Taking meeting notes on a Mac in four steps
For video calls on macOS, Chrome and Edge can capture any browser tab's audio with zero system drivers.
Open the call in Chrome or Edge
Google Meet, Microsoft Teams on the web, and Zoom ("Join from your browser") all run directly in a tab on macOS.
Open MeetingSidekick in a second tab
Go to meetingsidekick.ai, sign in free or use the 5-minute trial. Tick the consent box, press Start, and allow the microphone.
Share the call tab with audio
In the browser picker, choose the Chrome Tab with your meeting and make sure "Also share tab audio" is on. Both your mic and the call are captured.
In-person? Safari works too
For a meeting in a conference room, open meetingsidekick.ai in Safari or Chrome and press Start. The MacBook microphone captures the room.
When a Mac web app beats a desktop installer
Nothing running in the background when the tab is closed.
Jamf & Kandji managed Macs
If IT locks down `/Applications` or blocks new Screen Recording permissions in macOS System Settings, a browser tab still works.
No background daemon
No menu-bar icon watching your calendar or prompting you every time your microphone turns on. It only runs while the tab is open.
Keeps the audio recording
Some Mac notetakers discard the audio right after transcribing. MeetingSidekick stores the audio so Pro and Max users can replay any moment.
Works on iPhone & iPad too
Same account, same browser URL. Walk into a room with your iPhone or iPad, open Safari, and record in-person meetings with no app.
The macOS limits, before you start
Tab audio, not desktop-app audio, on macOS. On a Mac, Chrome and Edge can capture audio from another browser tab, but not from the native Zoom or Teams macOS desktop apps. Either join the call in a browser tab, or if you must use the native desktop app with no headphones, let your MacBook or iPhone mic capture the speaker audio in the room.
Chrome or Edge for video calls; Safari for in-person. Apple's Safari does not implement browser tab-audio sharing. Use Chrome or Edge on your Mac for online calls; Safari works great when you are recording a room with the microphone.
Tell the room. Because no bot joins the call, nothing on the attendee list announces you are taking notes. Let participants know out loud and follow your workplace and local consent rules.
Mac meeting notes without an app, answered
Can I take AI meeting notes on a Mac without installing a desktop app?
Yes. MeetingSidekick is a web app that runs in a browser tab on macOS. There is no DMG to download, no menu-bar helper running in the background, and no macOS System Settings permissions to grant beyond your browser's microphone.
How do I capture call audio on a Mac without installing an audio driver?
Run the video call (Google Meet, Teams on the web, or Zoom in the browser) in a Chrome or Edge tab on your Mac. Open meetingsidekick.ai in a second tab, press Start, and pick the call tab with "Also share tab audio" ticked.
Does it work in Safari on a Mac?
Safari works for in-person meetings (it uses the MacBook's microphone) and for calls on speakerphone. For capturing a video call's audio directly on a Mac, use Chrome or Edge, because Safari does not support sharing tab audio.
How is this different from Mac apps like Granola or Fathom?
Granola, Fathom, tl;dv and Circleback use a desktop app you install in Applications, which requires macOS system-audio or screen-recording permissions and is often blocked on MDM-managed work Macs. MeetingSidekick runs entirely in a browser tab and also keeps the audio recording for replay.
How much does it cost?
Free is 2 hours of recording, one time, with no credit card. Pro is $15 a month or $120 a year for 30 hours a month, speaker names, search across all your meetings and audio replay. Max is $50 a month for unlimited recording. A one-time 5-hour pack is $9 and never expires.
Try it on your Mac right now.
Free to start, no credit card, nothing to drag to Applications.
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