Transcription issues
Fix inaccurate, slow, or missing transcriptions caused by connection, audio quality, or language settings.
Check your internet connection (Cloud mode)
In Cloud mode (the default), Epilude sends your audio to the cloud for transcription, so it needs an active internet connection. Verify you're connected and try again.
In Local Mode, transcription runs on your Mac and works offline. If it fails, Epilude Model 4 may not have finished downloading. See Local Mode.
Audio quality matters
Poor audio leads to poor transcription. For better accuracy:
- Reduce background noise — Move away from fans, AC, or noisy environments
- Speak clearly — Use your normal speaking voice at a steady pace
- Keep the mic close — Closer microphones capture clearer audio. See Audio & microphone setup
Check your language setting
If the wrong language is selected, Epilude will try to match your speech to the wrong language model, resulting in garbled output.
- Open Settings → General → Language
- Verify the correct language is selected
- Choose the specific regional variant for best accuracy (e.g., "English (US)" vs. "English (UK)")
Fewer languages, better accuracy
Select only the languages you actually use. The fewer languages configured, the more accurate transcription will be.
Wrong words or names
Unusual names, technical terms, and jargon may be misrecognized. This is a limitation of speech-to-text models in general.
To improve accuracy:
- Speak uncommon words more slowly and clearly
- Consider spelling out highly unusual terms
Slow transcription
If transcription is noticeably delayed or seems stuck, the fixes differ from accuracy problems: they depend on your connection, dictation length, and your Mac's resources. See Dictation is slow or stuck for the full steps to speed it up and recover from stalls.
Filler words appearing
Epilude automatically removes common filler words like "um" and "uh" through Smart Formatting, which runs on every dictation. If filler words are still showing up, check that your Cleanup level isn't set to None — None inserts the verbatim transcript, fillers and all.
Still having issues?
If you've tried the steps above and transcription is still unreliable, contact support. Include your macOS version, Epilude version, and a description of the issue.