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How to transcribe meetings offline on Windows

You can record a meeting on a Windows PC and transcribe it without sending the audio anywhere. Speech models such as Whisper run locally, so nothing has to be uploaded and no bot has to join the call. The real work is not the transcription: it is capturing both sides of a call and labeling who said what.

The short answer

• Recording, transcription and meeting notes can all run on your own PC.
• For an in-person meeting, a microphone is enough. For a video call you also need the system audio, so you hear the other side.
• There are four ways to do it, from free and manual to a packaged app. The right one depends on how much setup you accept.

What "offline" can and cannot mean

Offline rarely means "never touches the internet". It usually means the audio and the transcript stay on your computer. Two things can still need a connection: downloading a speech or language model the first time you pick one, and license checks in paid apps. Look for both on each tool's own page.

In AirGapScribe, the Whisper Small model ships with the app, so there is nothing to download to start. A Pro license is validated online from time to time, and a valid license keeps working up to 14 days without a connection.

Four ways to do it on Windows

1. Whisper by hand. Free and the most flexible: you run the model from the command line on an audio file. You record the meeting with another tool first, there is no live capture, and speaker labels are not included out of the box. Expect setup time.
2. A file transcriber with a window. Easier than the command line, but built for files you already have. Recording both sides of a call is a separate step.
3. An open-source meeting recorder. Meetily is one: its Community edition is open source under the MIT license and runs on Windows and macOS. According to its own site (checked 11 October 2026), summaries use a local model or your own API key, and some features, such as speaker identification, are in its paid plan. See the full comparison.
4. A packaged Windows app. AirGapScribe installs from the Microsoft Store, records microphone and system audio, transcribes locally and separates speakers as Speaker 1, Speaker 2. The Whisper Small model and, with Pro, the assistant model ship with the app. The free plan covers sessions up to 45 minutes. Pro is $5.99 per month or $49 per year and adds unlimited sessions and a local assistant that drafts minutes, a summary, tasks and a follow-up email.

Capturing both sides of a call

For a video call, record the microphone and the system audio together. If you use speakers, your microphone can pick up the other side and the transcript may attribute some of their sentences to you. Headphones fix most of it. In AirGapScribe, if you do not need the other participants, you can switch to microphone only.

For an in-person meeting or a deposition, microphone only is the right mode.

Check that nothing leaves the PC

Do not take any tool's word for it, including ours. Three ways to check on your own machine:

• Resource Monitor. Press Win + R, type resmon, open the Network tab and look at the TCP connections of the app while you record. You should see no remote addresses.
• PowerShell. List the app's connections and filter out localhost. If it finds none, there are no remote TCP connections at that moment. Repeat it a few times during a recording.
• Airplane mode. After installing the app and the models you use, turn on airplane mode and record a short meeting.

Our page Verify it yourself lists what AirGapScribe connects to (a Pro license check, model downloads you choose, Microsoft Store updates) and the exact PowerShell command. On 10 October 2026 we measured the Store build 1.2.72 on Windows 11, idle, and saw zero remote TCP connections. That test was idle and TCP only, so repeat it while recording.

Honest limits

• AirGapScribe runs on Windows 10 and 11 only. There is no Mac, Linux or mobile version.
• Transcripts can contain errors, especially with overlapping speakers, accents or poor audio. Review anything you will rely on.
• Editing text, renaming speakers and the AI assistant are Pro features. On the free plan you can listen back to each meeting.
• It is made by one developer, so expect rough edges and write to support@airgapscribe.com if something fails.
• Local processing reduces what leaves your computer. It does not by itself make you compliant with your industry's rules. Check them.

Questions

Does it need internet?

Not to record or transcribe once the app and the models you use are installed. A Pro license is re-validated online from time to time and keeps working up to 14 days without a connection.

Does a bot join my call?

No. AirGapScribe captures the audio on your PC, so nobody else appears in the meeting.

Which languages does it transcribe?

Spanish, English, or automatic detection.

How long can I record on the free plan?

Sessions of up to 45 minutes. Pro removes that limit.