screenpipe FAQ: install, permissions, pipes, and privacy

this FAQ is organized around the questions people ask support most often: what to try first, how billing works, why installs or pipes fail, how meetings and audio behave, and how privacy works when AI or cloud features are enabled.

start here

if you want to…	read this
get value in the first hour	quickstart, then use cases
fix install, login, empty timeline, or audio	troubleshooting
debug a custom pipe	pipe debugging
connect Claude, Codex, Cursor, or ChatGPT	MCP server
check what data leaves your computer	privacy data flow
deploy to a team	teams and Intune deployment

getting value

Show what should I try first after installing screenpipe?

start with one repeated workflow, not every feature.good first workflows:

daily recap: ask “what did I work on today?” or install a daily-summary pipe
meeting memory: turn on audio, join one Zoom/Meet/Teams call, then search the transcript
AI memory: connect Claude Desktop, Codex, Cursor, or another MCP client and ask about the last 10 minutes
SOP capture: do one repeated process while screenpipe records, then ask AI to turn it into a step-by-step guide

the fastest team pilot is usually: one person, one repeated workflow, one week, one written output.

Show what are pipes?

pipes are scheduled AI agents that run on your screenpipe data. each pipe is usually a pipe.md prompt plus a schedule. it can search your local screen/audio history, summarize work, write notes, send notifications, or call connected apps.examples:

write a daily Obsidian note
summarize meetings and draft follow-up emails
monitor a specific app or window for changes
sync activity to Notion, HubSpot, Toggl, or another tool

see pipes, pipe store, and pipe debugging.

Show how does screenpipe help with Claude, Codex, Cursor, or ChatGPT context loss?

screenpipe gives AI tools a searchable memory of what was on your screen, what apps you used, and what was said in meetings. when a chat or coding agent loses context, it can ask screenpipe for recent activity instead of relying only on the current conversation.the usual setup is:

install screenpipe and let it capture a few minutes of activity.
connect your AI tool through MCP.
ask questions like “what was I doing before this chat compacted?” or “find the error message I saw in the terminal.”

screenpipe does not magically recover hidden model context. it gives the AI a local memory source it can search.

Show can screenpipe create SOPs or training docs from work I do on screen?

yes. record one clean run of the workflow, then ask a pipe or AI assistant to summarize the steps using screen text, app names, timestamps, and transcript evidence.best first SOP prompt:

Search the last 45 minutes of screenpipe data.
Turn the workflow into an SOP for a new teammate.
Include:
- goal
- systems used
- numbered steps
- decisions or exceptions
- screenshots/timeline moments to review
- questions that still need a human answer

start with one repeated workflow such as invoice review, CRM update, client onboarding, QA review, or weekly reporting.

basics & compatibility

Show is screenpipe open source?

screenpipe is source-available and auditable on GitHub at github.com/screenpipe/screenpipe. the core local capture stack can be inspected and self-hosted, while the prebuilt desktop app, cloud features, team features, and some integrations have commercial licensing on top.you can self-host the CLI, audit the capture and storage code, and run screenpipe fully offline. enterprise customers can request source access for compliance review.

Show can I use screenpipe for free?

yes, three ways:

CLI: npx -y screenpipe@latest record gives you local recording, search, and API access from the terminal.
local source build: clone github.com/screenpipe/screenpipe and build the desktop app locally for a visual timeline and UI on top of the CLI.
paid desktop app: download from screenpi.pe/onboarding for the current packaged app, support, auto-updates, and paid features.

current plan details can change, so use the pricing/download page as the source of truth before purchasing.

Show does screenpipe work offline?

yes. screen capture, audio capture, OCR fallback, accessibility text extraction, local transcription, search, and the local API at localhost:3030 all work without internet.the parts that need a network:

cloud transcription (deepgram, screenpipe-cloud)
cloud AI providers (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, OpenAI)
cloud archive and team sync
login and license verification
connected-app proxies (Slack, Notion, HubSpot, etc.)

use Ollama + local whisper if you want a fully offline setup. see Ollama.

Show does screenpipe work on Apple Silicon M1, M2, M3, M4 and Intel Macs?

yes on both. screenpipe ships a universal macOS build that runs natively on Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4, including Pro/Max/Ultra) and on Intel Macs.Apple Silicon machines get better battery life and faster local whisper transcription. Intel Macs work but should prefer smaller whisper models or cloud transcription.

Show does screenpipe work on Windows 11 and Windows 10?

yes. screenpipe supports Windows 11 (recommended) and Windows 10. on first launch, allow Windows Defender to run the installer (“More info” → “Run anyway”) and grant screen capture access.if the timeline or embedded browser is blank, install or repair the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime and restart screenpipe. see troubleshooting.

Show does screenpipe work on Linux?

the screenpipe CLI runs on Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch). the desktop app has partial Linux support and is best on X11; Wayland support varies by compositor.on Ubuntu: sudo apt install tesseract-ocr libxcb1 before running the binary. server / headless installs are supported for capture and the local API.

Show does screenpipe support multiple monitors and external displays?

yes. screenpipe captures every monitor your OS reports to it. you can list monitors with curl http://localhost:3030/list-monitors and choose which displays to include in recording settings.if a newly plugged-in display is not captured, restart screenpipe so it re-enumerates monitors.

Show what languages does screenpipe transcribe?

screenpipe transcribes most languages supported by whisper (about 100), including English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, and Hindi.set your primary language in settings → AI models → language to skip auto-detect (faster and more accurate). for higher accuracy on accented or domain-specific speech, switch to whisper-large-v3-turbo or use deepgram / screenpipe-cloud transcription.

Show how do I update screenpipe?

the desktop app checks for updates automatically and prompts you when one is available. you can also click settings → updates → check for updates.for the CLI: npx -y screenpipe@latest record always pulls the latest published version. enterprise customers receive signed installers via their account manager.

Show how do I uninstall screenpipe and remove all local data?

on macOS:

quit screenpipe.
drag the app to Trash.
delete ~/.screenpipe/ to remove all recordings, transcripts, and pipes.
optional: revoke screen recording, accessibility, and microphone permissions in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

on Windows: uninstall via Settings → Apps, then delete %USERPROFILE%\.screenpipe\.on Linux: remove the binary and delete ~/.screenpipe/.

Show is this the same as the old screenpipe rust audio library?

no. some users find an older, discontinued open-source rust project that shared the name. this site, screenpi.pe, and the github.com/screenpipe/screenpipe repo are the actively developed product: a local-first AI memory app for macOS, Windows, and Linux.if you installed something else and it does not match the screenshots on this site, you are not running the current screenpipe.

Show can I disable default-true CLI flags like --use-pii-removal or --api-auth?

yes. some screenpipe CLI flags default to enabled, but you can disable them using --flag=false (with equals) or --flag false (with space).common default-true flags:

--use-pii-removal: disables PII redaction (email, phone, card numbers, etc.)
--api-auth: requires API key for non-localhost requests
--use-all-monitors: captures every connected display
--use-system-default-audio: captures system audio automatically

examples:

# disable PII removal
npx -y screenpipe@latest record --use-pii-removal=false

# disable API authentication (allow any request)
npx -y screenpipe@latest record --api-auth=false

# space-separated syntax also works
npx -y screenpipe@latest record --use-pii-removal false --api-auth false

without the flag, the default is always enabled. a bare flag like --use-pii-removal still means “enable.”

billing, license, and account

Show can I try screenpipe before buying?

yes. screenpipe has two common trial paths:

CLI: npx -y screenpipe@latest record gives you local recording, search, and API access from the terminal.
desktop app: download from screenpi.pe/onboarding for timeline, pipes, settings, chat, and connections.

current plan details can change, so use the pricing/download page as the source of truth before purchasing.

Show where do I find my screenpipe receipt or invoice?

open the account or billing area from the desktop app or the screenpipe website using the same email you used to buy.if you cannot find the receipt:

check the inbox for the purchase email and payment confirmation
confirm you are signed in with the same email used at checkout
include your purchase email when contacting support so the license can be found quickly

Show I paid, but the app still says free or asks me to upgrade. what should I do?

this usually means the desktop app is signed into a different account than the one that bought the license, or the local account state is stale.try this:

sign out in screenpipe.
restart the app.
sign back in with the exact purchase email.
wait a minute, then reopen the billing or account screen.

if it still shows the wrong plan, contact support with the purchase email, current signed-in email, and a screenshot of the account page.

Show do cloud credits, Claude, ChatGPT, or API keys replace a screenpipe license?

no. AI provider access and screenpipe licensing are separate.

screenpipe license or subscription: unlocks screenpipe app features, depending on your plan
Claude/ChatGPT/OpenAI/Anthropic/Ollama: powers AI responses when you choose that model path
cloud archive or cloud transcription: optional services for storage or processing

if a pipe fails with an AI error, check the AI provider settings. if the app says you are free after purchase, check the screenpipe account.

Show do you offer student discounts, refunds, or promo codes?

discounts and refunds depend on the current offer and account state. use the current pricing page as the source of truth, and contact support from the purchase email if a code expired or the wrong plan was applied.include:

purchase email
order date
plan shown in the app
the promo or student-discount context, if any

Show screenpipe installed, but I do not see a timeline.

if you installed only the CLI, recording and the API can work without the desktop timeline. for the visual timeline, install the desktop app from screenpi.pe/onboarding.if you already have the desktop app:

check curl http://localhost:3030/health.
wait 1-2 minutes after startup.
confirm screen recording and accessibility permissions are enabled.
open the desktop app timeline or search page.
run curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=5&content_type=all" to verify data exists.

Show login fails, loops, or says failed to load user.

try:

quit screenpipe completely.
reopen the app and sign in again.
make sure the default browser can open the login callback.
disable VPN/proxy temporarily if the callback never returns.
confirm the clock on the machine is correct.

if support asks for logs, include your OS, screenpipe version, signed-in email, and whether the app works on another network.

Show screenpipe is running but search returns nothing.

run:

curl http://localhost:3030/health
curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=5&content_type=all"

if health is OK but search is empty:

wait 1-2 minutes after startup
confirm screen recording permission
confirm accessibility permission, especially on macOS and Windows
make sure your included/ignored windows filters are not excluding everything
try a broad search before filtering by app, window, speaker, or time range

Show does screenpipe use OCR or accessibility APIs?

screenpipe primarily uses operating-system accessibility APIs to extract structured screen text when the platform and app expose it. OCR is a fallback for pixels or apps that do not expose enough accessible text.in the API you may see content types such as:

accessibility: text from the OS accessibility tree
ocr: OCR fallback text
audio: transcript data
all: search across available content types

for most user-facing screen text search, start with content_type=all or content_type=accessibility before narrowing to OCR-only searches.

Show I get 404 from /api/search. what is the right endpoint?

the local endpoint is:

curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=5"

not /api/search.use the api reference tab or API recipes for copy-paste examples.

Show can I record only specific apps, windows, or work hours?

yes. use recording filters to include or ignore windows, apps, or URLs. this is useful for meetings, compliance, privacy, and reducing storage.for scheduled capture or work-hour behavior, use the app settings when available. for custom behavior, a pipe can check the current time and either run, pause itself, or ignore results outside work hours.

Show macOS says "app is damaged" or "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified".

this is macOS Gatekeeper on first launch, not a real corruption.fix:

right-click the screenpipe app in Finder.
choose Open from the menu.
click Open again on the warning dialog.

after the first launch, you can open it normally. if Gatekeeper still blocks, run xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/screenpipe.app in Terminal, then reopen.

Show Windows pipe error: "screenpipe.exe not found" or "screenpipe is not recognized".

the Windows installer registers the app as screenpipe-app.exe, not screenpipe.exe. some pipes or scripts written for macOS/Linux assume the bare screenpipe binary name and fail on Windows.fix the pipe or script to call screenpipe-app.exe (or use the full path the installer logged). if you only need the local API, you do not need to call the binary directly — curl http://localhost:3030/... works once the app is running.

Show screenpipe stopped recording after a macOS update (Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura).

major macOS updates often reset the TCC (Transparency, Consent, Control) database, which silently revokes screen recording, accessibility, and microphone permissions for installed apps.fix:

open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
open each of Screen Recording, Accessibility, and Microphone.
confirm screenpipe is listed and toggled on in each. if it is listed but unchecked, toggle off and on again.
quit and reopen screenpipe.
verify: curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=1&content_type=all" should return recent data within 1-2 minutes.

if screenpipe is not listed at all, drag the app to the panel from /Applications.

Show how do I start screenpipe automatically at login?

the desktop app adds itself as a login item the first time you launch it. you can confirm or remove it in System Settings → General → Login Items on macOS, or Task Manager → Startup apps on Windows.for the CLI, set up a launchd plist on macOS, a systemd user service on Linux, or a Task Scheduler job on Windows that runs npx -y screenpipe@latest record at login.

pipes and custom automations

Show my pipe runs but does not do anything useful.

most pipe failures are prompt shape, data scope, or provider auth.check:

the pipe is enabled
manual run works
curl http://localhost:3030/health succeeds
curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=5&content_type=all" returns data
the prompt tells the pipe exactly where to write, notify, or save output
the AI provider is connected and has credits
the pipe has permissions for the endpoints it calls

see pipe debugging for the full checklist.

Show on Windows, a command window opens and closes when a pipe runs.

that usually means the pipe process started, hit an error immediately, and exited before you could read it.do this:

open the pipe logs from the app.
run the pipe manually from the pipe page.
check whether the pipe has a valid pipe.md, schedule, and permissions.
confirm the local API works: curl http://localhost:3030/health.
if a script is involved, run it from PowerShell so the error stays visible.

when asking for help, include the pipe name, OS version, screenpipe version, and the log output.

Show my custom pipe searches the wrong thing or misses a specific window.

use precise filters only after a broad search works.start broad:

curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=10&content_type=all"

then add one filter at a time:

curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=10&content_type=accessibility&window_name=Your%20Window"

window names can differ from what you see in the title bar, and some apps expose little accessibility text. if accessibility text is empty, try content_type=all so OCR fallback and audio can help.

Show notifications, sounds, Telegram, or other integrations do not fire from my pipe.

split the problem:

confirm the pipe run starts.
confirm search returns the event you expect.
confirm the prompt tells the pipe exactly when to notify.
confirm the integration is connected and the token is current.
test the notification or API call outside the pipe once.

for app connections, prefer screenpipe connection proxies instead of pasting secrets into prompts.

Show do I need an OpenAI or Anthropic API key to use screenpipe?

no. screenpipe ships with screenpipe-cloud AI credits on every paid plan, so pipes and chat work out of the box.bring-your-own-key (BYOK) is supported if you prefer your own quota or want to use a specific model. you can configure Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Groq, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint in settings → AI models. local models via Ollama need no key at all.

Show can I use Ollama or local LLMs with screenpipe?

yes. screenpipe works with any OpenAI-compatible local server, including Ollama, llama.cpp, LM Studio, and vLLM.configure it in settings → AI models → custom endpoint. point to http://localhost:11434/v1 for Ollama. you can then run chat, pipes, and MCP queries fully offline with models like Llama, Qwen, or Mistral.

Show Anthropic API key error: "credit balance is too low" or "insufficient credits".

this comes from Anthropic, not screenpipe. it means your Anthropic console balance is empty.fix:

open console.anthropic.com/billing.
add credits or enable auto-recharge.
retry the pipe or chat.

alternative: switch the pipe to screenpipe-cloud in settings → AI models so it uses included credits instead of your Anthropic key. screenpipe-cloud credits and Anthropic credits are completely separate.

Show do my screenpipe cloud AI credits sync across multiple devices?

yes. AI credits are tied to your account, not the device. signing into the same screenpipe account on a second machine gives that machine access to the same credit pool and billing plan.if credits look out of sync, sign out and back in on the device that looks behind. credits update on the next API call, not in real time.

Show what is pi-agent and why does my pipe say it is missing or not found?

pi-agent is the local runtime that executes pipes (the part that runs your pipe.md and calls AI providers, screenpipe search, and connections). the desktop app bundles it, but on the CLI or on some upgrades it can end up missing.fix:

update to the latest screenpipe.
if it still fails, reinstall the app. on macOS that re-bundles pi-agent into screenpipe.app/Contents/Resources/.
on the CLI: npx -y screenpipe@latest pipe install pi-agent.

if a pipe errors with Failed to extract accountId, set preset: screenpipe-cloud on the pipe — pi-agent is reading the wrong auth preset for ChatGPT tokens.

Show my pipe was working but stopped firing after a screenpipe update.

app updates can disconnect scheduled pipes, integration tokens, or pi-agent. check in this order:

settings → pipes → confirm the toggle is still on.
open the pipe and run it manually. if it fails, the logs show the actual error.
for Telegram, Slack, Notion, or other integrations: reconnect the account in settings → connections — tokens can expire silently.
confirm the local API is healthy: curl http://localhost:3030/health.
if the pipe relies on a custom schedule like every 30m, re-save the schedule so the new scheduler picks it up.

Show can I write my own pipe? what language are pipes in?

yes. pipes are pipe.md files containing a natural-language prompt plus optional bash and bun code blocks. you do not write a separate program — the prompt drives the pipe.see pipes, pipe permissions, and pipe debugging. prebuilt pipes live in the pipe store.

audio and meetings

Show does screenpipe join meetings as a bot?

no. screenpipe records locally from your screen, microphone, and selected audio devices. it can capture Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack huddles, and other call surfaces without a meeting bot joining.see meeting intelligence.

Show my meeting transcript is empty or late.

check:

microphone permission is granted
the correct input device is selected
system audio is selected if you need other speakers
transcription engine is not overloaded
curl "http://localhost:3030/search?content_type=audio&limit=1" returns audio data

on slower machines, reduce audio chunk duration, select fewer devices, or switch to a faster/cloud transcription engine.

Show can screenpipe identify speakers?

yes, but speaker naming depends on audio quality, calendar context, and cleanup. name a speaker once in the UI, merge duplicates when needed, and connect calendar for better meeting context.speaker labels are useful for meeting summaries, follow-ups, and relationship memory, but you should review important transcripts before sending them externally.

Show does screenpipe record and transcribe Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack huddles, and Discord calls?

yes — all of them, without joining as a bot. screenpipe captures your microphone plus system audio locally, so any call surface that plays sound on your machine can be transcribed.this works for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack huddles, Discord voice/video, WebEx, GoToMeeting, FaceTime, WhatsApp calls, Telegram calls, and any browser-based call. no calendar invite is needed, no other participant sees a bot, and recordings stay local by default.see meeting intelligence and meeting transcription.

Show where do I find my meeting transcripts and summaries after a call?

after a call ends, transcripts are available in three places:

timeline: scrub to the call’s timestamp; the transcript appears alongside the screen.
search: open chat or run curl "http://localhost:3030/search?content_type=audio&limit=10".
meeting summaries: if you have a meeting-summary pipe enabled, it writes structured notes to Obsidian, Notion, Apple Notes, or a connected destination.

if you see only short phrases instead of a full transcript, increase the audio chunk duration in settings → recording and confirm both your microphone and system audio are selected.

Show how do I chat with or ask questions about a specific meeting?

open the meetings list in screenpipe, find the meeting you want to ask about, and reference it in the chat box. you can either:

direct mention: type @audio in chat, then describe what you want to know — screenpipe will search your meeting transcript to answer questions like “what was said about pricing?” or “what action items came out of this call?”
search first, then chat: use the timeline to find the meeting, click on the transcript or screen section to focus the time window, then ask the chat anything about that meeting moment. the AI will read the transcript and screen context from that window.
summarize the meeting: click the Summarize button on the meeting transcript (in the note dock at top or bottom) to generate a summary, action items, and decisions — this uses your default AI or a custom pipe for repeatable formats.

for programmatic access, use the meetings API: curl "http://localhost:3030/meetings?q=customer+sync&limit=10" to search by title, attendees, or notes, then query the transcript via the search API with the meeting’s time window.see meeting intelligence and search screen history for more details.

Show can screenpipe transcribe multiple languages in one meeting?

partially. whisper auto-detects the dominant language per audio chunk, so short multilingual exchanges may be tagged as one language. for accurate code-switching, set the primary language explicitly in settings → AI models → language, or use deepgram / screenpipe-cloud which handle mixed-language audio better than local whisper-tiny.

Show how accurate is screenpipe's meeting transcription?

on clear English audio with a decent microphone, whisper-large-v3-turbo reaches ~95% word accuracy, and deepgram or screenpipe-cloud are comparable or slightly higher. whisper-tiny and whisper-base are faster but noticeably less accurate.accuracy drops on heavy accents, background noise, low input gain, or compressed bluetooth-microphone audio (HFP). pick a better engine, set the language explicitly, and use the built-in MacBook microphone instead of bluetooth for the cleanest result.

Show can I export meeting notes to Notion, Obsidian, Google Docs, or Apple Notes?

yes, via pipes. install or write a pipe that takes the latest meeting and writes its summary, action items, and decisions to the destination you choose.prebuilt destinations include Obsidian, Notion, Apple Notes, Google Docs, and any connected app. browse the pipe store for ready-made meeting-export pipes.

Show can screenpipe identify the names of meeting participants?

partially. screenpipe diarizes (separates) different speakers from the audio, and you can name a speaker once so they are recognized across future meetings.if you connect a calendar, screenpipe can associate participants from invites with the speaker labels. accuracy depends on audio quality and how much sample voice it has for each person.review labels before sharing transcripts externally.

privacy, storage, and enterprise

Show is my screenpipe data private?

capture and storage are local by default. data leaves your machine only when you enable something that sends it out, such as:

a cloud AI provider
cloud transcription or media analysis
cloud archive or sync
a connected-app proxy call
a support bundle you choose to send

see privacy data flow for exact paths.

Show where is data stored? can I move it to a NAS or external drive?

local data is stored under ~/.screenpipe/ by default:

db.sqlite: metadata, accessibility text, OCR fallback text, transcripts
data/: screen and audio media
pipes/: installed pipes

if you need long-term storage, use cloud archive or a carefully configured local backup/sync path. for a NAS, make sure the database and active write path are reliable; slow or flaky network storage can corrupt active databases or make the app feel broken.

Show does screenpipe work for teams or enterprise trials?

yes. enterprise and team workflows usually focus on:

managed installs on test devices
device heartbeat and status
privacy filters and policy controls
shared pipe configurations
centralized archive or storage design
integration with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, cloud storage, CRM, or internal systems

start with teams. for Windows fleets, see Intune deployment.

Show is screenpipe employee surveillance software?

screenpipe is built as local-first AI memory and workflow automation, not a manager surveillance dashboard. the important default is that the user owns local capture. team and enterprise controls should be configured transparently, with clear policies for what is captured, filtered, shared, or archived.if you need DLP-style real-time enforcement, review your requirements carefully. if you need employee-owned AI memory, SOP capture, meeting memory, or local workflow intelligence, screenpipe is designed for that model.

Show does screenpipe upload my screen, audio, or files to the cloud?

no, not by default. capture, OCR, transcription, and storage all run locally in ~/.screenpipe/.data only leaves your machine when you explicitly enable one of:

a cloud AI provider (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) — only the text you query
cloud transcription (deepgram, screenpipe-cloud) — only audio you record
cloud archive or team sync — only what you choose to archive
a connection proxy (Slack, Notion, etc.) — only the API payloads
a support bundle you upload yourself

see privacy data flow for the exact paths and toggles.

Show does screenpipe record my passwords when I type them?

passwords typed into password fields are masked by the OS at the accessibility layer, so most apps and browsers do not expose them to screen readers — or to screenpipe. OCR sees what is on screen, which is usually dots.on top of that, screenpipe redacts the values you type into form fields — passwords, card numbers, secrets — on-device by default, before data is stored or sent. to be extra safe, also add your password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, etc.), banking site, or any sensitive window to settings → recording → ignored windows.

Show does screenpipe record incognito or private browsing windows?

yes — incognito only blocks the browser from saving its own history. it does not hide pixels from screen capture or text from accessibility APIs.if you want incognito sessions excluded, add the private-window title pattern to settings → recording → ignored windows, or pause capture during sensitive browsing from the tray icon.

Show can my employer see my screenpipe data?

on personal devices: no. screenpipe is local-first and your employer has no access unless you choose to share.on company devices with screenpipe deployed by IT: depends on the deployment. team and enterprise plans can sync to a shared archive or surface activity to admins, but only when configured and within the bounds your IT policy allows. read teams and your company policy. screenpipe is designed as employee-owned AI memory, not surveillance — see privacy data flow.

Show is screenpipe HIPAA, SOC2, or GDPR compliant?

screenpipe’s architecture is local-first by default: capture and storage stay on the user’s device, which removes most of the data-residency surface area. cloud features (transcription, archive, AI providers) are optional and can be disabled for compliance-sensitive deployments.formal certifications, BAAs, and DPAs are available for enterprise contracts — contact louis@screenpi.pe with your compliance requirements. self-hosted, fully air-gapped deployments are supported.

Show is my microphone always on when screenpipe is running?

no — only the microphones you select in settings → recording are open, and only while screenpipe is running. you can disable all audio devices and run screenpipe in screen-only mode.the operating system shows the standard microphone indicator (orange dot on macOS, mic icon on Windows) whenever the input is active, so you always know.

Show does pressing the meeting button just turn on my microphone?

the meeting button starts a focused recording session — it tags the audio that follows so it’s grouped as a meeting in search, summaries, and the timeline. if you already have your microphone selected in settings → recording, capture was already happening; the button mainly adds the meeting tag and triggers the post-call summary pipe.if you keep audio off by default, the button does turn the selected microphone on for the duration of the meeting and off when you stop it.

Show how do I delete a specific recording or time range?

delete is supported in-app now. you can:

range-delete from the timeline — select a time range and delete it
compact database (/data/compact) to reclaim disk after deleting
download my archive to export your data before removing it

for a full wipe: quit screenpipe and delete ~/.screenpipe/data/ (media) and ~/.screenpipe/db.sqlite (metadata). screenpipe will rebuild from empty on next start.

Show how long is my data retained by default?

retention has modes — media, lean, and all — with a cutoff, and screenpipe automatically cleans up data past that cutoff. data is not kept indefinitely by default.

media: evicts old screen/audio media past the cutoff, keeps text and memories
lean: also strips heavier text (elements, accessibility json, ui events), keeps searchable text and memories
all: keeps everything until the cutoff

to keep storage in check: pick a tighter retention mode in settings → storage, lower capture FPS, exclude apps you do not need, run compact database to reclaim space, or use cloud archive to offload older months. enterprise deployments can set retention policies as part of their config.

Show does screenpipe phone home or send telemetry?

the desktop app sends anonymous product analytics (page views, feature usage, crash reports) via PostHog by default. it does not send screen content, audio, transcripts, or file contents.you can disable analytics in settings → privacy → telemetry. self-hosted enterprise builds ship with telemetry off.

performance and hardware

Show what hardware does screenpipe need?

practical baseline:

dual-core CPU, 2GB RAM, and enough disk for local media
quad-core CPU, 4GB+ RAM, and SSD storage recommended
around 30GB/month at 1 FPS, depending on settings and retention

reduce FPS, disable unused audio devices, use faster transcription, or exclude noisy windows if the machine feels slow.

Show screenpipe uses too much CPU, RAM, disk, or WindowServer.

try:

lower capture FPS
exclude apps/windows you do not need
select fewer audio devices
use a faster transcription model
close the timeline when you are not reviewing video
archive or delete old media

if the problem started suddenly, restart screenpipe and compare before/after. include OS, hardware, screenpipe version, selected devices, and logs when reporting performance issues.

Show does screenpipe drain my MacBook battery? how do I reduce it?

capture, transcription, and OCR are CPU work, so screenpipe does use battery — more than a chat app, less than a video call when tuned correctly.for battery-friendly settings:

switch transcription to cloud: settings → AI models → pick deepgram or screenpipe-cloud instead of local whisper. local whisper is the single biggest battery drain.
lower capture FPS to 0.5 or 1 in settings → recording.
select fewer audio devices — one microphone, not five.
add heavy apps (video editors, IDE builds, games) to ignored windows.
close the timeline view when you are not actively reviewing video.
disable image PII removal unless you need it — the local image model uses GPU/Neural Engine continuously.

on Apple Silicon MacBooks with these settings, expect 5-10% extra battery draw vs. a baseline workday. Intel Macs see more, and should strongly prefer cloud transcription.

Show why is my MacBook fan spinning when running screenpipe?

almost always one of two things:

local whisper transcription is keeping the CPU/Neural Engine hot. switch to cloud transcription in settings → AI models.
a pipe is in a tight loop or the embedded chrome timeline is open. open settings → pipes and disable any pipe you do not need; close the timeline tab.

on Intel Macs, even with these tuned, fans run more than on Apple Silicon. consider cloud-only transcription on Intel.

Show why doesn't screenpipe show in the macOS Battery panel or Activity Monitor's energy column?

capture and transcription run in a helper subprocess, not the main desktop app, so the top-level “screenpipe” row in the Battery panel can show low while the helper does most of the CPU work.to see real energy use, open Activity Monitor and search for screenpipe — multiple rows will appear. the ones with non-trivial CPU% are the processes to tune via FPS, transcription engine, and selected audio devices.

Show is it normal for screenpipe to use 30 GB or more of disk per month?

yes — that is the baseline at 1 FPS with default settings. screen frames are the largest contributor, then audio, then the SQLite metadata.to use less disk:

drop FPS to 0.5
exclude apps you do not need recorded
lower audio chunk duration or use mono
set up auto-cleanup of old media in settings → storage
use cloud archive to offload older months

enterprise deployments can configure tighter retention by policy.

Show will screenpipe slow down my computer for normal work?

on Apple Silicon and recent Windows laptops with the recommended settings (1 FPS, cloud transcription, one audio device, ignored heavy apps), screenpipe runs in the background without noticeable impact on typing, video calls, or browsing.noticeable slowdown usually means: local whisper-large is selected on an underpowered machine, every monitor is being captured at high FPS, or PII redaction is running on every frame. see troubleshooting for the tuning matrix.

Show does screenpipe support GPU acceleration on macOS, NVIDIA CUDA, or DirectML?

on macOS, screenpipe uses Metal and the Apple Neural Engine for local whisper and image models — nothing to configure.on Windows and Linux with NVIDIA GPUs, screenpipe has a CUDA build that offloads whisper to the GPU, which dramatically reduces CPU use during transcription. DirectML and Vulkan backends are also available on Windows. if you do not have a supported GPU, prefer cloud transcription (deepgram or screenpipe-cloud).

teams, enterprise, and deployment

Show how do I see what my team worked on this week?

on the team plan, the admin dashboard shows per-member activity summaries (apps used, meetings attended, focus time) without exposing raw recordings.for richer reporting, run a weekly digest pipe that aggregates each member’s screenpipe data and posts a summary to Slack, Notion, or email. raw screen and audio data stays on the user’s device unless they explicitly share. see teams.

Show how do I add team members to screenpipe?

on Team and Enterprise plans, open settings → team → invite in the desktop app, enter the member’s email, and they receive an invite to install screenpipe with your team license already attached.for managed fleets, use Intune, Jamf, or your MDM to deploy the installer with the license token pre-set. see Intune deployment.

Show can I deploy screenpipe via Intune, Jamf, or another MDM?

yes. screenpipe ships a silent installer for Windows (MSI) and a signed .pkg for macOS that work with Intune, Jamf Pro, Kandji, Mosyle, and other MDM tools.pre-configure the license token, telemetry, cloud transcription, and recording filters via a JSON config file dropped at install time. enterprise customers get a deployment guide and a sample MDM configuration profile — see Intune deployment or contact louis@screenpi.pe.

Show does screenpipe support Microsoft 365 / Entra ID / SAML single sign-on (SSO)?

enterprise plans support SAML and OIDC SSO through Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, Google Workspace, and other IdPs. SCIM provisioning is available on request.contact louis@screenpi.pe with your IdP and we will set up your tenant.

Show can I store screenpipe team data in my own Azure Blob or S3 bucket?

yes. enterprise deployments can point team data at your own Azure Blob Storage container (one-click OAuth) or your own Amazon S3 bucket — including any S3-compatible store such as MinIO, Cloudflare R2, or Wasabi via a custom endpoint. devices upload directly to your storage with short-lived signed URLs; screenpipe cloud only sees upload manifests, not the data bodies.configure it on the web dashboard: screenpi.pe → account → workspace → storage, pick the backend, and follow the setup (Azure: connect OAuth and choose a container; S3: paste bucket, region, and access keys — a write-only IAM policy is supported). activation runs a test upload through the exact path devices will use before turning anything on.

common errors

Show login or pipe error: "Failed to extract accountId".

this means screenpipe authenticated successfully but pi-agent (the pipe runtime) is reading the wrong auth preset for your account type.fix:

open the pipe folder (or pipe settings) and find the front-matter.
set preset: screenpipe-cloud.
save and re-run the pipe.

if the error appears on initial login rather than in a pipe, sign out, restart the app, and sign back in with the same email used at purchase.

Show Anthropic error: "credit balance is too low" or "insufficient_credits".

this comes from the Anthropic API, not from screenpipe. your Anthropic console balance is empty.fix: add credits at console.anthropic.com/billing, or switch the pipe / chat to screenpipe-cloud in settings → AI models to use included credits instead of your own Anthropic key.

Show OpenAI error: "you exceeded your current quota" or "insufficient_quota".

same shape as the Anthropic case — your OpenAI account is out of credit. add a payment method at platform.openai.com/billing, or switch the provider to screenpipe-cloud, Anthropic, Ollama, or another configured model.

Show macOS error: "screenpipe.app is damaged and cannot be opened".

Gatekeeper on first launch. right-click the app in Finder → Open → Open again on the warning. if it persists, run xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/screenpipe.app in Terminal and reopen.

Show Windows pipe error: "screenpipe.exe not found" or "screenpipe is not recognized as an internal or external command".

the Windows binary is screenpipe-app.exe, not screenpipe.exe. update the pipe or script to use the correct name, or call the local API directly with curl http://localhost:3030/... instead of shelling out to the binary.

Show login error: "failed to load user" or login redirects in a loop.

usually a stale token or a blocked OAuth callback.

quit screenpipe.
clear the local session by deleting ~/.screenpipe/auth.json if it exists.
reopen the app and sign in.
make sure your default browser can open the login callback (no popup blocker, no VPN that blocks localhost callbacks).
confirm your system clock is correct — OAuth fails if the clock is off by more than a few minutes.

Show API error: 404 on /api/search.

the local screenpipe endpoint is /search at the root, not /api/search. use:

curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=5&content_type=all"

see API recipes for copy-paste examples.

Show Windows error: "ignore-settings-and-autoupdate" loop on every launch.

this means the app is failing to write its settings file (usually a permissions issue on %USERPROFILE%\.screenpipe\).

close screenpipe completely.
open %USERPROFILE%\.screenpipe\ and confirm your user has full write access.
delete settings.json in that folder to reset to defaults.
relaunch screenpipe and reconfigure settings.

if the loop persists, capture logs via settings → support → export logs and share them with louis@screenpi.pe.

help

Show what should I include when asking for support?

include:

OS and version
screenpipe version
whether you use desktop app, CLI, or both
output of curl http://localhost:3030/health
the exact page, pipe, or endpoint that failed
pipe logs, if a pipe is involved
selected audio device, if audio is involved
purchase email, if billing is involved

avoid sending secrets. redact API keys, tokens, private customer data, and screenshots you do not want support to see.

get started

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reference

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compare

resources

screenpipe FAQ: install, permissions, pipes, and privacy

start here

getting value

basics & compatibility

billing, license, and account

pipes and custom automations

audio and meetings

privacy, storage, and enterprise

performance and hardware

teams, enterprise, and deployment

common errors

help

​start here

​getting value

​basics & compatibility

​billing, license, and account

​install, login, and timeline

​pipes and custom automations

​audio and meetings

​privacy, storage, and enterprise

​performance and hardware

​teams, enterprise, and deployment

​common errors

​help

start here

getting value

basics & compatibility

billing, license, and account

install, login, and timeline

pipes and custom automations

audio and meetings

privacy, storage, and enterprise

performance and hardware

teams, enterprise, and deployment

common errors

help