The shared-note link modal: download, open, access, and Ask anything states

Last updated: September 4, 2026

Available on: Any web browser (notes.wisprflow.ai), desktop and mobile. The Ask Anything bar and the floating account chip are desktop-width only; the "Open in Wispr Flow" pill appears where the app can be opened.

Opening a shared Wispr Flow note link shows a prompt before the note: download the app, open it in the app, or switch accounts. Here's what each prompt does and what to expect.

Modal states

Which state you see depends on whether the app is installed, whether you're signed in, and whether your account has access to the note.

"[Name] shared a note with you" / "This note was shared with you" — download prompt

Appears when Wispr Flow isn't installed, and offers a download so you can open the note in the app. A known sender is named (e.g., "Alex shared a note with you"); an unknown sender, or a note you own, shows "This note was shared with you."

"Open in Wispr Flow?" — app launch prompt

Appears when Wispr Flow is installed and the browser needs confirmation before handing off to the app. Check Always open in Wispr Flow to open future shared-note links directly without asking. The modal also offers Try again, a dismiss option with a "don't show again" preference, and a download link. The pill and auto-open behavior depend on your device type, not window size.

"You don't have access to this note" — access denied

Appears when you're signed in but your account lacks permission to view the note. It offers a Switch account button and asks you to contact the owner ("Ask Alex to share it with you." or "Ask the note owner to share it with you." when the owner isn't known). See Limitations and notes for dismissal behavior.

"Ask anything about this note" — in-note assistant

Ask questions about the contents of the shared note. Open it from the "Ask anything about this meeting" bar at the bottom of the page (desktop only), or with the ?modal=ask-anything deep link.

What a shared note shows

If you aren't the owner, a shared note shows the AI-generated summary only. The owner's raw notes and action items are never included; action items stay in the desktop app. A transcript tab appears only if transcript access is enabled for that note.

The Ask Anything teaser bar

The bar appears once the note has fully loaded and no sign-in gate applies. It is hidden while the page is loading, while a sign-in prompt is shown, for stale notes, and on mobile-sized screens — use a desktop browser to reach it. Click it or press Enter or Space to open the Ask Anything modal. Nothing is sent and no answer is generated until you interact inside the modal.

Signing in to view a shared note

Sign-in is optional for notes shared as "anyone with the link" — anonymous visitors can read them without an account. The sign-in screen appears only for invite-only or domain-restricted notes. Signing in unlocks a note if you are the owner, an invited recipient, or a member of the owner's enterprise email domain. An expired session is treated as signed out: you see the anonymous view, not an error. Signed-out visitors also see a sticky Download Wispr Flow banner at the top of the page.

An account chip in the page header (floating beside the note on wide screens) lets you sign in, switch accounts, or sign out.

Deep links

Append a ?modal= parameter to a notes.wisprflow.ai URL to open a specific modal state directly. The key can also be written as state=, noteState=, or modalState=.

Parameter value	What it opens
`?modal=open-in-wispr`	App launch prompt ("Open in Wispr Flow?")
`?modal=open-in-wispr-flow`	Same as above (alias)
`?modal=download-wispr`	Download prompt; add `&sharedBy=Name` to show the sender's name
`?modal=download-wispr-flow`	Same as above (alias)
`?modal=ask-anything`	"Ask anything about this note" modal

FAQs

I don't have access to a note. How do I get it?

Ask the note owner to share it. If another Wispr Flow account of yours may already have access, use Switch account in the access-denied modal.

The modal won't close when I press Escape or click outside it. Is that expected?

Yes. The access-denied modal is non-dismissible so you have a clear path to switch accounts or contact the owner. Use your browser's Back button to leave.

The modal shows "This note was shared with you" instead of the sender's name. Why?

The sender's identity isn't included in the link, or you own the note. The note content is unaffected.

I see "Switch account" instead of "Sign in." What does that mean?

You're signed in, but this account doesn't have access. Switch to another Wispr Flow account that may have permission.

I set "Always open in Wispr Flow" but want to undo it. How?

The preference is stored in your browser. Clear site data for notes.wisprflow.ai, or manage the site's app-launch permission in your browser settings.

I get a "note not found" page — does the note exist?

An unknown link and a note you can't view return the same 404, so the page never reveals whether a private note exists. Ask the sender to re-share the link or grant you access.

Limitations and notes

There is no in-app access request — ask the note owner directly, or use Switch account to sign in with an account that may already have access.
The access-denied modal has no close button and ignores Escape and overlay clicks; browser Back still leaves the page. It appears only when a signed-in user opens a note they can't view.
The access-denied modal is deliberately not URL-addressable, so no-access, locked, access-denied, and request-access open nothing — a direct link would trap people who could otherwise read the note.
The Ask Anything teaser bar shows for all desktop readers, including the note owner.