Abe Documentation

Abe is available for Windows and macOS. The installation process is quick and doesn't require administrator privileges.

Windows

1. Download the Windows installer (.exe) from your dashboard
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts
3. The app will start automatically and appear in your system tray
4. Sign in with your account credentials

macOS

1. Download the macOS installer (.dmg) from your dashboard
2. Open the DMG and drag Abe to your Applications folder
3. Launch Abe from Applications
4. Grant microphone and accessibility permissions when prompted
5. Sign in with your account credentials

To use Abe, you need a free account. Here's how to get started:

1. Visit getabe.app/auth/register
2. Enter your email address and create a password (minimum 8 characters)
3. Check your email for a verification link and click it
4. Your account is now active with 2,000 free words and 10 transforms per week

Once you've installed the app and signed in, you're ready to start transcribing:

1. Open any text field (email, document, chat window, etc.)
2. Press the hotkey (default: Ctrl+Shift+V)
3. Hold the key and speak clearly into your microphone
4. Release the key when you're done speaking
5. Your transcribed text appears where your cursor was

That's it! The text is automatically pasted - no copy/paste required.

The global hotkey is what makes Abe so convenient. It works from any application, even when Abe isn't in focus.

Default Hotkeys

You can customize these hotkeys in Settings.

Abe supports two recording modes to match your workflow:

Voice Transform lets you edit existing text using voice commands. Select text, speak what you want to change, and watch it transform.

How to Use

1. Select the text you want to transform
2. Press and hold the transform hotkey (default: Ctrl+Shift+T)
3. Speak your command (e.g., "make this more professional")
4. Release the hotkey - the text transforms instantly

Example Commands

• "Make this more concise"
• "Fix the grammar"
• "Make this sound more professional"
• "Translate to Spanish"
• "Add bullet points"
• "Summarize this paragraph"
• "Make this friendlier"

Audio ducking automatically lowers the volume of other applications while you're recording. This helps reduce background noise and makes it easier to focus on speaking.

You can configure the ducking percentage (0-100%) in Settings. Setting it to 0% disables ducking entirely.

The usage dashboard gives you complete visibility into your transcription activity:

• Session Stats: Words, time saved, average WPM, cost for current session
• Monthly Stats: Usage breakdown for the current billing period
• All-Time Stats: Lifetime usage across your account
• History: Searchable list of all transcriptions with timestamps
• Export: Download your history as TXT, CSV, or JSON

To change your hotkey:

1. Open the Abe app
2. Go to Settings (gear icon)
3. Click on the hotkey field
4. Press your desired key combination
5. The new hotkey is saved automatically

Fine-tune your audio configuration for the best transcription results:

• Microphone: Select your preferred audio input device
• Ducking Level: How much to reduce other app volumes (0-100%)
• Sound Effects: Enable/disable audio feedback for recording start/stop

Configure how Voice Transform behaves:

• Transform Hotkey: The key combination to trigger voice transform (default: Ctrl+Shift+T)
• Custom Prompt: A custom instruction that gets included with every transformation

Custom Prompt Examples

The custom prompt is prepended to every transform command. Use it to enforce consistent style:

• "Keep responses concise. Use professional tone."
• "Always use bullet points. Avoid passive voice."
• "Write in British English spelling."
• "Keep the same length as the original."

• Minimum Duration: Ignore recordings shorter than this (0-3 seconds)
• Maximum Duration: Auto-stop after this time (30 seconds - 10 minutes)
• Recording Mode: Push-to-talk or toggle mode
• Recording Overlay: Show/hide the visual recording indicator

Free Tier

• 2,000 words per week (transcription)
• 10 transforms per week (voice transform)
• All features included
• Resets every 7 days
• Free forever

Pro Plan

• $5/month base fee
• $0.012/minute usage (~$0.72/hour)
• Capped at $15/month maximum
• Unlimited transcriptions
• Unlimited transforms
• Priority support
• Referral rewards eligible

View full pricing details

Your Pro subscription is billed monthly through Stripe. Here's how it works:

• Base fee ($5) is charged at the start of each billing cycle
• Usage costs are calculated based on transcription duration
• Referral credits are applied to usage costs (not base fee)
• Total monthly bill is capped at $15
• View your invoices and usage in the web dashboard

Share Abe with friends and earn credits:

1. Find your referral code in the dashboard
2. Share your referral link with friends
3. When they sign up and subscribe to Pro, you both get $5
4. Credits apply to your usage costs (up to $10/month)
5. Unused credits roll over to the next month