Reset and restart the Wispr Flow app

Last updated: September 19, 2026

Available on: Reset & restart is a Mac and Windows feature. On iOS and Android, use the restart or reinstall options below.

If Flow won't respond, reports storage errors, or stops saving history, try a normal restart before a support-directed reset.

Warning: Finish any recording before restarting. On Mac, Windows and iOS, local transcripts do not sync between devices and may not return after a reset or reinstall. Desktop history is not restored from your account. Account-synced data can return after sign-in, but do not assume every local record has a cloud copy.

Quick checks

  • Restart: Quit and relaunch Flow completely, then dictate a short test phrase.

  • Update (desktop): Select Check for updates... from the Mac menu-bar or Windows tray menu. When an administrator sets a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly update schedule, the menu shows a disabled Next update check: {date} until the next scheduled check.

  • Check other apps: If all apps are slow, restart your device. If only Flow has the problem, continue below.

For microphone, network or paste failures, use microphone troubleshooting or text insertion troubleshooting before resetting.

On Mac, another app can enable Secure Keyboard Entry; resetting Flow does not clear that other app's mode.

A normal desktop quit normally saves interrupted dictation audio; use Recover in History if offered after reopening. Force-quitting or crashing can lose unfinished dictations, which do not resume. After a meeting-recording crash, Flow recovers surviving audio on launch, excluding deleted or demo recordings. An organization's never-store policy leaves no local desktop dictation history or dictation audio to recover.

Choose the right response to a desktop error

Storage notifications offer Restart Flow and Contact us. Restart promptly: dictionary words may not apply and new history may not save until recovery.

Warning: Storage notifications do not themselves delete data. Restarting after confirmed corruption can delete local data and restart Flow again. Cloud-sync software or file permissions can make local storage read-only. Flow first tries to fix this; if startup still fails because storage is read-only, it can delete local data without asking. Other startup failures leave it intact.

Flow hit a snag replaces the Hub; Flow is having trouble starting appears after automatic startup attempts fail.

Message or symptom

Next step

Local database corruption

Choose Restart Flow.

There was an error

Choose Restart Flow.

Storage Full

Free disk space, then restart; resetting is not a substitute for available storage.

Flow hit a snag

Your data is safe; try again before selecting Restart Flow or Contact support.

Flow is having trouble starting

Choose Restart Flow or Contact us.

Retry a short dictation after each action; contact support if the same error returns.

Reset the desktop app

Warning: The confirmation says: “Deletes local data, but your dictionary, stats, and settings stay saved and re-sync on restart. Reset only if advised by Flow support.” Cloud-stored notes and meetings also download again after restarting.

The Reset app row's Learn more link opens reset guidance.

  1. Open Wispr Flow.

  2. Open Settings → System in the sidebar's SETTINGS section.

  3. Scroll to Data at the bottom of the page.

  4. Select Reset & restart in the Reset app row to open Reset and restart?.

  5. Select Reset & restart to confirm, or Cancel to keep your local data.

  6. Sign in if prompted and try a short dictation.

A completed reset automatically restarts Flow and opens the Hub. Some local files can remain despite a restart; if the reset fails, Flow does not relaunch.

Data & Privacy is a different Settings page; it does not contain Reset & restart. If the problem continues, restart the computer before reinstalling Flow.

Restart or reinstall on mobile

iOS

iOS has no Reset & restart control. Force-close only if Flow is unresponsive.

Warning: Signing out or reinstalling deletes local Flow data. Startup storage recovery can also delete transcripts, notes, and personal or team dictionaries without asking—even if Flow opens normally. Repeated storage failures can leave Flow unable to save anything between launches, without an obvious warning; closing it loses that session's data, and reopening cannot restore it. Contact support before discarding local data you need.

  1. Update Flow from the App Store.

  2. Force-close it from the app switcher, reopen it and test.

  3. Delete and reinstall Flow from the App Store if the problem persists, then sign in.

Transcript auto-delete removes transcripts from before today; your organization can enforce it. If a network failure prevents Flow from loading organization rules at launch, privacy mode turns on, Cloud Sync turns off, and transcript auto-delete turns on; these controls stay locked until loading succeeds.

Notes sync independently of Cloud Sync: unrestricted accounts sync notes; restricted accounts keep notes local unless note syncing is available for their account.

Android

Flow checks accessibility after rebooting or updating; screen-unlock recovery requires sign-in and accessibility enabled.

Situation

Action

Missing permissions

Tap Go to Settings to restore Display over other apps or accessibility.

Flow isn't responding

Use Restart Flow if accessibility is granted but unresponsive; re-granting permission is unnecessary.

Flow Bubble Disabled

With permissions granted, tap Turn Back On; the bubble returns in a text box.

Keep Wispr Flow running

Tap Allow to remove battery restrictions.

Restart Flow can take about 60 seconds to appear after an unresponsive startup. For “Flow Bubble is reconnecting. Dictation paused.”, wait; it is not tappable and resolves with “Flow Bubble reconnected.”

  1. Update Flow from Google Play.

  2. Open Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Force stop, then reopen Flow and test.

  3. Check battery, autostart and background-running settings if Flow stops after rebooting or time in the background.

  4. Uninstall and reinstall from Google Play if it still fails, then sign in.

Follow Android setup for manufacturer-specific settings and accessibility recovery for permission recovery.

Still need help?

Contact support if a reset does not relaunch Flow, an error returns after restarting, or history keeps disappearing. Include your platform, device, OS and Flow versions, exact symptom, and whether you tried restarting, resetting or reinstalling. Mention if it began immediately after an update.