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

# Essential settings

> Set up keyboard shortcuts, push to talk, microphone input, and sound feedback. Find where recordings are kept and how to delete them.

## Open settings

There are four ways to access the Superwhisper settings:

1. Click the **Superwhisper icon in the menu bar** (near the Wi-Fi icon) and choose **Settings**
2. Right-click the **mini recording window** and choose **Open Settings**
3. Press **⌘ ,** while the app is active (requires "Show in Dock" in [advanced settings](https://superwhisper.com/docs/get-started/settings-advanced.md#application))
4. Open the deep link `superwhisper://settings` from any launcher or automation

> [!NOTE]
>
> On Windows, click the Superwhisper icon in the system tray.

## Keyboard shortcuts

Open **Settings → Configuration**.

![Superwhisper Configuration pane showing keyboard shortcut settings](https://mintcdn.com/superwhisper/SFDRA4G70egO6eAv/images/screens/mac/configuration-1.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=SFDRA4G70egO6eAv\&q=85\&s=6dee526ddbfbd59098149036bfa70b3e)

* **Toggle Recording**: Press to start/stop recording. The default is **⌥ Space**.
* **Push to Talk**: Press-and-hold to record, release to stop. A quick tap acts as toggle.
* **Cancel Recording**: Cancels the recording without transcribing. Cancels immediately for short recordings; longer recordings ask for confirmation.
* **Change mode**: Press-and-hold to open the mode changer, then tap the key or use arrows to cycle through modes. Modes can be changed before or during a dictation. The default is **⌥ ⇧ K**.
* **Mouse shortcut**: Assign a mouse button: quick click toggles, press-and-hold acts as push-to-talk. Note that some mice can't detect sustained holds.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Global vs. mode-specific shortcuts.** The global shortcuts above start recording using the active mode. Separately, each mode has its own **Keyboard shortcut** that starts a recording in that specific mode. If a shortcut triggers the wrong mode, check whether it's assigned in both places.

## Application behavior

Scroll down in **Configuration** for update settings, launch on login, and error logging, which helps when you work with support. **Keep recordings for** is also here. It deletes older recordings automatically. See [History](https://superwhisper.com/docs/get-started/history.md#delete-recordings-automatically).

![Superwhisper Application settings showing updates, launch on login, and error logging](https://mintcdn.com/superwhisper/SFDRA4G70egO6eAv/images/screens/mac/configuration-2.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=SFDRA4G70egO6eAv\&q=85\&s=c0a8eee4a431546f70eef18d7f21b334)

## Sound and microphone

Open **Settings → Sound**.

![Superwhisper Sound settings showing sound effects and recording options](https://mintcdn.com/superwhisper/SFDRA4G70egO6eAv/images/screens/mac/sound.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=SFDRA4G70egO6eAv\&q=85\&s=69536dc1947bce925f66ebac9cbe5158)

* **Sound effects**: the sounds that play when recording starts and stops. Choose **Simple**, **Classic**, or **Off**, and set their **Volume**. Click a speaker icon to preview a sound
* **Sound while recording**: what happens to your music and videos while you dictate. See below
* **Automatically increase microphone volume**: sets your microphone input to full volume when a recording starts. It works only when you use the system default device

**Silence removal** moved to [advanced settings](https://superwhisper.com/docs/get-started/settings-advanced.md#audio-processing).

To pick a microphone, click the **microphone button** at the top right of the **Home**, **Configuration**, and **Sound** pages. Leave it on **Use system default** to follow macOS. You can also switch input from the [menu bar icon](https://superwhisper.com/docs/get-started/interface-menu-bar.md).

![Superwhisper input device selector open from the top-right of the settings window](https://mintcdn.com/superwhisper/do-XBuvOUgvVmZf6/images/screens/mac/input-device-dropdown.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=do-XBuvOUgvVmZf6\&q=85\&s=31978731705ddafb96422f794ae2715a)

### Sound while recording

| Option | What happens to your audio |
| - | - |
| **Keep Playing** | Keeps playing at full volume |
| **Pause** | Pauses, then resumes when you stop |
| **Mute** | Goes silent |
| **Lower** | Gets quieter |
| **Muffle** | Keeps the beat and bass under your voice |

This is the default for every mode. It starts on **Pause**. To change it for one mode, set **Sound while recording** in that mode's settings. See [Modes](https://superwhisper.com/docs/modes/modes.md).

**Muffle** needs macOS 14.2 or later and the **System Audio Recording** permission. If the permission is off, Superwhisper uses **Lower** and opens System Settings. Some audio apps, such as FineTune and SoundSource, need a one-click setup first. See [Muffle troubleshooting](https://superwhisper.com/docs/common-issues/microphone-and-system-audio.md#muffle-doesnt-work).

## More settings

> [card] [Advanced settings](https://superwhisper.com/docs/get-started/settings-advanced.md)
>
> App folder location, FileSync, silence removal, clipboard content, and other power-user options.


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