# Your First Recording

Go from download to dictating in under two minutes.

## Get up and running

klarvoice works in any text field on your Mac or Windows machine. Here is everything you need to do before your first recording.

1. **Download klarvoice** from [klarvoice.com](https://klarvoice.com) and run the installer.
2. **Launch the app.** A small icon appears in your menu bar (Mac) or system tray (Windows).
3. **Grant microphone permission.** Your OS will prompt you the first time. Click Allow — klarvoice cannot hear you without it.
4. **Click into any text field** — a browser address bar, an email draft, a notes app, anywhere.
5. **Press your hotkey** (default: Option + Space on Mac, Alt + Space on Windows) to start recording. The icon pulses to show it is listening.
6. **Speak naturally.** Say what you want to type, at a comfortable pace.
7. **Press the hotkey again** to stop. Your words appear in the text field within seconds.

## What just happened?

When you pressed the hotkey, klarvoice captured your voice and sent the audio to a transcription model. The model converted your speech to text and klarvoice inserted the result directly at your cursor — no copy-paste, no switching windows.

The whole round-trip typically takes one to three seconds depending on the model you are using and your internet connection.

## Things to try right now

- Dictate a sentence into a search bar or chat window.
- Try saying punctuation out loud: *"Hello comma how are you question mark"* — klarvoice understands natural punctuation cues in most cases.
- Open your email client and dictate a short reply.

> Tip: You do not need to speak slowly or over-enunciate. A normal conversational pace gives the best results.

## If nothing appeared

Make sure your cursor is placed inside a text field before pressing the hotkey. klarvoice types into whichever field is active — if no field is focused, there is nowhere for the text to go.