Support
Answers to the things people most often get stuck on. If yours isn’t here, email hello@demist.app and we’ll get back to you.
It helps if you say which version you’re using (the Windows app or the website), what you were doing, and what happened instead.
Getting started (Windows app)
The first launch is taking a long time. Is it stuck?
Almost certainly not. Transcription is built into the app, so recording works straight away with nothing to download. What takes time is the term-detection model, which is several gigabytes and downloads in the background the first time you open Demist. Its progress shows under the record button. Until it finishes you get a live transcript without term cards, rather than nothing at all, and it only happens once.
The record button is greyed out
It unlocks once the transcription model has loaded into memory, which normally takes a few seconds. The text underneath says Preparing on-device models… while that happens. If it stays greyed out, or reads Couldn’t load on-device models, press Retry. If that doesn’t help, close the app fully and reopen it.
Do I need an account?
Not on the Windows app. Choose Start without an account and recording, term cards, flashcards and your glossary all work. The catch is that an account with no email address cannot be recovered: if you reinstall Windows or clear the app’s data, it’s gone. You can add an email at any time in Settings, which keeps the same account and everything in it.
It says Demist can’t reach the internet
Demist loads its interface from demist.app, so it needs a connection to start even though the transcription itself runs on your computer. Check your connection and press Try again. Your downloaded models and anything already recorded are safe.
Recording and transcription
I’m recording but no text appears
Give it a few seconds. Demist waits for a natural pause before transcribing, so the first line usually appears about three to five seconds after you start talking. If nothing appears after that, check Windows has given Demist microphone access: Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone, and make sure both microphone access and access for desktop apps are on.
The wrong microphone is being used
Pick the one you want in Demist’s own Settings, under Microphone. If your device isn’t listed, click into the list once to allow device names to load, or reconnect the microphone and check again.
The transcript lags behind the speaker
A second or two behind is normal and expected, because Demist transcribes complete phrases rather than individual words. If it drifts much further than that, close other heavy applications: transcription runs entirely on your computer’s processor, so it competes with whatever else is running. On a slower machine you can switch the transcription model to Fast in Settings, which roughly halves the work at some cost to accuracy.
The transcript is inaccurate
The most common cause is a quiet or distant microphone. Move closer to it, or raise the input level in Windows Settings → System → Sound → Input. If your machine has the memory for it, make sure the transcription model in Demist’s Settings is set to Accurate rather than Fast. Background noise and heavy crosstalk will also reduce accuracy.
Term cards and flashcards
No term cards are appearing
Term cards only appear for subject-specific vocabulary a student would plausibly need explained, so an introduction or general discussion may produce none at all. They also arrive a little after the transcript, because the term-detection model runs once enough has been said to judge it. If none appear across a whole lecture, check Settings shows a term-detection model as loaded.
It’s flagging ordinary words
Open Settings and check which term-detection model is selected. The smallest one is less able to tell jargon from ordinary speech and is only intended for machines with under 8GB of memory. If yours has more, choose Small, which is noticeably more precise. You can dismiss any card you don’t want and it won’t be saved.
Can I use Demist for a subject in another language?
Not yet. Transcription is English-only. If you study in English and would like definitions translated into another language, set your translation language in Settings. Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish and French are supported.
Your account and data
Where is my lecture audio sent?
In the Windows app, nowhere. Transcription, term detection and translation all run on your computer, and your audio never leaves it. Your glossary, flashcards and session history do sync to your account so they’re available across devices. The privacy policy sets out exactly what is stored and what isn’t.
How do I delete my data?
Go to Settings → Delete account, type DELETE to confirm, and everything stored against your account (profile, transcripts, terms, sessions and flashcard history) is removed immediately. It cannot be undone. If you can’t sign in, email us and we’ll do it for you.
Can I move my glossary to another computer?
Yes, as long as your account has an email address on it. Sign in on the other machine and your terms, flashcards and history are already there. If you started without an account, add an email in Settings first, which keeps the same account rather than starting a new one.
Still stuck?
Email hello@demist.app. For anything about your personal data specifically, write to privacy@demist.app and see the privacy policy for how we handle it.