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You launch OpenWhispr and nothing appears. Sometimes it’s genuinely not starting; more often it is running and you can’t see it.

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Check the system tray or menu bar first

OpenWhispr runs from the tray, so the main window not being on screen is normal.
  • Windows — click the ^ caret at the right of the taskbar to show hidden icons, and look for the OpenWhispr icon there.
  • macOS — look along the menu bar at the top right.
From the tray icon you can show the dictation panel and open Settings.

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If it’s genuinely not starting

The process appears in Task Manager but no window ever shows.
1

Try disabling GPU acceleration

Some graphics drivers stop Electron applications rendering at all. Launch with:
If that works, the graphics driver is the cause — updating it is the real fix.
2

Launch with debug logging

Logs are written to %APPDATA%\OpenWhispr\logs\. Send us the newest one.
3

Check your antivirus

Security software can quarantine parts of the app silently. See Antivirus blocks OpenWhispr.
4

Reinstall cleanly

Uninstall, then remove the leftover data directories, then reinstall:
This deletes local settings, history and any downloaded models. Notes you’ve backed up to the cloud are safe; anything local is not.

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The panel is off-screen

If dictation works but you can’t see the panel — usually after unplugging an external monitor — restart the app. That resets the panel’s position. You can then drag it wherever you want it.

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If you get a startup error

OpenWhispr shows “OpenWhispr Startup Error” or “OpenWhispr failed to load” with an error code when it can’t start properly. Send us that exact message; it names the failure directly and saves a round of questions.