeyDefault hotkey per platformCmd + Option on macOS, Win + Alt on Windows and Linux. Two-key combos chosen to never clash with system shortcuts.](https://dimmy.app/help/hotkey-default/) [ HotkeyChange your hotkeySettings → Shortcut. Press the new combo. Dimmy validates it against system shortcuts and saves.](https://dimmy.app/help/hotkey-change/) [ HotkeyToggle vs hold-to-recordHold-to-record: hold the hotkey while talking. Toggle: press once to start, again to stop. Both work, pick what feels right.](https://dimmy.app/help/hotkey-modes/) [ HotkeyDictionary and Command Mode shortcutsTwo optional shortcuts beside the dictation hotkey: add selected text to your dictionary (Ctrl + Shift + D) and run a one-shot AI command.](https://dimmy.app/help/hotkey-dictionary-command/) [ HotkeySwitch style or tone with the scroll wheelScroll on the pill to cycle AI styles. Ctrl + scroll to cycle tones. No need to open Settings.](https://dimmy.app/help/scroll-shortcuts/)

✨ AI Styles & Tones

Polish, summarise, translate, or rewrite the transcription on the fly.

[ AI Styles & TonesThe 13 AI stylesAfter transcription, an optional LLM pass rewrites your text. From Correct to Imbruttito, with 11 styles in between.](https://dimmy.app/help/styles/) [ AI Styles & TonesCommand Mode: speak instructions, not textSelect text and say what to do with it. Or, with nothing selected, ask Dimmy to write something at the cursor. The AI does the rest.](https://dimmy.app/help/command-mode/) [ AI Styles & TonesThe 5 tonesNone, formal, friendly, concise, academic. The tone sits on top of the style and changes register only.](https://dimmy.app/help/tones/) [ AI Styles & TonesWrite your own system promptPick the Custom style and paste any system prompt. Dimmy uses it for every dictation until you change it.](https://dimmy.app/help/custom-prompts/) [ AI Styles & TonesStrip filler words automaticallyDimmy can drop "um", "uh", "basically", "cioè" before paste. Works in 6 languages, independent of the LLM pass.](https://dimmy.app/help/filler-removal/)

🤖 Providers & Models

Local Whisper or cloud STT, your own API key, optional local LLM.

[ Providers & ModelsWhich model should you use?Four questions decide it: what machine you have, what must not leave it, which subscriptions you already pay for, and which language you speak. Answer them and the rest follows.](https://dimmy.app/help/choose-your-model/) [ Providers & ModelsLocal mode: transcription on your own machineFour speech engines that run on your device. No API key, no upload, no per-minute cost. Works on a plane.](https://dimmy.app/help/local-mode/) [ Providers & ModelsCloud providers comparedGroq is fastest, OpenAI is the gold standard, Deepgram leads on streaming. All optional. Bring your own key.](https://dimmy.app/help/cloud-providers/) [ Providers & ModelsAdd your API keyOpen Settings → Providers & keys, find the provider card, paste the key. It is encrypted on your machine. You can update keys at any time.](https://dimmy.app/help/api-keys/) [ Providers & ModelsChoose a local modelThe whole on-device catalogue: nine Whisper sizes, Parakeet TDT v3, four Qwen3-ASR variants and Whistle. What each one weighs and what it runs on.](https://dimmy.app/help/whisper-models/) [ Providers & ModelsOptional on-device LLMRun the LLM enhancement pass locally via llama.cpp. No cloud, no key, no per-token cost. Pick a model to match your GPU memory.](https://dimmy.app/help/local-llm/)

🛡️ History & Privacy

Search past transcriptions. Understand and control what is sent.

[ History & PrivacyBrowse and search your historyEvery transcription is saved locally and searchable with full-text. Stats show count, time saved, words dictated.](https://dimmy.app/help/history-search/) [ History & PrivacyTelemetry: what's sent, how to disableOff until you say yes. Event names and numbers only, never audio, never text, never API keys. Two separate switches.](https://dimmy.app/help/telemetry/)

🛠️ Settings Reference

Every Settings tab explained: General, Models, Shortcut, Output, Overlay, History, Privacy, Audio, Stats, About.

[ Settings ReferenceSettings overview: every tab, in one mapRight-click the pill → Settings. Ten tabs grouped by purpose. Use this as the index to find anything you can configure.](https://dimmy.app/help/settings-overview/) [ Settings ReferenceAudio input: microphone and processingSettings → Voice input. Pick the input device. The processing toggles ship off, because measurement showed they made transcripts worse.](https://dimmy.app/help/audio-input/) [ Settings ReferencePick the dictation languageAuto-detect or pin one of 15 languages. What the setting does depends on which engine you run: Whisper obeys it, Parakeet ignores it, Qwen3-ASR needs it.](https://dimmy.app/help/language/) [ Settings ReferenceStats: count, time saved, words dictatedSettings → Stats. Aggregate numbers computed from your local history. Time saved is the difference between speaking and typing the same text.](https://dimmy.app/help/stats/) [ Settings ReferenceAbout: version, updates, linksSettings → About shows the current version, runs an update check, and links to the repo, license, and acknowledgements.](https://dimmy.app/help/about-and-updates/) [ Settings ReferencePause Dimmy temporarilyDisable the hotkey without quitting the app. Useful during screen recordings, presentations, or focus blocks.](https://dimmy.app/help/pause-dimmy/)

🎯 Use Cases

AI prompts, meeting recaps, email drafting, code comments, multilingual content, accessibility.

[ Use CasesWrite prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Claude CodeSpeak a paragraph of context in 10 seconds, paste into your AI tool. Use the Prompt style to get a clean, ready-to-send prompt.](https://dimmy.app/help/use-ai-prompts/) [ Use CasesRecord a meeting, get an AI recapDimmy Meeting records the call, transcribes it live, and writes a structured recap with action items. All inside Dimmy, on Windows and Mac.](https://dimmy.app/help/use-meeting-recaps/) [ Use CasesDraft emails in Gmail, Outlook, Apple MailPick a tone, dictate the body in 30 seconds, paste, send. The Professional style handles greetings and sign-offs.](https://dimmy.app/help/use-email/) [ Use CasesCode comments and PR descriptionsTalk through what you changed and why. Use a Custom prompt that formats the result as a code comment or a PR body.](https://dimmy.app/help/use-code-comments/) [ Use CasesMultilingual workflowsSwitch languages mid-dictation. Translate as you speak. Use auto-detect when you really alternate, pinned when you mostly stay in one.](https://dimmy.app/help/use-multilingual/) [ Use CasesAccessibility, RSI, hands-busy contextsIf typing hurts or isn't an option, dictation becomes your primary input. Hold-vs-toggle hotkey, hands-free workflow, screen-reader compatible.](https://dimmy.app/help/use-accessibility/)

🔌 Integrations

Plug Dimmy into Claude Desktop, Claude CLI, Notion. MCP setup and recipes.

[ IntegrationsConnect Claude Desktop to Dimmy (MCP bridge)One-click wizard installs a small MCP server. Ask Claude Desktop about your meetings, dictations, and let it write recaps back into Dimmy.](https://dimmy.app/help/integrations-claude-desktop/) [ IntegrationsUse your Claude subscription via Claude CLI (no API key)If you already pay for Claude Pro, Team, or Max, route Dimmy's LLM rewrites and recaps through the local claude CLI. No API key, no per-token cost.](https://dimmy.app/help/integrations-claude-cli/) [ IntegrationsUse Dimmy's MCP server from Claude CLI (advanced)Dimmy's MCP bridge has a one-click setup for Claude Desktop. There's no built-in button for the terminal, but you can point the Claude CLI at the same binary by hand. Here's how.](https://dimmy.app/help/integrations-mcp-claude-cli/) [ IntegrationsSend meeting recaps to NotionDimmy has a built-in Notion integration. Connect once with your own integration token, pick a destination page or database, then send any recap with one button (or auto-send every meeting).](https://dimmy.app/help/integrations-notion/) [ IntegrationsUse your ChatGPT subscription via Codex (no API key)If you already pay for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, Business, or Enterprise, route Dimmy's LLM rewrites and recaps through the local codex CLI. No API key, no per-token cost.](https://dimmy.app/help/integrations-codex-cli/) [ IntegrationsSend audio from your phone with TelegramConnect Dimmy to your own Telegram account. Record audio on your phone with any app, share it to your Telegram Saved Messages, and Dimmy transcribes it and writes a recap on your computer. Windows and macOS.](https://dimmy.app/help/integrations-telegram/)

🔧 Troubleshooting

Microphone, hotkey, install warnings, transcription quality.

[ TroubleshootingMic or hotkey not workingCheck OS permissions first. Then check hotkey conflicts. The pill tells you which one of the two is failing.](https://dimmy.app/help/mic-and-hotkey/) [ TroubleshootingEmpty, wrong, or slow transcriptionThree different problems, three checks: silence in the audio, wrong language detected, model or provider mismatch.](https://dimmy.app/help/transcription-issues/) [ TroubleshootingInstall warnings: macOS Gatekeeper, Windows SmartScreen, Linux AppImageThe OS may warn the first time you run Dimmy. These warnings are expected for indie apps. Here's how to bypass them safely.](https://dimmy.app/help/install-issues/)

## Still stuck?

Open an issue on GitHub or write to us. Real human, fast reply.

[Open an issue](https://github.com/KonradDallaOrg/dimmy/issues) [Email hi@dimmy.app](mailto:hi@dimmy.app)