Set up AlmRecorder

Before you download

AlmRecorder is built for Apple Silicon and macOS 14 or later. The setup recommender treats 16 GB of memory as its minimum model tier; below that, the app warns and selects lighter, slower models. A Mac with 24 GB or more gets the recommended plan. Models take several gigabytes in addition to the app.

The current GitHub build is not Apple-notarized, so the first launch needs one extra confirmation.

Install the app

Open the latest AlmRecorder release and download the DMG.
Open it and drag AlmRecorder into Applications.
Eject the DMG. Run the copy in Applications—not the mounted image.
Control-click AlmRecorder, choose Open, then confirm.

Keep AlmRecorder in Applications. The MCP configuration contains an absolute path to the bundled bridge and can break if the app moves.

If macOS still blocks the app

Open System Settings → Privacy & Security and choose Open Anyway. Only use the Terminal quarantine command published with a release if you trust the downloaded file and understand the change.

Follow the five-step setup

The wizard checks the Mac, explains permissions, proposes four local model components, optionally connects Voice Memos, and ends with a direct path to Record or Library.

AlmRecorder system check showing memory, processor cores, free disk, and the recommended tier. — **1. Check the Mac**The recommendation is calculated from this Mac, not a generic download list.

Know what each permission powers

Microphone records your side of a conversation.
Screen Recording captures Mac system audio—the other people in a call.
Accessibility is required for the experimental global Fn dictation shortcut and text insertion.
Calendar detects meetings. Notifications deliver prompts. Neither is required for recording or importing, though macOS can ask for them separately when those features initialize.

Importing and searching existing audio does not require Microphone or Screen Recording access.

AlmRecorder setup showing separate microphone, system audio, and realtime dictation permissions. — **2. Understand every permission**A missing recording permission never blocks imported audio.

Choose the local model plan

The setup plan covers transcription, realtime dictation, multimodal AI, and semantic search. Downloads continue in the background while AlmRecorder stays open.

AlmRecorder recommends four local model components and shows their download sizes. — **3. Download what powers the features**You can change every model later in Settings → Models.

Create the first useful result

Open Record for a new meeting or Library → Import for an existing file. When transcription finishes, open the recording and confirm that the speakers, language, and timestamps look right.

An AlmRecorder transcript with summary, topics, privacy control, tags, speakers, and timestamps. — **Success looks like this**The transcript stays linked to the source audio and exact moment.

Continue with Record and Import, or open the complete guide.