# minutes

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[useminutes.app](https://useminutes.app)

Minutes is a free, open-source conversation memory app for the AI you already use. Record and transcribe meetings, calls, voice memos, and dictation on your device, then let Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or another MCP client search the history you choose to share. Your records are Markdown files you own in `~/meetings/`.

Capture, transcription, and storage run locally. If you choose a cloud AI assistant or summarizer, the meeting context you authorize is sent to that provider.

**Your conversations. Your memory. Ready for the AI you use.**

<p align="center">
  <img src="docs/assets/demo.gif" alt="minutes demo; record, dictate, phone sync, AI recall" width="750">
</p>

## Install

Choose the desktop app or one standalone CLI installation. The desktop app
includes a CLI: use **About Minutes → Set up CLI** to add it to your PATH.

```bash
brew install --cask silverstein/tap/minutes  # Desktop app, with bundled CLI
brew install silverstein/tap/minutes         # Standalone CLI alternative
cargo install minutes-cli                   # Standalone CLI via Cargo
```

For an agent connection, add the MCP server separately with
`claude mcp add minutes -- npx -y minutes-mcp` (or run `npx minutes-mcp`
from another MCP client).

If Homebrew reports an untrusted tap, run `brew trust silverstein/tap` once.

## Ask your agent

Add Minutes to your agent, seed five sample meetings (no mic needed), then ask about them:

```bash
claude mcp add minutes -- npx -y minutes-mcp
minutes demo --full
```

> What did we decide about monthly billing, and did it stick?

The answer spans two meetings a month apart: launched on Feb 28, reversed on Mar 25.

A direct MCP call uses the same local meeting files:

```text
search_meetings({"query":"monthly billing decision"})
```

Record a real one with `minutes record`, then `minutes stop` to transcribe. `minutes demo --clean` removes the samples.
Setup: [Codex, Gemini CLI, and Claude Desktop](docs/integration/clients.md#any-mcp-client-claude-code-codex-opencode-gemini-cli-claude-desktop-or-your-own-agent),
[Cursor](docs/integration/cursor-agent.md),
[OpenCode](docs/integration/clients.md#opencode-cli),
[Pi](docs/integration/pi-agent.md),
[Mistral Vibe](docs/integration/clients.md#mistral-vibe), and
[Cowork or Dispatch](docs/integration/clients.md#cowork--dispatch).

### Works with

Claude Code · Codex · Cursor · OpenCode · Pi · Gemini CLI · Claude Desktop ·
Mistral Vibe · Cowork · Dispatch · Obsidian · Logseq · any MCP client

## How it compares

| Workflow | Granola | Otter.ai | Anarlog (formerly Hyprnote) | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Hosted meeting notepad | Hosted meeting assistant | Local meeting notepad | Local conversation memory |
| Agent access | Hosted MCP | Hosted integrations | CLI + MCP | Local files, MCP, CLI, SDK |
| Primary storage | Hosted workspace | Hosted workspace | Local SQLite + files | Local Markdown + YAML |
| Local AI | Cloud transcription | Cloud transcription | With local providers | Local transcription; AI provider of your choice |

Reviewed September 5, 2026 against [Granola MCP](https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/sharing/integrations/mcp), [Otter privacy and security](https://otter.ai/privacy-security), and the [Anarlog repository](https://github.com/fastrepl/anarlog). Anarlog's community app is MIT; its enterprise components use a commercial license. See [the detailed comparison](https://useminutes.app/compare/hyprnote-vs-minutes) and [open-source alternatives](https://useminutes.app/resources/open-source-alternatives-to-granola-ai) for fit and limitations.

## Who it's for

Agent-first users treat Minutes as the capture layer of a local second brain.
They search meetings through Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, OpenCode, MCP, or the
CLI, then fold useful context into a vault or wiki they own.

Desktop notetaker users record and read results in the app. They value reliable
setup, clear processing and recovery, Recall, documents, Coach, and summary
quality. See the full [persona notes](docs/personas.md).

## Surfaces

| Surface | What it provides | Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop app | Menu bar capture, dictation, Recall, documents, and Coach. | [Install](docs/install.md#desktop-app) |
| CLI (60 commands) | Local recording, processing, search, import, and automation. | [Commands](docs/features.md) |
| MCP server (34 tools) | Local meeting tools and resources for any MCP client. | [MCP reference](docs/integration/agent-integrations.md) |
| Claude Code plugin (23 skills) | Prep, capture, live help, debrief, and memory workflows. | [Client setup](docs/integration/clients.md#claude-code-plugin) |
| SDK | TypeScript access to meeting files without MCP. | [Agent architecture](docs/architecture/README.md#building-your-own-agent-on-minutes) |

## Dictation

The desktop Dictation settings bring writing preferences, personal spellings and snippets, microphone selection, and recent text together. Cursor context is optional and stays on the Mac. Recovery restores text for review; local edits use an explicit Ollama preview, and spelling corrections require confirmation.

See [dictation behavior and evaluation boundaries](docs/design/dictation-experience.md) for supported fields, safe insertion and undo, clipboard restoration, and the synthetic benchmark.

## Output format

Meetings are plain markdown with structured YAML frontmatter:

```yaml
---
title: Q2 Pricing Discussion with Alex
type: meeting
date: 2026-03-17T14:00:00
duration: 42m
context: Discuss Q2 pricing
action_items:
  - assignee: mat
    task: Send pricing doc
    due: Friday
    status: open
decisions:
  - text: Test monthly billing with 10 advisors
---
```

See the [frontmatter schema](docs/architecture/frontmatter-schema.md). Files work
with [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md), grep, and any markdown tool.

## Privacy & consent

- Transcription and speaker processing run on-device. Audio stays on your machine.
- Sensitive meetings save typed markers without audio and default to restricted.
- Consent reminders, acknowledgement, and provenance help you disclose recording.
- Text leaves the machine only when you send authorized context to a cloud agent or summarizer.

See the [security documentation](docs/security/) and
[consent enforcement design](docs/architecture/consent-enforcement.md).

## Docs

- [Features and commands](docs/features.md)
- [Install, setup, updating, and troubleshooting](docs/install.md)
- [Agent and MCP client integrations](docs/integration/clients.md)
- [Phone voice memo pipeline](docs/phone-voice-memo-pipeline.md)
- [Summarization and automation](docs/architecture/summarization.md)
- [Configuration](docs/configuration.md)
- [Architecture and agent development](docs/architecture/README.md)
- [Evidence, retrieval, and decision-history contracts](docs/architecture/evidence-memory.md)
- [Recall and speech evaluation](tests/eval/v02/README.md)
- [Switching from Granola and importing archives](docs/switching-from-granola.md)
- [Frontmatter schema](docs/architecture/frontmatter-schema.md)
- [Security](docs/security/)
- [Personas](docs/personas.md)
- [Native call capture recovery](docs/native-capture-recovery.md) (`minutes recover-stem`)
- [Opt-in automatic call recording](docs/call-auto-record.md) for Teams and Zoom desktop on macOS
- [MCP tools](https://useminutes.app/docs/mcp/tools)
- [Error reference](https://useminutes.app/docs/errors)
- [Agent index](https://useminutes.app/llms.txt)
- [Full agent index](https://useminutes.app/llms-full.txt)

## Contributing

See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md). Minutes is MIT licensed and staying that way: no relicensing, no paid tier for anything in this repo.

MIT. Built by [Mat Silverstein](https://github.com/silverstein), founder of
[X1 Wealth](https://x1wealth.com).

## Star History

[![Star History Chart](https://star-history.dera.page/svg?repos=silverstein/minutes&type=Date)](https://star-history.dera.page/#silverstein/minutes&Date)