Short answers to what people ask before they try Takku.
Is it free?
Yes, and open source under the MIT license. Apple Intelligence or a model on your Mac costs nothing. If a paid provider writes the summary, you pay that provider; for summaries with nothing to set up there is Takku Credit, prepaid, optional, about 3 cents for a 30-minute meeting. If Takku is useful to you, you can buy me a coffee: it helps cover the costs of keeping Takku going.
Does a bot join my call?
No. Takku records on your Mac, from your microphone and from what your Mac plays, so nobody in the call sees it. That is why you should tell them you’re recording.
Which call apps does it work with?
Any: Meet, Zoom, Teams, Slack, a call in the browser. Takku records everything your Mac plays, not one app, so pause music and videos during a meeting.
Does it work with headphones?
Yes, with headphones, AirPods or the Mac’s own speakers. If your speakers leak into the microphone, Takku removes that echo from the transcript.
Do I need Obsidian?
No. Takku writes Markdown files into a folder you choose, and any app opens them: TextEdit, Zed, VS Code. If you use Obsidian, choose your vault: the note links to its transcript with a click.
Can I use a recording made elsewhere?
Yes: Import audio…, in the Takku menu, turns an audio or video file into a meeting, such as a voice memo from your iPhone, a lecture or the recording of a call. See the guide.
Does it work for lectures?
Yes. Record the lecture on your phone and import it, and choose a template for lectures: study notes, or the full text of the lecture (a sbobina), written ten minutes at a time so the end keeps its detail. See Templates.
Which languages does it understand?
Italian, English, German, French, Spanish and 20 other European languages, one language per meeting. Takku can write the summary in any language.
Can it keep the slides?
Yes: press ⌃⌥⌘S during the call and Takku keeps a picture of the screen. It goes in the note, under the point of the summary it belongs to, and stays in your notes folder: the summary provider never sees it.
Does it work offline?
The transcription does, once you’ve downloaded the model. The summary does too, if you use Apple Intelligence or a model running on your Mac.
How long until the summary is ready?
Takku transcribes the call in pieces while it goes on, so when you stop only the last few minutes are left. Then the summary takes as long as your model needs, and a notification tells you when it’s there.
Does the summary provider get my audio?
Never. It receives the transcript and your notes. Where your data goes lists everything that leaves your Mac.
How is it different from Granola?
Takku transcribes on your Mac, writes into a folder on your Mac instead of an online account, and lets you choose who writes the summary. There is no account and no subscription. Takku and the alternatives compares it point by point, and says when ChatGPT or the notes built into your call app are enough.
Can I use it on a Mac managed by my company?
Yes, if IT allows apps from identified developers: Apple has notarized Takku. Some companies allow only the apps they approve: then ask IT. Check your company’s rules on recording meetings and on summary providers too.
Does it run on an Intel Mac?
No. Takku needs Apple Silicon and macOS 15 or later.
The summary gets a name wrong. What can I do?
Add the word to your vocabulary and choose Reprocess Recording…, or assign speaker names in Recent meetings → Name speakers…. The guide shows how.
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