# Contextli Help Center > Answers for dictating anywhere with Contextli on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and Chrome. Official help articles for Contextli. Each article is also available as markdown at the same URL with `.md` appended. Full text of every article: https://help.contextli.com/llms-full.txt ## Getting started Install Contextli, set up your microphone and hotkey, and dictate your first message. - [Install Contextli on your Mac](https://help.contextli.com/articles/install-contextli-on-mac): Download the Mac build for your chip from contextli.com/download, drag Contextli into Applications, open it and sign in with Google or an email code. - [Install Contextli on Windows or Linux](https://help.contextli.com/articles/install-contextli-on-windows-or-linux): Download the Windows installer or the Linux AppImage from contextli.com/download, run it, then sign in with Google or a 6-digit email code. - [Dictate your first message](https://help.contextli.com/articles/dictate-your-first-message): Click into any text field, press Option+Space on Mac or Ctrl+Space on Windows and Linux, speak, then press the hotkey again. Your text is pasted at the cursor. - [Grant microphone and Accessibility permissions on Mac](https://help.contextli.com/articles/grant-microphone-and-accessibility-permissions-on-mac): Contextli needs Microphone access to hear you and Accessibility access to paste text. Turn both on for Contextli in System Settings > Privacy & Security. ## Dictation and hotkeys Record with Toggle or Hold, change hotkeys, use the contexts bar and go hands-free. - [Change your recording hotkey](https://help.contextli.com/articles/change-your-recording-hotkey): Open Settings > General, click the shortcut next to Keyboard Shortcut, then press the new key combination. Press Escape to cancel. - [Choose Toggle or Hold to record](https://help.contextli.com/articles/toggle-vs-hold-to-record): Toggle Recording starts on one press and stops on the next. Hold to Record records only while you hold the hotkey. Switch in Settings > General > Recording Mode. - [Default keyboard shortcuts on Mac, Windows and Linux](https://help.contextli.com/articles/default-keyboard-shortcuts): The default recording hotkey is Option+Space on Mac and Ctrl+Space on Windows and Linux. Here are all default Contextli shortcuts per platform. - [Use the contexts bar and Quick Mic button](https://help.contextli.com/articles/use-the-contexts-bar-and-quick-mic): The contexts bar and Quick Mic let you start dictating with a click instead of a hotkey. Turn them on, off or restyle them in Settings > Widgets. - [Dictate hands-free with a mouse button, trackpad or Siri](https://help.contextli.com/articles/dictate-hands-free-with-a-mouse-button-or-siri): Map a mouse button, foot pedal or trackpad gesture to your Contextli hotkey, or on Mac turn on Siri Dictation to start Contextli by voice. - [Change the language you dictate in](https://help.contextli.com/articles/change-the-transcription-language): Open Settings > General and choose the language you will speak under Transcription Language. Contextli does not auto-detect the language. ## Contexts and formatting Turn your words into emails, Slack messages and more with built-in and custom contexts. - [What are contexts?](https://help.contextli.com/articles/what-are-contexts): A context is a saved set of AI instructions with its own hotkey: press it in any app, speak, and Contextli pastes your words in that format. - [Turn Polished Transcription on or off](https://help.contextli.com/articles/turn-on-polished-transcription): Use the toggle on the Default Transcription card on the Contexts page. On, AI fixes grammar and punctuation; off, you get the raw transcript. - [Turn on built-in contexts like Email and Slack](https://help.contextli.com/articles/enable-built-in-contexts): Open the Dashboard and switch on the context under Your Contexts. It then appears under Selected Contexts and works with its own hotkey. - [Create a custom context](https://help.contextli.com/articles/create-a-custom-context): On the Contexts page click Add New Context, give it a name, a global hotkey and instructions, then click Save context. - [Pick a context automatically based on the app you are in](https://help.contextli.com/articles/auto-activate-a-context-by-app): Turn on Auto-activate context in a supported context's Advanced settings. Then your main hotkey uses that context when a matching app is in focus. - [Give the AI screen context with screenshot capture](https://help.contextli.com/articles/use-screen-context-with-screenshot-capture): Turn on Capture screenshot in a context's Advanced settings. Contextli then sends what is on your screen with your words so the AI can reply in context. - [Share, import and push contexts to Spaces](https://help.contextli.com/articles/share-and-import-contexts): Share a context as a .contextli file from its card menu, import one with Import on the Contexts page, or add it to a Space so your whole team can use it. ## Notes, dictionary and sync Find past dictations, teach Contextli your words, and sync across devices. - [Find, copy and retranscribe your notes](https://help.contextli.com/articles/find-and-manage-your-notes): Every dictation is saved on the Notes page. Search it, open a note to copy or edit it, or click Retranscribe to process the audio again. - [Organize notes with labels](https://help.contextli.com/articles/organize-notes-with-labels): Open a note and type in the Add label field to tag it. Then use the Labels filter on the Notes page to see every note with that label. - [Add text replacements (shortcuts) to the dictionary](https://help.contextli.com/articles/add-text-replacements): Open Dictionary, stay on Text replacements and click Add Shortcut. Say the phrase and Contextli swaps it for your full text, like a link or email. - [Improve accuracy for names and technical terms](https://help.contextli.com/articles/improve-accuracy-for-names-and-terms): Add names, brands and jargon to Dictionary > Vocabulary with Add Term, set the right Transcription Language, and use a good, specific microphone. - [Sync notes and contexts across your devices](https://help.contextli.com/articles/set-up-cloud-sync): Open Settings > Cloud Sync, name the device and click Enable Cloud Sync. Do the same on each device to share notes, contexts and dictionary items. ## Mobile apps and Chrome extension Use Contextli on iPhone, Android and in your browser. - [Get Contextli on iPhone and Android](https://help.contextli.com/articles/get-contextli-on-iphone-and-android): Install Contextli from the App Store or Google Play, sign in with the same account you use on your computer, and add the Contextli keyboard to dictate in any app. - [Dictate in your browser with the Chrome extension](https://help.contextli.com/articles/use-the-contextli-chrome-extension): Install the Contextli Chrome extension, sign in, allow the microphone, then click the Contextli mic next to a text box on ChatGPT, Claude, Gmail and other sites. - [Manage or cancel a subscription bought in the App Store](https://help.contextli.com/articles/manage-an-app-store-subscription): A subscription bought in the iPhone app is billed by Apple, so you change or cancel it in your Apple ID Subscriptions, not in Contextli. ## Integrations Connect your notes to Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity and code editors. - [Use your notes in Claude, ChatGPT and Perplexity](https://help.contextli.com/articles/connect-contextli-to-claude-chatgpt-and-perplexity): Add the Contextli connector (https://mcp.contextli.com/mcp) in Claude, ChatGPT or Perplexity, sign in with your email code, then ask the AI about your notes. - [Connect Contextli to Claude Code, Cursor or VS Code](https://help.contextli.com/articles/connect-contextli-to-claude-code-cursor-and-vs-code): Add https://mcp.contextli.com/mcp as an MCP server in Claude Code, Cursor or VS Code, then sign in with your Contextli email and 6-digit code. ## Account and billing Plans, credits, trials, lifetime codes, invoices and cancelling. - [How credits work](https://help.contextli.com/articles/how-credits-work): One credit covers 36 seconds of spoken audio. Only real speech counts, failed or empty recordings are free, and credits reset each billing period. - [Start a free trial and choose a plan](https://help.contextli.com/articles/start-a-free-trial-and-choose-a-plan): Your first paid plan starts with a 7-day free trial (one per account). You add a card at checkout and are only charged when the trial ends. - [Change plan, update your card or download invoices](https://help.contextli.com/articles/manage-your-subscription-and-invoices): Open Settings > Account > Manage billing in the app, or request a secure link at contextli.com/manage, to switch plans, update your card or get invoices. - [Cancel your subscription](https://help.contextli.com/articles/cancel-your-subscription): Go to Settings > Account > Manage billing and click Cancel Subscription. Future charges stop and you keep access until the end of your paid period. - [Redeem a lifetime deal or AppSumo code](https://help.contextli.com/articles/redeem-a-lifetime-deal-code): On contextli.com/pricing open the Lifetime tab, click Claim Lifetime on your tier, enter your email, then add your code under Add promotion code at checkout. - [Refund policy](https://help.contextli.com/articles/refund-policy): We offer a 14-day refund period for purchases that do not meet your expectations. After 14 days, fees are not refundable. Email support@contextli.com. - [Invite friends and earn credits](https://help.contextli.com/articles/invite-friends-and-earn-credits): Click Invite & Earn in the app, share your referral link, and you and each friend who signs up with it both get 200 credits. There is no limit. - [Change your username or account email](https://help.contextli.com/articles/change-your-email-or-username): Change your username in Settings > Account > Username > Change. Your account email cannot be changed in the app: email support@contextli.com to change it. ## Privacy and security Where your audio and text go, processing modes, and deleting your data. - [What happens to my audio and text?](https://help.contextli.com/articles/what-data-does-contextli-see): With Contextli Cloud, audio is processed on our servers and then deleted. Your notes stay on your computer unless you turn on Cloud Sync. - [Choose Cloud, your own API keys or on-device processing](https://help.contextli.com/articles/choose-cloud-api-keys-or-on-device-processing): In Settings > Data Control, pick Contextli Cloud, Your API Keys or Your Device, separately for Transcription and for AI Processing. - [Delete your account and data](https://help.contextli.com/articles/delete-your-account-and-data): Go to Settings > Account > Delete Account, type delete my account and click Delete permanently. Cancel any subscription first. ## Troubleshooting Fix hotkey, paste, microphone and update problems, or contact support. - [The hotkey does nothing when I press it](https://help.contextli.com/articles/hotkey-does-nothing): Check that Contextli is running and signed in, that you press the hotkey shown in Settings > General, and that no other app uses the same keys. - [Text is not pasted where my cursor is](https://help.contextli.com/articles/text-is-not-pasted-at-my-cursor): Your text is always copied and saved in Notes, so press Cmd+V or Ctrl+V. To fix auto-paste, check Auto-Paste in Settings and, on Mac, Accessibility access. - ["No sound from your microphone" or empty notes](https://help.contextli.com/articles/no-sound-from-your-microphone): Contextli is listening to a microphone that sends no sound. Pick the mic you talk into in Settings > General > Microphone and check mic permission. - [Dictation is slow or cuts off my first words](https://help.contextli.com/articles/dictation-is-slow-or-cuts-off-the-start): Pick your specific microphone in Settings, wait for the start sound before speaking, and turn off Polished Transcription if you want raw text faster. - [Update Contextli to the latest version](https://help.contextli.com/articles/update-contextli): Contextli updates itself in the background. To update now, open Settings > General > App Updates, click Check now, then Install & Restart. - [My settings reset after a Windows update](https://help.contextli.com/articles/settings-reset-after-windows-update): An older Windows update could reset Contextli to defaults. It is fixed from version 1.6.17. Finish setup, set your hotkey and mic again, then update. - [I was signed out of Contextli](https://help.contextli.com/articles/signed-out-unexpectedly): Click Sign in and use the same Google account or email code as before. Your notes and settings stay on your computer while you are signed out. - [Contact Contextli support](https://help.contextli.com/articles/contact-support): Email support@contextli.com, or in the app click Help > Talk to support. Include your app version, your system and a screenshot or log file.