Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. BarnOwl stores all transcripts locally on your device — no audio is recorded and no data is transmitted to any server. This makes it compatible with NDA and confidentiality requirements. Always confirm specific requirements with your client or legal team.

BarnOwl captures audio through your microphone using Windows WASAPI, converts speech to text in real time using Whisper Small running entirely on your device, then discards the audio. No audio file is created at any point. Only the text transcript is saved, locally.

Yes. BarnOwl is designed for meeting-heavy workflows where you need to be present in the conversation, not typing notes. Engineers use it for standups, sprint reviews, architecture discussions, and post-mortems — capturing decisions accurately without distraction.

Yes. BarnOwl is entirely offline. No internet connection is required for transcription, saving, or any core feature. This makes it suitable for secure facilities, remote construction sites, or any environment with restricted connectivity.

Otter.ai records audio and processes it in the cloud. BarnOwl captures text only, entirely locally. For project managers in NDA-sensitive or compliance-restricted environments, BarnOwl is the only option — Otter.ai cannot be used where cloud recording is prohibited.

BarnOwl is open source (MIT licensed) and free to use. A $15/month Pro tier with advanced features is available for professionals who want priority support and additional capabilities.

Yes. After your meeting, copy the BarnOwl transcript into Copilot, ChatGPT, or any local AI tool for summarization or analysis. BarnOwl intentionally keeps transcription separate from AI, giving you full control over where your data goes.

BarnOwl is a Windows-only desktop application. macOS and Linux support are on the roadmap. There is no browser extension, no mobile app, and no cloud account required.