Dictating during a meeting with Notetaker
Last updated: August 6, 2026
Available on: Mac. Notetaker is rolling out gradually.
Need to capture a thought mid-call without stopping the recording? You can dictate while Notetaker records your meeting — the meeting keeps capturing everyone else while your words go where you're typing.
How it works in Flow
Overview
Starting dictation during a recorded meeting temporarily hands your microphone to dictation. The meeting keeps running the whole time.
Key behaviors
The meeting keeps recording: Flow continues capturing system audio and transcribing other participants while you dictate, and a "Dictated" marker appears in the transcript timeline at the start of each dictation window.
Rapid presses are safe: Dictation waits for the microphone handoff to finish rather than being rejected.
Audio gaps and interruptions are handled automatically: The recording session stays open while your mic is paused, Flow reconnects and resumes the meeting on its own if the connection drops, and brief disruptions such as switching to AirPods or connecting a dock are treated as interruptions rather than you leaving the call.
Recordings are protected at the start: Auto-stop won't trigger during the first 90 seconds of a session, so early mic hiccups don't cut a meeting short.
Auto-ended notice with Resume: If Notetaker detects you've left the call and ends the recording, an "auto-ended" notice appears with a Resume option. Dismissing it without resuming won't leave the recording in a stuck state.
Device swaps during dictation are deferred: If you change your Mac's input device while dictation is active, the notetaker switches to the new microphone once dictation ends.
No mid-call mic warnings: Notetaker does not show a "Still there? Notetaker isn't hearing anything" notification during meetings. Mic capture and transcription continue in the background, even if your headset briefly shows no audio activity.
The reverse is blocked: Starting a meeting recording while dictation is running shows a transcription error. Finish dictating first, then start the recording.
Flow bar stop control: During a meeting, the Flow bar's stop control reads "Stop Notetaker." Clicking it ends the meeting recording, the same as stopping via the Notetaker controls.
If your mic doesn't resume after dictating
Occasionally your microphone fails to resume once dictation ends. The meeting keeps recording, but only system audio is captured until the mic reconnects, so your own voice may be missing from that stretch of the transcript.
Note: A "Microphone unavailable — stop and resume the meeting to retry" notice stays on screen until the issue is resolved, then clears on its own.
Stop the meeting recording from the Notetaker controls.
Resume the meeting. The "Microphone unavailable" notice clears once your mic reconnects.
Review that part of the transcript and check for gaps in your own speech.
FAQs
Why did I see a "Still there? Notetaker isn't hearing anything" notification during a meeting?
It previously fired incorrectly during healthy calls — including huddles, Google Meet, and WhatsApp — especially with headset microphones. It has been removed from Notetaker meetings. If you see it now, it comes from dictation outside a Notetaker meeting, which is expected.
Why did my recording auto-end when I was still in the meeting?
Notetaker detected you leaving the call — for example, after an extended audio interruption. Temporary disruptions like switching to AirPods or connecting a dock are now handled more reliably and shouldn't trigger an early stop. If it happens, tap Resume in the "auto-ended" notice to continue the recording from where it left off.
Why did my meeting end with "Connection lost. Recording saved up to here." when I dictated?
Pausing the microphone to dictate could end the recording session unexpectedly. This is fixed: the session stays open during audio gaps, and Flow reconnects automatically if the connection drops. If you still see this message, it points to a genuine transcription service error rather than a dictation-related gap.
Why is my own voice missing from part of the transcript?
Your microphone failed to resume after you finished dictating. Follow the steps in If your mic doesn't resume after dictating above.
What happens if I switch my Mac's input device while dictating?
The notetaker waits until your current dictation finishes, then switches to the new microphone. Expect a brief audio gap in the meeting transcript at the point of the switch.
Limitations and notes
Notetaker is available on Mac only and rolling out gradually.
You cannot start a meeting recording while dictation is already running.
While you dictate, only system audio and other participants are captured in the meeting transcript.
If you change your input device during active dictation, the notetaker switches to the new microphone only after dictation ends.