> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vowen.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Interface tour

> Every window, pill, and overlay Vowen can put on your screen, and what each one is for.

<div style={{ marginTop: "-1rem" }}>
  Vowen is mostly invisible. It runs in the background and puts a window on your screen only when one is useful. Each surface below is named alongside the setting that controls it.
</div>

## The main window

One window, with a sidebar down the left and a toolbar across the top.

### Sidebar

| Item          | What it opens                             |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Home          | History, activity graph, lifetime stats   |
| Transcribe    | Transcribe an audio or video file         |
| Speech models | Download and switch transcription engines |
| Dictionary    | Vocabulary, threads, text expansions      |
| Workflows     | Voice-triggered automations               |

### The Vowen AI group

Below the primary items, under a "Vowen AI" heading:

| Item              | What it opens                                                   |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Configure your AI | Providers, API keys, enhancement, memory                        |
| Notes             | Meeting notes and their settings                                |
| Tones             | Per-app writing styles                                          |
| Connectors        | MCP connectors. Hidden until enabled in Settings > Experimental |

### Footer and toolbar

The footer has **Settings** and **Help**. Help opens the contact form in your browser.

The toolbar in the top right has the active AI provider (click it to jump to Configure your AI), a **sun/moon button** that toggles light and dark mode, and an account button.

Press `Cmd+K` / `Ctrl+K` anywhere in this window for the [command palette](/features/command-palette).

## The Settings modal

Clicking **Settings** in the sidebar footer opens a modal over the main window with ten sections of its own: Account, General, Audio, Language, Recording, Shortcuts, Sync, Developer, Experimental, Permissions. A search field sits above the section list.

See [Settings](/get-started/settings) for what is in each section.

## The menu bar and tray

Vowen's icon lives in the macOS menu bar and the Windows system tray. The menu is a full control surface. It switches models, languages, and microphones, starts and stops meeting notes, opens any sidebar page, and copies your last transcription. The icon itself changes while recording.

See [Settings](/get-started/settings#menu-bar-and-system-tray) for the full menu.

## Windows Vowen can show

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Recording indicator">
    A small floating pill that appears while you dictate. It shows a live audio waveform and controls, and it is where errors, the live transcription preview, expansion picker, and various banners appear.

    **On by default**, anchored to the top of the screen. Change it in **Settings > Recording > Recording Indicator Position**, which offers Top, Bottom, or Don't show.

    See [Recording indicator](/features/recording-indicator).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Notch indicator (macOS)">
    An alternative to the pill that hangs the indicator from the notch area instead of floating over your work. It is a native panel rather than a web view, so it draws its own toasts and menus.

    **Opt-in.** Switch to it in **Settings > Recording > Indicator style**. Macs without a physical notch get an equivalent bar centered at the top.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Idle pill">
    A minimized bar pinned to the edge of your screen while you are not recording. Hover it and it expands so you can start a dictation, pick a tone, or start a note without touching a shortcut.

    **Off by default.** Turn on **Show idle pill** in **Settings > Recording**. It shares a window with the recording indicator, so it hides as soon as you start recording.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Meeting indicator">
    A floating card that appears while a meeting note is recording. Compact by default, it expands on hover to show the note in progress, with pause, resume, and mark-important controls. Drag it anywhere; Vowen remembers where you put it.

    **On by default** while recording notes. Turn it off in the notes settings, under **Recording Defaults**.

    See [Recording meetings](/meeting-notes/recording).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Meeting panel">
    A wide card with **Ask**, **Notes**, and **Transcript** tabs, opened with `Cmd+\` on macOS or `Ctrl+\` on Windows while a meeting is recording. It is content-protected, so it does not appear if you are sharing your screen.

    Available whenever the meeting indicator is enabled. Press the shortcut again or `Esc` to close it.

    See [Meeting panel](/meeting-notes/meeting-panel).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Region capture overlay">
    A full-screen overlay that appears when you start Command Mode, letting you click and drag to grab a specific area of the screen as context instead of sending your whole display. It stays open so you can grab several regions, and it punches holes around the recording indicator and the meeting pill so those stay clickable.

    **Off by default.** Turn on **Drag to capture region** in **Configure your AI**. Press `Esc` to dismiss it.

    See [Command Mode](/ai-features/command-mode).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Fill-in prompt">
    A small input window that appears when you trigger a text expansion containing `{{variable}}` placeholders. Fill in the values and the finished text is inserted where you were typing.

    It appears only for expansions you have written variables into. `Esc` cancels and leaves your typed trigger alone.

    See [Text expander](/features/text-expander).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Timer">
    A small draggable pill with a countdown, controls to pause and stop, and a chime when it finishes. It appears when you ask for a timer by voice through Command Mode, and tears itself down a few seconds after the countdown ends.

    See [Workflows](/features/workflows).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Share card">
    A shareable image of your dictation stats. Vowen renders it off-screen, so there is nothing to click. The finished PNG appears inside the main window, where you can save or copy it.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Banners and prompts

These do not get their own window. They appear inside the recording indicator or the main window.

| Banner                | When it appears                                                         |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Permissions banner    | A required permission is missing. Dismissing it hides it for 24 hours   |
| Update banner         | A newer version is available. Dismissing it hides it for 24 hours       |
| Get Started checklist | Bottom-right of the main window until all six steps are done            |
| What's New            | The first time you open the main window after updating to a new version |
| Meeting detection     | A meeting app started and Vowen offers to record                        |
| Insertion fallback    | Vowen could not paste and is offering another route                     |

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Settings" icon="sliders" href="/get-started/settings">
    Every section of the Settings modal
  </Card>

  <Card title="Recording indicator" icon="microphone" href="/features/recording-indicator">
    Position, style, and what it shows
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shortcuts" icon="keyboard" href="/features/shortcuts">
    Every shortcut Vowen listens for
  </Card>

  <Card title="Privacy and data" icon="lock" href="/get-started/privacy">
    What leaves your machine
  </Card>
</CardGroup>