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Installation Guide

Installing StarWhisper is straightforward. Follow these steps to get started with voice transcription on Windows.

Download Options

Choose the installation method that works best for you:

Option Size Best For
Base Installer ~300 MB Downloads models on first use (recommended)
Full Installer ~1 GB Offline installation, all models included
Microsoft Store ~500 MB Easy updates, automatic installation

Step-by-Step Installation

Step 1: Download and Extract

  1. Visit starwhisper.ai/download
  2. Choose your preferred installer (Base or Full)
  3. Save the .zip file to your computer
  4. Right-click the downloaded zip and select Extract All...
  5. Choose a destination folder and click Extract

Step 2: Run the Installer

  1. Open the extracted folder
  2. Double-click StarWhisper-Setup.exe
  3. If Windows shows a SmartScreen warning, click More info then Run anyway
  4. The installer will begin setup

Windows SmartScreen

The SmartScreen warning appears for all new Windows software. StarWhisper is safe to run. Click "More info" then "Run anyway" to proceed.

Step 3: Installation Wizard

  1. Choose your installation directory (default is recommended)
  2. Select additional options:
    • Create desktop shortcut
    • Add to Start menu
    • Launch on Windows startup (optional)
  3. Click Install to begin
  4. Wait for the installation to complete

Step 4: First Launch

  1. Click Finish to close the installer
  2. StarWhisper will launch automatically if selected
  3. You may see a microphone permission prompt - click Allow
  4. The recording circle will appear on your screen

Microsoft Store Installation

Alternative installation through Microsoft Store:

  1. Open Microsoft Store on Windows 10/11
  2. Search for "StarWhisper"
  3. Click Get or Install
  4. After installation, launch from Start menu

Microsoft Store Version Differences

The Store version requires a separate GPU Pack download (~528 MB) for GPU acceleration. The standalone installer includes GPU support.

Post-Installation

Microphone Permission

If you didn't allow microphone access during first launch:

  1. Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
  2. Enable "Let apps access your microphone"
  3. Find StarWhisper in the list and enable it
  4. Restart StarWhisper

First Model Download

On first transcription, StarWhisper will download your selected AI model:

  • Tiny: ~75 MB, fastest, basic accuracy
  • Base: ~142 MB, good speed
  • Small: ~466 MB, recommended balance

Uninstallation

To remove StarWhisper from your computer:

Windows Settings (Recommended)

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps
  2. Find StarWhisper in the list
  3. Click the three dots and select Uninstall
  4. Follow the prompts to complete uninstallation

Control Panel

  1. Open Control Panel → Programs and Features
  2. Find StarWhisper in the list
  3. Click Uninstall
  4. Follow the prompts

Settings Preserved

Uninstalling removes the application but may leave your settings in %APPDATA%\StarWhisper. Delete this folder manually to remove all data.

Troubleshooting Installation

Issue Solution
Installer won't start Temporarily disable antivirus, then try again
SmartScreen blocks installation Click "More info" then "Run anyway"
Installation fails with error Run installer as administrator (right-click → Run as admin)
Circle doesn't appear after install Check system tray, restart computer, or reinstall

Next Steps

After successful installation:

  • Launch StarWhisper from your desktop shortcut or Start menu
  • Allow microphone access when prompted
  • Select your preferred AI model
  • Start recording by clicking the recording circle