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Release Notes
What's new in NotchLive
March 2026
Bug fixes and security improvements.
Fixes
- Fixed Pro mode activation edge cases and improved license validation security
- Resolved intermittent crashes during extended captioning sessions
- General stability and performance improvements
March 2026
5 AI models, 20 translation languages, pause/resume, and redesigned Settings.
Features
- Pause and resume captioning from the widget control bar
- 5 AI models — added Medium and Large Turbo for best accuracy
- 20 translation languages — added Dutch, Hindi, Indonesian, Polish, Russian, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Chinese (Traditional)
- New 2-column language picker with download status indicators
- Redesigned Settings with friendlier labels and model cards
- Hot-swap AI models while captioning is running
- Small model is now the default for better out-of-box accuracy
Fixes
- Better mic accuracy in Both mode
- Fixed model loading and download UI glitches
March 2026
License validation and Pro upsell fixes.
Fixes
- Improved license validation security
- Fixed license deactivation reliability
- Fixed Pro upsell banner not showing after license changes
March 2026
Pro upsell, non-blocking translation, and bug fixes.
Features
- Pro upsell banner with Upgrade and Activate Key buttons
- Auto-dismiss Pro upsell when license is activated
- Non-blocking translation — captions appear instantly
Fixes
- Session recording no longer cuts off when changing translation language
March 2026
Caption Display improvements.
Features
- Caption Display now auto-starts captioning when opened — no extra steps needed
- New window button in the notch control bar for quick access to Caption Display
- Dual-stream captions in Both mode: your mic (cyan, top) + system audio (white, bottom)
March 2026
Caption Display window for screen sharing.
Features
- Caption Display — floating, resizable window with large captions for screen sharing in Zoom, Meet, StreamYard, and more
- Toggle with ⌥ ⌘ F or from the menu bar
- Auto-hides notch widget when Caption Display opens, restores on close
February 2026
Both mode overhaul, mic improvements, and post-session transcription.
Improvements
- Fixed "Both" mode - system audio captioned cleanly, no mic interference
- Mic gain boost (3x) for normal speaking distance
- Post-session mic transcription with "YOU" tags in session detail
- Chronological interleaving of entries
- Widget drop shadow
- Processing indicator during mic transcription
February 2026
Caption quality and UI improvements.
Improvements
- Fuller caption lines - text fills the full width before breaking to a new line
- Reduced hallucinations with improved noise filtering
- Better text spacing and readability near the notch area
- Added Website & Support links in Settings
Fixes
- Fixed auto-update feed so future updates are detected automatically
- Fixed microphone not working in release builds
February 2026
Real-time AI captions and translation in your MacBook's notch.
Features
Captions
- Real-time speech-to-text powered by on-device Whisper AI
- Three model tiers: Light (~40 MB), Standard (~140 MB), Pro (~460 MB)
- Automatic language detection for 90+ languages
- Streaming transcription with partial updates - text appears within ~1.5s of speech
Translation
- Real-time translation to 11 languages via Apple Translation (macOS 15+)
- Debounced partial translation - see translations as you listen, not just after silence
- Supported targets: English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, Arabic
Audio Sources
- System audio capture via ScreenCaptureKit - works with any app (Zoom, Meet, Teams, YouTube, etc.)
- Microphone input for in-person conversations
- Switchable on the fly
Notch Widget
- Floats over the notch area with smooth expand/collapse animations
- Works on MacBooks with and without a notch
- Hover to reveal controls: mode switch, language picker, recording, settings
- Auto-dims after silence, instantly un-dims when speech resumes
Session Recording (Pro)
- Record transcription sessions with timestamps
- Searchable session history with rename, export, and delete
- Export as TXT or JSON
- Breathing red edge overlay indicates active recording
Privacy
- Fully on-device - audio never leaves your Mac
- No cloud processing, no account required, no data collected
- Hardened runtime, code signed, and notarized by Apple
Keyboard Shortcuts
- ⌥ ⌘ C Toggle captioning
- ⌥ ⌘ T Cycle mode (Caption / Translate)
- ⌥ ⌘ K Copy last caption to clipboard
- ⌥ ⌘ H Toggle widget visibility
Other
- Menu bar app (no Dock icon)
- Guided onboarding for permissions and model download
- Automatic updates via Sparkle
- Free forever for captions. Pro $14.99 one-time for translation, sessions, and export.
System Requirements
macOS 14+ (translation requires macOS 15+)
Apple Silicon recommended, Intel supported