The short answer: AICHE adds an icon to your system tray (Windows/Linux) or menu bar (macOS) that shows recording status, provides quick actions, and lets you access all features without opening the main window.

Opening the main AICHE window to start recording or check history takes 2-4 seconds and clutters your screen with another window. After 30 daily recordings, you've spent 2 minutes just managing windows.

After launching AICHE, look for the icon in your system tray (Windows/Linux taskbar) or menu bar (macOS top menu area).
The icon color changes based on status: Blue (ready), Red/Orange (recording), Green (processing).
Click the icon to open the menu with options: Record, History, Settings, Show Window, Quit.
Select your action - "Record" to start dictating, "History" to view past transcriptions, "Settings" to adjust preferences.
On Windows/Linux, right-click opens the same menu. On macOS, any click opens the menu.
Close the main window anytime - AICHE continues running and remains accessible via the tray/menu bar icon.

Heads-up: On Windows, the tray icon might be hidden in the overflow area. Click the up arrow (^) near the clock to reveal hidden icons, then drag AICHE's icon to the main taskbar area for permanent visibility.

The pro-tip: Keep AICHE's main window closed 90% of the time. Use the global hotkey (⌃+⌥+R or Ctrl+Alt+R) for recording and only click the tray/menu bar icon when you need to access history or change settings. This keeps your screen uncluttered while maintaining full AICHE functionality.

Result: Record 50 voice notes throughout your workday without ever seeing AICHE's window. Check the tray icon color to confirm status. Open history from the menu when you need to reuse a past transcription. Your screen stays focused on actual work, not tool management.

Do this now: Close AICHE's main window, wait 2 seconds, then click the tray/menu bar icon to confirm full functionality remains accessible.

What the Icon Shows

Status Colors

Blue/Default: AICHE is ready to record. No active processes.

Red/Orange: Recording in progress. Duration visible in floating status bar.

Green: Processing transcription. Typically 2-8 seconds.

Gray: Offline mode. Recordings queued in "Later" for processing when internet returns.

Visual Indicators

macOS: Clean monochrome icon in menu bar matches system appearance (light/dark mode). Subtle color changes indicate status without being distracting.

Windows: Full-color icon in system tray with status badge overlay for recording/processing states.

Linux: Adapts to your desktop environment's tray styling (GNOME, KDE, XFCE, etc.).

Quick Actions Menu

Main Actions

Record: Starts recording immediately (same as Space bar when window focused or global hotkey from anywhere).

History: Opens history panel showing all past transcriptions with search and copy functionality.

Settings: Opens settings panel for AI enhancements, audio devices, and preferences.

Show/Hide Window: Toggles main AICHE window visibility.

Additional Options

Statistics: View total voice notes, words transcribed, current streak, and usage trends.

Later Queue: Access offline recordings waiting for internet connection (shows count when items pending).

Check for Updates: Manually check for new AICHE versions (auto-check happens daily).

Quit AICHE: Completely closes the application (global hotkey stops working until you relaunch).

Platform-Specific Features

macOS Menu Bar

Click: Opens quick actions menu
Status visible at a glance: Icon color changes without needing to click
Menu bar organization: Drag icon to reorder position among other menu bar items

Windows System Tray

Left-click: Opens quick actions menu
Right-click: Shows extended menu with window controls
Always available: Even with main window closed
Notification integration: Completion notifications link back to tray menu

Linux System Tray

Desktop environment support: Works with GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, Cinnamon, MATE
Click behavior: Adapts to your DE's tray conventions
AppIndicator support: Uses modern AppIndicator on Ubuntu/GNOME for better integration

Using AICHE Without the Main Window

Why Run Window-Free

Screen real estate: More space for your actual work - code editors, documents, browsers.

Focus: No temptation to fiddle with AICHE settings when you should be working.

Performance: Lower memory usage when main window is closed.

Workflow: Global hotkey + tray icon = complete functionality without window management.

Full Feature Access

Everything works from the tray/menu bar:

✅ Recording (global hotkey)
✅ History (via menu)
✅ Settings (via menu)
✅ Statistics (via menu)
✅ Later queue (via menu)
✅ Status visibility (icon color)
✅ Notifications (system notifications)

Only limitation: Can't see transcription text live in the main UI (but Smart Insert places it where you need it anyway).

Recommended Workflow

Launch AICHE at system startup (enable in settings)
Close the main window immediately (or minimize to tray)
Use global hotkey exclusively for recording (⌃+⌥+R or Ctrl+Alt+R)
Glance at tray icon for status confirmation
Click menu only when needed for history/settings
Ignore AICHE otherwise - it works silently in the background

Common Questions

Does AICHE run at startup automatically?

Yes, if enabled in Settings → General → "Start with System." On macOS, add to Login Items. On Windows, adds to Startup folder. On Linux, adds to autostart applications.

Can I hide the tray icon completely?

No. The tray/menu bar icon is AICHE's primary interface when the window is closed. Hiding it would make the app inaccessible. If you want a completely hidden workflow, keep the main window open but use "Always on Top" mode.

What happens if I quit from the tray menu?

AICHE closes completely. The global hotkey stops working, no more status icon, and offline recordings remain safe in the encrypted local database. Relaunch from your Applications folder or Start menu to resume.

Can I control recording from the tray menu?

Yes and no. You can start recording via "Record" menu item, but stopping mid-recording requires pressing the global hotkey or clicking the stop button in the main window (if visible). The tray menu is for starting recordings, not managing active ones.

Why does Windows hide the icon in the overflow area?

Windows auto-hides tray icons for apps it considers "inactive." Drag AICHE's icon from the overflow (click up arrow near clock) to the main taskbar area. Windows remembers this preference and keeps it visible.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Use these shortcuts when AICHE's main window has focus:

Space bar - Start/stop recording
Ctrl+H / Cmd+H - Open history
Ctrl+S / Cmd+S - Open settings

For system-wide recording access (works from any app), use the global hotkey: ⌃+⌥+R (Mac) or Ctrl+Alt+R (Windows/Linux).

Troubleshooting

Icon not visible

macOS: Check if hidden by system's menu bar item limit. Remove other menu bar apps or use a menu bar manager like Bartender.
Windows: Click overflow arrow (^) near clock to find hidden tray icons.
Linux: Ensure your desktop environment supports system tray. Some minimal setups require tray extensions.

Icon doesn't show status colors

macOS: Check system appearance settings. Dark mode may affect icon visibility.
Windows: Verify tray icon is pinned (not in overflow).
Linux: Some desktop environments don't support dynamic icon updates. Use notifications for status instead.

Menu doesn't open when clicked

Rare issue, usually caused by:

AICHE process partially frozen (check Activity Monitor/Task Manager)
Desktop environment tray bug (reboot fixes most cases)
Permissions issue (re-grant Accessibility permissions on macOS)

Solution: Right-click → Quit, then relaunch AICHE.

AICHE Always at Hand