trnscrb

trnscrb is a desktop application for macOS that automatically transcribes your meetings. It sits in your menu bar, detects when you join a call on platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, or Slack, and starts recording. The key differentiator is that everything happens on your computer. It uses OpenAI's Whisper model to convert speech to text without sending your audio to the cloud. Transcripts are saved as simple text files in a folder on your Mac, which you can search and manage directly.

The tool works by combining microphone activity with app detection to know when a meeting starts. You can set it up to record just your microphone or, with the optional BlackHole driver, capture system audio to get everyone's voice. After a call ends, the Whisper small model processes the audio locally, leveraging Apple Silicon's Metal for faster transcription. trnscrb also integrates with Claude Desktop via MCP (Model Context Protocol), letting you use voice commands to start/stop recordings or ask questions about past meetings.

This tool is built for people who have many video calls and need a private, reliable way to keep notes. It's ideal for professionals, managers, and remote teams who want a searchable record of discussions without relying on internet-based services. Because the data never leaves your Mac, it's also a strong choice for anyone handling sensitive information. The plain text output means you own your notes and can use them with any other app.