Reset and restart the Wispr Flow app

Mac / Windows

A reset clears Flow's local data. Your dictionary, stats, and settings stay saved to your account and re-sync when Flow restarts.

1. Open the Wispr Flow desktop app.

2. Go to Settings → System (General section of the sidebar), then scroll to Data.

3. Click Reset & restart in the Reset app row, then confirm in the dialog.

4. Quit Flow completely, then reopen it from your Applications folder or Dock (Mac), or Start menu or desktop shortcut (Windows).

5. Dictate a short phrase. If text appears correctly, the reset worked.

iOS

Reset & restart is only available in the desktop app. On iOS, restart or reinstall instead.

1. Update Wispr Flow from the App Store.

2. Force close Wispr Flow from the app switcher.

3. Reopen the app and dictate a test phrase. If text appears, you're done.

4. Delete and reinstall Wispr Flow from the App Store if the issue continues, then sign in to sync your data.

Android

Reset & restart is only available in the desktop app. On Android, restart or reinstall instead.

1. Update Wispr Flow from the Play Store.

2. Open Settings → Apps, find Wispr Flow, and tap Force stop.

3. Reopen the app and dictate a test phrase. If text appears, you're done.

4. Set Wispr Flow to "Unrestricted" or "No restrictions" if problems continue, using your manufacturer's path:

   1. Samsung: Settings → Apps → Battery → Unrestricted, add Flow to "Never sleeping apps," and disable "Put unused apps to sleep."

   2. Xiaomi (also Redmi and POCO): Settings → Apps → Battery saver → No restrictions. Also enable Autostart (Settings → Apps → Manage apps → Wispr Flow → Autostart) and lock Wispr Flow in Recent Apps.

   3. Huawei (also Honor): App launch → Manage manually, enable all three toggles, and set Settings → Apps → Special access → Battery optimization to "Don't allow."

   4. Google Pixel: No extra setup needed.

5. Uninstall and reinstall Wispr Flow from the Play Store if problems still continue, then sign in to sync your data.

If Flow's accessibility permission is off, Android shows a "Wispr Flow needs attention" notification. Grant accessibility permission in Settings and Flow reconnects automatically — no app restart needed. Flow guides you through the toggle over the system Accessibility Settings screen; on Android 8.0 or older, it opens Accessibility Settings directly. For microphone, notification, and battery permissions, Flow returns to the foreground once you grant. On Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, and Samsung devices, aggressive battery managers can prevent Android from reconnecting the accessibility service after a reboot.

If accessibility permission is on but the service becomes unresponsive, Flow shows a "Flow isn't responding" notification with a "Tap to restart Wispr Flow." action, plus a Restart Flow action on the bubble. You do not need to re-grant permission.

Where is the Reset & restart option?

Only in the desktop app, under Settings → System → Data, in the Reset app row. See How to reset and restart above.

Flow still feels slow after a reset

Fully quit and relaunch Flow once more, then restart your computer to clear system-level issues. If the problem continues, uninstall and reinstall Flow.

Features or shortcuts are still broken after reset

Confirm you're on the latest version of Wispr Flow. If the issue started right after an update, mention that when you contact support.

I was signed out after resetting

Sign-outs happen for reasons unrelated to the reset, such as an expired session; a "You have been signed out — Open the app and sign in to use Flow" notification (no buttons) may appear. Sign back in and your dictionary, settings, and stats re-sync automatically. If sign-in itself fails, a "Failed to sign in" notification offers a Contact us button.

Will restarting Flow lose my in-progress dictation?

Quitting or restarting Flow manually on desktop saves the recorded audio during shutdown. If you force-quit or the app crashes, in-progress audio is lost.

Flow restarted on its own after a crash — is that normal?

Flow never relaunches without your input. When it detects a problem with its local storage, it shows a notification with a Restart Flow button that you click to relaunch and recover. If the problem persists, use Reset & restart.

Can a recoverable error wipe my local history?

No. Recoverable errors preserve your transcripts, notes, and dictionary.

What does the "Local database corruption" notification mean?

On Mac and Windows, some of your local data is corrupted — for example after a disk issue or a cloud service syncing Flow's data folder. Click Restart Flow so Flow can recover. If it keeps appearing, use Reset & restart or click Contact us.

What does the "There was an error" notification mean?

This generic database error appears on Mac and Windows at startup when Flow can't load its local storage cleanly, such as when the dictionary can't be loaded. Flow stays running, but custom dictionary words may not be applied and history may not save until you restart. Click Restart Flow, or use Reset & restart or Contact us if it keeps appearing.

What does the "Storage Full" notification mean?

On Mac and Windows, your computer is low on disk space. Free up space and click Restart Flow, or click Contact us if the problem persists.

What does the "Flow hit a snag" error screen mean?

Flow hit an unexpected crash. Your data is safe. Click Restart Flow, or Contact support to open a pre-addressed email to support@wisprflow.ai. On Android, tap Restart Flow or reopen the app manually.

What do the "Restart Flow" startup notifications mean?

Repeated startup failures show a persistent "Flow is having trouble starting" notification; temporary loading issues show a briefer "Flow is having trouble loading" notification. Click Restart Flow to recover, or Contact us if it keeps appearing.

My settings, voice profile, or notification preferences look out of date (Mac / Windows)

Flow can't save its settings file to disk — your disk is full, or antivirus software, a cloud-sync service, or file permissions are blocking writes. Flow keeps running normally. Free up disk space, check that no security software or cloud-sync service is locking Flow's data folder, and verify Flow has write permission to its application data location. Settings save once write access is restored.

Why do I see repeated update failure notifications?

Flow retries failed updates a few times, then pauses auto-updates before retrying later. Updates are also held back while you're actively using Flow. The desktop "There was an error updating Flow" notification can reappear on each failed attempt, with Restart Flow and Contact us buttons. If updates keep failing, re-download Flow from wisprflow.ai.

Will Flow restart automatically to apply an update while I'm using it?

On Mac and Windows, if you have a Flow window open (hub, notepad, or scratchpad) and have used your keyboard or mouse recently, the update is held back and applied the next time you step away. Active dictation and in-progress meeting recordings also block updates.

After extended activity, Flow shows an Update ready dialog with Later (defer until you're away) or Restart now (apply immediately). Restart now checks that no recording is in progress first, so a meeting is never cut off silently.

What other desktop notifications might I see?

On Mac and Windows you may also see:

• "Unable to access mic" — Flow can't reach your microphone. Click Restart App to relaunch.

• "Audio system failed to load — Please restart Flow to continue using dictation" — Click Restart Flow, or Contact us if it keeps appearing.

• "Something's not right — Transcript failed to load. You can always recover it from History." — Click Retry or Open History to recover your transcript.

• "Just a moment — Flow is getting ready..." — Transient; clears on its own.

• "Is your internet connected? Your audio will be saved for retry if the transcription fails." — Clears on the next dictation.

Why do I see a notification while Flow is running on Android?

Android requires a persistent notification while Flow runs in the background. It goes away when you close the app.

I see "No internet. Try again later." when tapping the bubble (Android)

Flow requires an internet connection to transcribe. Connect to the internet and try again; if connectivity issues continue, close and reopen Flow.

Dictated text couldn't be pasted (Android)

Flow copies the text to your clipboard and shows an error state on the Flow Bubble with a Paste button. Tap Paste to insert it, or paste manually anywhere.

Transcription failed on Android — is my audio lost?

No. Flow shows a "Failed to transcribe. Saved in the app." toast, keeps your audio, and lets you tap Retry. If there is nothing to copy, Flow shows a "Nothing to copy" toast.

Why did my Android dictation session end?

Each Android dictation session is capped at 5 minutes. At 4 minutes Flow warns "1 minute left before you reach the 5-minute limit," then shows "Session ended, 5-minute limit reached" and a "Session ended" notification. Start a new session to continue.

Why can't I retry a transcript right now?

Retrying or pasting the last transcript during an active dictation shows a "Cannot retry while dictating." error toast. Finish or cancel the dictation first.

What does the "No audio" error screen mean? (iOS)

Recording failed during dictation. Tap Retry to record again, or Dismiss to close. iOS also shows "Audio Engine Error," "Audio input is busy," and "Audio was silent" messages for related audio issues. If the issue persists, force close and reopen the app.

What happens if my iOS dictation is interrupted?

If a dictation is interrupted (for example by a phone call or Siri), reaches the time limit, or fails with no place to paste, iOS sends a notification — "Your dictation was interrupted," "Your dictation reached the time limit," or "Your <length> dictation is saved." Tapping it opens the app and copies or retries that transcript. These notifications require notifications allowed for Wispr Flow. iOS transcripts are stored locally and do not sync across devices.

What is limited launch mode on iOS?

If the app can't load its storage after repeated recovery attempts, it opens in a limited mode. Nothing is saved between launches, and notes saved offline but not yet synced could be lost.