# Voice notes and AI

> Transcribe voice notes on your device or with OpenAI, and let your model title them, tidy the transcript and write notes.

- Page: https://resurf.so/guides/voice-ai
- Section: AI
- Works on: Mac, iPhone, iPad
- Last checked against the app: 2026-10-17
- Default: On-device
- Where: Settings → Voice

## On-device or Cloud

**On-device** transcribes on your device and is the default. **Cloud** sends the audio to OpenAI and needs OpenAI connected.

On Mac:

1. Choose **Settings…** (`⌘,`) and click **Voice**, under Capture.
2. Under **Transcribe with**, choose **On-device** or **Cloud**.
3. For On-device, pick a **Model**. One that isn't on this Mac downloads when you pick it.
4. For Cloud, connect OpenAI in the **OpenAI** row, then pick a **Model**. Choosing Cloud turns on **AI features**.
5. Pick a **Language**, or leave **Auto detect**.

On iPhone and iPad:

1. In Resurf's Settings, tap **Voice**.
2. Under **Transcribe with**, choose **On-device** or **Cloud**. Cloud shows only when AI is on and this device has allowed it.
3. For On-device, download or pick a model. For Cloud, pick a **Speech model**.

Cloud is OpenAI only. Turning off AI features switches transcription back to On-device.

## Titles and clean-up

When AI features are on and a model is picked, each new voice note gets a short title and a cleaned-up transcript from your model. Clean-up fixes grammar and punctuation and removes filler words, keeping your words and their order. The original transcript is kept.

Without AI, Auto title uses the first words of the transcript instead. Only a note still titled **Voice note** is renamed.

On iPhone and iPad:

1. In Resurf's Settings, tap **Voice**.
2. Turn **Auto title** and **Clean up transcript** on or off. Both are on by default and show while AI is on for this device.

Mac has no switch for these: it follows your iPhone or iPad setting. They run whenever AI features are on, even with Suggest as you capture off.

## Generate notes

Write a note from a voice note's transcript in one of three styles: **Clean up** tidies it, **Format** makes headed, bulleted notes, and **Meeting notes** writes a summary with Key points, Decisions and Action items.

On Mac:

1. Open a voice note and click **Notes**.
2. Click **Clean up**, **Format** or **Meeting notes**.

On iPhone and iPad:

1. Open a voice note and tap **Notes**.
2. Tap **Generate notes**, then **Clean up**, **Format** or **Meeting notes**.

This needs AI features on and a model, and sends the transcript to your provider. If the note already has text, Resurf asks before replacing it.

## Transcribe again

On the **Transcript** tab, **Re-transcribe** runs transcription again with your current **Transcribe with** setting. On Mac it's the button at the right, and Resurf asks before replacing a transcript. On iPhone and iPad it's under the text and doesn't ask first.

## Questions

### Can I use Claude or Gemini to transcribe?

No. Cloud transcription is OpenAI only.

### Why is Cloud missing on my iPhone?

AI is off, or this device hasn't allowed AI yet. Turn on AI in Resurf's Settings and tap Allow.

### Generate notes is greyed out.

The voice note has no transcript yet. Transcribe it first.

## More guides

- Previous: [Assistant](https://resurf.so/guides/ask-ai.md)
- Next: [What AI sends](https://resurf.so/guides/ai-privacy.md)
- [AI providers](https://resurf.so/guides/ai-providers.md): Connect your own AI provider with your own key. Resurf's AI features stay off until you do.
- [AI suggestions](https://resurf.so/guides/ai-suggestions.md): When you save something, your AI provider writes a title, a summary and keywords for it, and suggests spaces.
- [Model and instructions](https://resurf.so/guides/ai-model.md): Pick the model that writes your suggestions, give it your own instructions, and run it again over your library.
- [Assistant](https://resurf.so/guides/ask-ai.md): Ask questions about your library in a chat pane on Mac, and get answers that cite the captures they used.
- [What AI sends](https://resurf.so/guides/ai-privacy.md): What each AI feature sends to your provider, and when nothing is sent at all.
- [Every guide](https://resurf.so/llms.txt)