+ - Mac Catalyst
+ - Pause & Resume
- Action Button
- Share Extension
- Combining Recordings
@@ -157,6 +159,7 @@ BisonNotes AI
- Working with Summaries
- Audio Playback
- Setup & Configuration
+ - Privacy & Security
- Troubleshooting
- Advanced Features
- Best Practices
@@ -164,6 +167,20 @@ BisonNotes AI
+
+
+
+
+
What’s new in v1.11:
+
+ - Now on Mac. BisonNotes AI runs on macOS via Mac Catalyst — record, transcribe, and summarize on your Mac with the same data as iPhone and iPad.
+ - Pause & Resume recording. Step away from a meeting without losing your spot.
+ - Major security hardening. API keys, AWS credentials, and tokens live in the iOS Keychain. Recordings, transcripts, notes, and attachments get explicit file protection, and user-configured AI endpoints are validated to block insecure cleartext destinations.
+ - Cleaner workflow. “Generate Transcript” lives on the recording, “Generate Summary” lives on the transcript — the right action shows up in the right place.
+ - Refreshed local AI engine. Updated llama.cpp build with a dedicated Mac Catalyst slice; experimental MLX Swift summarization engine for Apple Silicon.
+
+
Initial Setup Options
Your First Recording
- - Start Recording — Tap the large microphone button on the main screen.
- - Microphone Permission — On your first recording, iOS will ask for microphone access. Tap "OK". If denied, re-enable in Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
- - Recording Status — You'll see a red recording indicator, live timer, and location indicator (if enabled).
- - Stop Recording — Tap the stop button to end.
- - Background Recording — The app continues recording when minimized or the phone is locked.
+ - Start Recording — Tap the large microphone button on the main screen.
+ - Microphone Permission — On your first recording, the system will ask for microphone access. Tap “OK”. If denied, re-enable in Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone (or System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone on Mac).
+ - Recording Status — You’ll see a red recording indicator, live timer, and location indicator (if enabled).
+ - Pause & Resume (v1.11) — Tap the Pause button to pause without ending the file; tap Resume to continue. Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
+ - Stop Recording — Tap the stop button to end.
+ - Background Recording — The app continues recording when minimized or the phone is locked. On Mac, the app keeps recording when in the background or behind other windows.
First Transcript & Summary
+v1.11 workflow: The “Generate Transcript” action lives on the recording; the “Generate Summary” action lives on the transcript. Each button only appears where it makes sense and disappears once the artifact exists — if you want to redo something, open the existing transcript or summary and regenerate from there.
+
Generate Your First Transcript
- - Access Recording — After stopping, you'll see it in the recordings list.
- - Start Transcription — Tap the recording, then tap "Generate Transcript". The app processes your audio using your selected engine.
- - Progress — You'll see processing status and time remaining. You can continue using the app while it processes.
- - View Results — Full transcript with editable text, timestamps (if supported), and confidence indicators.
+ - Access Recording — After stopping, you’ll see it in the Recordings list.
+ - Start Transcription — Tap “Generate Transcript” on the recording row, or open the audio player and tap it there. The app processes your audio using your selected transcription engine.
+ - Progress — You’ll see processing status and an estimate. You can continue using the app while it processes.
+ - View Results — Open the Transcripts tab to read the full transcript with editable text and confidence indicators.
@@ -221,9 +241,9 @@ First Transcript & Summary
Generate Your First Summary
- - Prerequisites — You need a transcript first.
- - Start Summary — In the recording detail view, tap "Generate Summary".
- - AI Processing — The app analyzes your transcript and creates:
+
- Prerequisites — You need a transcript first.
+ - Start Summary — Open the transcript (Transcripts tab) and tap “Generate Summary”. A second “Generate Summary” button is also available directly on the transcript row.
+ - AI Processing — The app analyzes your transcript and creates:
- Enhanced Summary: Main content overview
- Action Items: Tasks with priority levels
@@ -231,7 +251,7 @@ First Transcript & Summary
- Alternative Titles: AI-generated recording names
- - Review Results — Expandable sections, priority indicators, interactive maps, and integration options.
+ - Review Results — Expandable sections, priority indicators, interactive maps, attachments, and integration options (Apple Reminders, Apple Calendar, Google Calendar).
@@ -267,6 +287,24 @@ First Transcript & Summary
Recording Features
+Mac Catalyst (v1.11)
+BisonNotes AI runs natively on macOS as a Mac Catalyst app. The Mac build uses an AVAudioEngine-based recording pipeline that is tuned for desktop audio sessions:
+
+ - Same Core Data store — Recordings, transcripts, and summaries sync with iPhone/iPad through iCloud (if enabled).
+ - Pause & Resume — Full pause/resume support, the same as on iOS.
+ - Microphone selection — Choose your built-in mic, USB interface, or Bluetooth device from Transcription Settings.
+ - Local AI — The on-device llama.cpp engine ships with a dedicated Mac Catalyst slice; experimental MLX Swift summarization is available on Apple Silicon Macs.
+ - Settings sheets — Settings forms use a Mac-friendly layout for reliable scrolling and button hit targets.
+
+
+Pause & Resume Recording (v1.11)
+Pause and resume the current recording without stopping the file:
+
+ - Tap the Pause button while recording. The timer freezes; audio capture stops; the file stays open.
+ - Tap Resume to keep adding to the same audio file from where you left off.
+ - Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. On Mac the underlying pipeline uses
AVAudioEngine for a clean pause boundary.
+
+
iPhone Action Button Integration
Available on: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and future iPhone Pro models with Action Button.
@@ -632,6 +670,28 @@ Setup
+
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+ 9. MLX Swift — Experimental On-Device Summarization
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+
On-Device
+
Free
+
Type: On-device, Apple Silicon • Cost: Free • Privacy: 100% local • Internet: Only for initial model download
+
+
Experimental: The MLX Swift engine is gated behind the experimental toggle in Settings. It runs on Apple’s MLX framework and is best treated as a preview while we tune memory pressure on lower-RAM devices.
+
+
Setup
+
+ - Go to Setup → Additional Settings.
+ - Turn on “Experimental summary models & MLX AI engine”.
+ - Return to AI Settings and pick MLX Swift from the engine library.
+ - Download an MLX model from the MLX Swift settings screen.
+
+
+
Best for: Apple Silicon devices (especially Mac and iPad with M-series chips) where you want fully local summarization with a different model lineup than llama.cpp.
+
+
@@ -742,11 +802,13 @@ Viewing Summaries
Summary Features
- - Expandable Sections — Tap to expand/collapse
- - Task Extraction — AI-identified actionable items
- - Reminder Detection — Time-sensitive reminders
- - Priority Indicators — Color-coded priorities
- - Location Maps — Interactive maps showing recording location
+ - Expandable Sections — Tap to expand/collapse
+ - Task Extraction — AI-identified actionable items
+ - Reminder Detection — Time-sensitive reminders
+ - Priority Indicators — Color-coded priorities
+ - Location Maps — Interactive maps showing recording location
+ - Attachments — Attach text, PDF, or other documents to a summary. Inline previews are available for text and PDF; other formats open with Quick Look. Note exports save your notes for sharing.
+ - Send to Reminders / Calendar — Push extracted tasks and reminders into Apple Reminders, Apple Calendar, or Google Calendar (uses the Google Calendar app if installed, falls back to the web).
Search & Filtering
@@ -766,13 +828,18 @@ Editing Metadata
Change Title, Date, or Location
Recording Title
-
Open summary → "Titles" section → "Edit" → enter new title or select from AI alternatives → "Use This Title".
+
You can rename a recording from three places:
+
+ - The audio player view (tap the title to edit)
+ - The transcript editor (tap the title at the top)
+ - The summary view — “Titles” section → “Edit” → enter a new title or pick one of the AI-generated alternatives → “Use This Title”.
+
Custom Date & Time
-
Open summary → "Recording Date & Time" → "Set Custom Date & Time" → use pickers → "Save".
+
Open summary → “Recording Date & Time” → “Set Custom Date & Time” → use pickers → “Save”. BisonNotes AI also persists the explicit recording start timestamp so date sorting matches when the audio was captured, not when it was imported.
Location
-
Open summary → location section → "Add Location" or "Edit Location". Choose: Current Location (GPS), Map Selection, or Manual Entry → "Save".
+
Open summary → location section → “Add Location” or “Edit Location”. Choose: Current Location (GPS), Map Selection, or Manual Entry → “Save”.
@@ -816,10 +883,10 @@ Simple Setup
Additional Settings
Full control over all options.
- - All 8 AI engines
+ - All 8 AI engines plus the experimental MLX Swift engine
- All transcription engines
- Microphone selection
- - Preferences, iCloud, background processing
+ - Preferences, iCloud, background processing, experimental toggles
@@ -828,19 +895,60 @@ Additional Settings
Audio Settings
- - Quality: Whisper Optimized (22 kHz, 64 kbps AAC) — optimized for voice
- - Microphone Selection: Choose from available mics (built-in, Bluetooth, USB). Saved across recordings. Auto-fallback if unavailable.
- - Mixed Audio: Record without interrupting system audio
- - Background Recording: Continue when app is minimized
+ - Quality: Whisper Optimized (22 kHz, 64 kbps AAC) — optimized for voice
+ - Microphone Selection: Choose from available mics (built-in, Bluetooth, USB, audio interface). Saved across recordings. Auto-fallback if unavailable. Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
+ - Mixed Audio: Record without interrupting system audio (iOS / iPadOS)
+ - Background Recording: Continue when the app is minimized (iOS / iPadOS) or behind other windows (Mac)
+ - Pause & Resume (v1.11): Pause without ending the file; resume to keep adding to the same recording
AI Settings
- - Engine Selection — Choose from all 7 AI engines
- - Model Configuration — Temperature, max tokens, etc.
- - Connection Testing — Verify API connectivity
- - Batch Regeneration — Update all summaries with new engine
+ - Engine Selection — Choose from all 8 AI engines (plus MLX Swift if experimental engines are enabled)
+ - Model Configuration — Temperature, max tokens, comedy mode tone, etc.
+ - Connection Testing — Verify API connectivity
+ - Batch Regeneration — Update all summaries with new engine
+
+
+Comedy Mode
+Comedy Mode adds an optional tone to AI-generated summaries. Turn it on in Settings, pick a style (e.g. snarky), and supported engines will rewrite summaries in that voice. Disable it to return to the standard, neutral summary style.
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+
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+
+Privacy & Security
+
+v1.11 security hardening: BisonNotes AI now stores all sensitive credentials in the iOS Keychain, applies file protection to recordings and notes, and validates user-configurable AI endpoints to block insecure cleartext destinations.
+
+How credentials are stored
+
+ - Keychain-backed storage — OpenAI keys, Mistral keys, Google AI keys, AWS access keys/secret keys/session tokens, OpenAI-Compatible keys, and Whisper auth tokens all live in the iOS Keychain.
+ - Automatic migration — Existing values stored in legacy locations are migrated into the Keychain on first launch of v1.11 and then removed from their old locations.
+ - Process environment is cleared — Any inherited
AWS_* environment variables are scrubbed at launch so AWS SDKs only use the credentials you configured in-app.
+ - iCloud settings backup — Sensitive settings (API keys, AWS credentials) are excluded from iCloud settings backups by default. If a previous backup contained sensitive values, they are restored into the Keychain rather than re-saved to settings storage.
+
+
+File protection
+BisonNotes AI applies explicit iOS file protection to:
+
+ - Audio recordings, imported audio, restored archives, and watch backups
+ - Live transcription placeholder audio
+ - Summary attachments and their metadata
+ - Persistent error logs
+ - The Core Data SQLite store and related files
+
+
+Endpoint safety
+User-configurable AI services (OpenAI, OpenAI-Compatible, Ollama, Whisper) are checked against an endpoint policy:
+
+ - Local/private endpoints (loopback, link-local, RFC1918 networks) are allowed by default.
+ - Public cleartext endpoints (plain HTTP or WS pointing at the open internet) are blocked unless you explicitly enable Development Mode for that service.
+ - HTTPS / WSS public endpoints (Groq, Nebius, OpenAI, etc.) work as expected.
+Development Mode: Enable it only on networks you control. It exists so you can connect to a self-hosted server on a public address while you set it up — it does not weaken transport security for any other engine.
+
+Share Extension hardening
+Imports from the Share Extension are now authorized with one-time tokens before the main app scans the shared container, and the imported files themselves are file-protected. Full file paths are no longer written to logs.
@@ -908,14 +1016,15 @@ Advanced Features
Background Processing
- - Job Queue — Multiple operations queued and processed in order
- - Progress Tracking — Real-time updates with accurate status display
- - Error Recovery — Automatic retry for failures
- - Stale Job Detection (v1.7) — Intelligent detection and recovery of stuck jobs, with timeouts based on actual processing start time
- - Job Cancellation (v1.7) — Properly cancel and interrupt running jobs when the app is backgrounded or closed
- - On-Device AI Handling — On-device AI jobs are gracefully interrupted when the app is backgrounded, since GPU processing requires the app to stay open
- - Live Transcription (v1.8) — On-device speech-to-text streamed in real time during recording via SFSpeechRecognizer; transcript auto-saved when recording stops
- - Duplicate Summary Cleanup (v1.8) — Automatically detects and removes duplicate summaries; manual cleanup available in Database Tools
+ - Job Queue — Multiple operations queued and processed in order
+ - Progress Tracking — Real-time updates with accurate status display
+ - Error Recovery — Automatic retry for failures
+ - Stale Job Detection (v1.7) — Intelligent detection and recovery of stuck jobs, with timeouts based on actual processing start time
+ - Job Cancellation (v1.7) — Properly cancel and interrupt running jobs when the app is backgrounded or closed
+ - On-Device AI Handling — On-device AI jobs are gracefully interrupted when the app is backgrounded, since GPU processing requires the app to stay open
+ - Live Transcription (v1.8) — On-device speech-to-text streamed in real time during recording via SFSpeechRecognizer; transcript auto-saved when recording stops
+ - Duplicate Summary Cleanup (v1.8) — Automatically detects and removes duplicate summaries; manual cleanup available in Database Tools
+ - Explicit credential resolvers (v1.11) — Background AWS jobs always pull fresh credentials from the Keychain so stale process-environment values can’t leak in
@@ -924,17 +1033,30 @@ Advanced Features
File Management
- - Import/Export — M4A, MP3, WAV, CAF, AIFF, AIF
- - Audio Export (v1.8) — Share any recording as an audio file via the iOS share sheet
- - Audio Archive — Offload selected or older audio files to iCloud Drive, keep an in-app restore pointer, and remove the archived cloud copy after restore
- - Video Import (v1.8) — Import video files; audio is automatically extracted to M4A
- - Audio Cleanup (v1.8) — Optional pre-transcription DSP: high-pass filter, noise gate, dynamic normalization, peak limiting
- - Share Extension — Import from Voice Memos, Files, etc.
- - Combining Recordings — Merge two into one
- - PDF Export — Professional reports with metadata, maps, page numbers
- - File Relationships — Audio/transcript/summary links maintained
- - Orphaned File Detection — Find and clean disconnected files
- - Selective Deletion — Choose what to keep
+ - Import/Export — M4A, MP3, WAV, CAF, AIFF, AIF
+ - Audio Export (v1.8) — Share any recording as an audio file via the iOS share sheet
+ - Clean Audio Export (v1.10) — Exports use a clean, user-friendly filename derived from the recording title
+ - Audio Archive — Offload selected or older audio files to iCloud Drive, keep an in-app restore pointer, and remove the archived cloud copy after restore
+ - Video Import (v1.8) — Import video files; audio is automatically extracted to M4A
+ - Audio Cleanup (v1.8) — Optional pre-transcription DSP: high-pass filter, noise gate, dynamic normalization, peak limiting
+ - Share Extension — Import from Voice Memos, Files, etc., with one-time token authorization (v1.11)
+ - Combining Recordings — Merge two into one
+ - PDF Export — Professional reports with metadata, maps, page numbers
+ - File Relationships — Audio/transcript/summary links maintained
+ - Orphaned File Detection — Find and clean disconnected files
+ - Selective Deletion — Choose what to keep
+ - File Protection (v1.11) — Recordings, attachments, notes, and the Core Data store are stored with explicit iOS file protection
+
+
+
+
+
+ Watch Complications & Control Center Widget
+
+
+ - Apple Watch Complications (v1.9) — Surface live recording state on watch faces. Tap the complication to open the watch app.
+ - Control Center Recording Widget (iOS 18+) — Add the BisonNotes recording control to Control Center to start/stop recordings without opening the app.
+ - Watch App — Full standalone recording on Apple Watch with automatic sync back to iPhone via WatchConnectivity.
@@ -957,10 +1079,11 @@ Advanced Features
iCloud Backup & Sync
- - iCloud Backup — Full backup of all data to iCloud Drive
- - Audio Archive to iCloud Drive — Space-saving audio offload with tracked restore locations. Third-party Files providers are paused for archive targets for now.
- - Auto-Backup (v1.7) — Automatically backs up when new recordings are created
- - CloudKit Sync — Optional summary synchronization across devices with paginated queries and schema-safe fallback for reliability
+ - iCloud Backup — Full backup of all data to iCloud Drive
+ - Audio Archive to iCloud Drive — Space-saving audio offload with tracked restore locations. Third-party Files providers are paused for archive targets for now.
+ - Auto-Backup (v1.7) — Automatically backs up when new recordings are created
+ - CloudKit Sync — Optional summary synchronization across devices with paginated queries and schema-safe fallback for reliability
+ - Sensitive data excluded (v1.11) — API keys and AWS credentials are never written into iCloud settings backups; if a previous backup contained them, they are restored into the Keychain instead.
- Prompted after generating your first summary