Recording does not start
Open Settings → Permissions and confirm Microphone access. If access was denied earlier, use Open Settings to change it in Privacy & Security, then return to Zerkalo.
Zerkalo support
Start with the shortcut. Stay in your app.
The essentials for first launch, permissions, recovery, and your local library.
Getting started
Three steps to your first dictation.
- 1
Open Zerkalo
Review how Zerkalo handles your recordings and transcripts, then allow Microphone access when you are ready.
- 2
Choose cursor insertion
Accessibility is optional. Allow it for automatic insertion, or keep the clipboard fallback.
- 3
Use the global shortcut
Hold and release for push-to-talk, or double-tap to keep recording until the next press.
Troubleshooting
Common fixes, without guesswork.
If a recording is interrupted, Zerkalo keeps a local recovery copy when possible.
Text stays on the clipboard
Automatic insertion is unavailable when cursor insertion is off or Accessibility access hasn’t been granted. Enable Insert at original cursor and allow Accessibility access, or use the finished text from the clipboard.
The shortcut does not respond
Choose a different shortcut in Settings if macOS or another app already uses yours. A Function-key shortcut also requires Input Monitoring permission.
The on-device speech model isn’t ready
Open Settings → Speech model and choose Install or Refresh. macOS handles the model download; timing depends on your connection and system status.
Processing was interrupted
Open History and look for the recovery section. You can retry processing, copy a completed transcript, or discard the saved recovery session.
The library cannot be saved
Open Settings → Storage and choose Reload, or select a writable folder. Zerkalo won’t overwrite existing files when the library can’t be read.
Your files
A library you can inspect.
Zerkalo keeps its operational library in Application Support. In Settings, you can choose and reveal a separate folder where it maintains readable JSON and Markdown copies. You can also export selected transcripts.
Diagnostics
Share status, not your words.
Settings → Diagnostics can create a local text report. It omits audio, transcript content, vocabulary, and full filesystem paths. Nothing is sent automatically.