Signing In on Desktop
Sign in to the desktop app and stay signed in.
The Kalima desktop app uses the same account as the website, so you sign in once and stay signed in. You can use your email and password right in the app window, or sign in with Google through your normal browser. Either way, the app remembers you across restarts.
How sign-in works
When you launch the desktop app for the first time, you land on a sign-in screen. Choose the method that matches how you created your Kalima account.
Google sign-in opens in your computer's default web browser, where you complete authentication using your existing Google session. Once you finish, you are returned to the desktop app automatically and land in the Studio. There is no need to copy codes or switch windows manually.
Your desktop sign-in uses the exact same account, sessions, transcripts, and balance as the web app. There is no separate desktop login to set up.
Sign in step by step
Staying signed in
Once you are signed in, the desktop app keeps your session, so you do not have to sign in again every time you open it.
- The session persists across app restarts, including after you reboot your computer.
- The app keeps running in the system tray (the menu bar on macOS) when you close its window, so it stays signed in and ready in the background.
- Click the tray icon to bring the window back, or right-click it for a quick menu with Show Kalima, Start/Stop Transcription, the app version, and Quit.
Keeping Kalima running in the tray means meeting detection and quick recording stay available even when the window is closed. See Meeting Detection for more.
Closing vs. quitting
What happens when you close the window depends on your operating system.
| Action | Windows & macOS | Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Close the main window | Hides to the tray / menu bar; the app keeps running | Closing the last window quits the app |
| Fully exit | Choose Quit from the tray menu | Close the window, or choose Quit |
On Windows and macOS, closing the window does not sign you out or quit the app. It simply tucks Kalima away in the tray. Use Quit when you want to fully exit.
Signing out
You can sign out from inside the app whenever you like, for example to switch accounts or before handing your computer to someone else.
Signing out clears your saved session and the app's locally cached data, so you will need to sign in again the next time you open Kalima.
Frequently asked questions
No. The desktop app uses the same Kalima account as the website. Sign in with the same email and password, or the same Google account, and you will see all your existing sessions, transcripts, and balance. If you do not have an account yet, see Create Your Account.
Google sign-in uses your computer's default web browser so you can authenticate with your existing Google session securely. After you finish in the browser, you are sent back to the desktop app automatically. This requires a working default browser on your computer.
No. Your session persists across restarts, so you stay signed in until you choose to sign out. Closing the window (which hides Kalima to the tray on Windows and macOS) does not sign you out.
Yes, on Windows and macOS. Closing the window hides the app to the system tray (menu bar on macOS) so it can keep running and detect meetings in the background. To fully exit, choose Quit from the tray menu. On Linux, closing the last window quits the app.
Signing out clears the locally cached data for the app. Your sessions and transcripts are safe in your account. Sign back in with the same credentials and everything will reappear. If you still have trouble signing in, see Sign-In & Account Issues.