Install and set up SmartNotes

SmartNotes is distributed from the same download bucket as Cradle. Grab the latest build for your platform from the download page.

System requirements

• macOS 12+ on Apple Silicon for Metal acceleration.
• Windows 10+ or Linux for CPU or Vulkan acceleration.
• A microphone and a screen or window to capture.
• For development: cmake, ffmpeg, and Node 22.

Install

macOS

1. Open the downloaded .dmg.
2. Drag SmartNotes into Applications.
3. On first launch, grant microphone and screen-recording permissions when macOS asks.
4. If Gatekeeper warns about an unsigned build, right-click the app and choose Open.

Windows

1. Run the downloaded .exe installer or extract the portable ZIP.
2. Grant microphone access when Windows asks.
3. Launch SmartNotes from the Start menu or the extracted folder.

Linux

1. Run the AppImage or extract the ZIP.

2. Make the AppImage executable if needed:

   chmod +x Cradle-SmartNotes-*.AppImage
   ./Cradle-SmartNotes-*.AppImage

3. Grant microphone and screen-capture permissions for your desktop environment.

First-run setup

Open Settings and configure three things before your first session:

1. Whisper model. Download base (~142 MB) for a speed/quality balance, or small (~466 MB) for better Russian and noisy audio. The model is stored locally in userData/whisper-models/.
2. Screenshot source. Choose the screen or window SmartNotes should capture.
3. Microphone and output folder. Pick the microphone and the folder where screenshots will be saved.

You are now ready to start a capture session.

Optional: transcription arena

In Settings you can also enable an optional OpenAI transcription provider (gpt-4o-transcribe). When both whisper.cpp and OpenAI are enabled, SmartNotes shows two transcript columns side by side so you can pick the better one. OpenAI requires an API key and an internet connection; whisper.cpp remains fully local.