Frequently asked questions
AI Actions, privacy, billing, and the macOS specifics. Still stuck? Email support →
AI Actions
What are AI Actions?
Re-runnable text transformations on top of any transcript. Pick the Action, get the output. Don't like the result? Re-run it. Change your mind tomorrow? Re-run it then — the recording stays.
Three ship with Quilin: Basic, Polish, Translate. You can also write your own. Full walkthrough lives in the AI Actions guide under Resources → Guides.
What are the three defaults — Basic, Polish, Translate?
- Basic — cleans the raw transcript (punctuation, capitalization, drops the "um"s). The lightest possible polish.
- Polish — full rewrite to a chosen tone: Slack-casual, email-formal, document-precise. The transcript becomes the draft.
- Translate — target-language picker, formatting preserved. Same recording, second language, ready to send.
We picked the model and prompt for each one so they Just Work — no knobs.
Can I write my own Actions?
Yes. Name it, write the system prompt, pick the model (or stay on the default). Custom Actions are stored on your Mac; sync is opt-in.
Use them the same way as the defaults: auto on streaming, on-demand on recordings, standalone on any selected text anywhere on macOS.
Where do AI Actions run, and what's local vs. cloud?
Three places they fire:
- Auto-applied on streaming — one Action of your choice (Basic by default) lands at your cursor with the transcript.
- On-demand on recordings — hit any Action button on a saved recording. Re-run a different one tomorrow.
- Standalone on selected text — select anywhere on macOS, hit the shortcut, the selection is replaced.
The three default Actions run on-device by default. Custom Actions can opt into cloud providers (bring your own key, or use the paid tier). You choose, per Action, which way each one runs.
Privacy & data
Where does my audio go?
It depends which transcription you picked.
- Local — runs entirely on your Mac. Audio never leaves the device.
- Cloud — streams audio to our managed pipeline. Pipeline returns text and discards the audio.
Either way, we never store your audio on Quilin servers. See our privacy policy for the full data flow.
Does Quilin work offline?
Partially. Local transcription itself runs on your Mac with no network.
But the daily dictation quota is enforced server-side and resets at your local midnight, so persistent offline use isn't fully supported. For typical days you won't notice; for long disconnected trips, plan accordingly.
AI Actions always require connectivity.
Does Quilin train AI on my recordings?
No. Quilin does not train models on your data, and our managed cloud pipeline is configured for no-training.
Local transcription never leaves your Mac, so the question doesn't apply there.
How do I delete my account and data?
Email support@quilin.ai from your account email. Within 30 days we delete:
- Your account
- Billing record
- Any cached cloud logs
Local recordings live on your Mac — drag them to the trash anytime. Cloud-side we hold no recording data, only ephemeral request logs (auto-purged after 14 days).
Pricing & features
What's included in the free tier vs. Pro?
- Trial (first 14 days): every Pro feature, no limits.
- Free after trial: 10 minutes of dictation per day, local + cloud combined. AI Actions become Pro-only.
- Pro: no daily cap. AI Actions stay on.
See pricing for the details.
Local vs. cloud transcription — and is local unlimited?
- Local — runs entirely on your Mac. Fast, private, audio stays on device.
- Cloud — streams audio to our managed pipeline. Higher accuracy on mixed EN/ZH and noisy environments.
Both count against the same daily quota — local isn't a free unlimited path. We chose this so the tier stays simple and isn't gameable by mode-switching.
Are AI Actions configurable? Can I use my own API key?
No on both. AI Actions are a managed, built-in Pro feature:
- No API key
- No configuration
- Not available on the free quota
We picked the model and prompt for each Action so they Just Work out of the box. If you need raw provider access for custom workflows, Quilin isn't that tool.
Where do I cancel my subscription?
Depends on where you subscribed:
- Direct (Paddle): your Paddle customer portal. Link emailed with every receipt.
- Mac App Store: System Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions on macOS.
Either way, your Pro features stay active through the end of the billing period.
macOS specifics
Why does the first launch need a right-click?
macOS Gatekeeper requires it for apps from non-Mac-App-Store sources during our beta.
Right-click → Open → Open.
After the first launch, double-click works normally. We'll be notarized and Gatekeeper-clean for the public release.
What are the macOS version and chip requirements?
- macOS 15 (Sequoia) or later
- Apple Silicon (M1 and up)
We use modern SwiftUI and on-device audio APIs that aren't backward-portable to older systems.
Why does Quilin need microphone access?
To record the audio we transcribe. Quilin only records while you hold the hotkey — no background listening, no always-on capture.
The menu bar icon shows a red dot the entire time the mic is active.
Does it run on Intel Macs?
No. Quilin is Apple Silicon only. We use Metal-accelerated audio processing that doesn't have an Intel fallback path.
Intel users on macOS 15 can still use the built-in macOS dictation: System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation.