> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openwhispr.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Running in the background

> The tray icon, the floating panel, starting with your computer, and the small settings that decide how much OpenWhispr is in the way.

OpenWhispr is meant to be forgotten about until you press the hotkey. It runs
from the system tray, shows a small floating panel while you dictate, and stays
out of the way otherwise.

Everything on this page lives under **Settings** → **Preferences** under
**App**.

## The tray icon

The tray icon — menu bar on macOS, system tray on Windows and Linux — is how
you reach the app when no window is open. Click it to show or hide the control
panel; right-click for the menu.

Closing the control panel window doesn't quit OpenWhispr. That's deliberate: it
has to keep running to hear your hotkey. Quit properly from the tray menu when
you actually want it gone.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="macOS">
    The **Dock icon follows the control panel** — it appears when the panel is
    open and disappears when you close it. Launching straight to the tray shows
    no Dock icon at all.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows">
    Windows hides tray icons it doesn't recognise. If OpenWhispr seems to have
    vanished, click the `^` caret at the right of the taskbar — it's usually
    there. Drag it out to keep it visible.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Linux">
    The tray icon depends on your desktop supporting tray icons at all. Some
    minimal Wayland setups don't; the app still runs and the hotkey still
    works.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## The floating panel

The floating panel is the small window that shows you're recording.

| Setting                 | Default      | What it does                                                 |
| ----------------------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Auto-hide when idle** | Off          | Keeps the panel hidden until you start dictating             |
| **Start position**      | Bottom Right | Where it appears: Bottom Right, Bottom Center or Bottom Left |

You can drag the panel anywhere; the start position is where it comes back on
launch. If it's ever off-screen — usually after unplugging an external monitor
— restart the app and it returns to the start position.

## Starting with your computer

| Setting             | Default | Notes                                                                                                                  |
| ------------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Launch at login** | Off     | Starts OpenWhispr when you log in, straight to the tray. **macOS and Windows only** — the setting isn't shown on Linux |
| **Start minimized** | Off     | Launches without opening the control panel window                                                                      |

On Linux, use your desktop environment's own autostart to achieve the same
thing.

## Sound and appearance

| Setting              | Default | What it does                                                                                      |
| -------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Theme**            | Auto    | Light, Dark, or match your system                                                                 |
| **Dictation sounds** | On      | A tone when recording starts and stops                                                            |
| **Pause media**      | Off     | Pauses music automatically when dictation starts, and resumes after. Works on all three platforms |

Dictation sounds are worth keeping on to begin with — they're how you learn
whether the hotkey registered without watching the screen.

## Notifications

Four separate switches, all on by default:

* **Meeting detection** — tells you a meeting was detected so you can start
  recording
* **Calendar reminders** — tells you a scheduled meeting is about to start
* **App updates** — tells you a new version is available
* **Disable all notifications** — silences everything except errors

<Snippet file="still-need-help.mdx" />

## Related

* [Settings reference](/help/customise/settings-reference)
* [Your hotkeys](/help/dictation/hotkeys)
* [OpenWhispr won't open](/help/fix/app-wont-open)