# SETUP FOR BEGINNERS — WhisperClip

**No experience needed.** This guide walks you through everything, click by click.
If you can send an email, you can do this. ~10 minutes total.

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## What this tool does (in plain English)

You give it an audio or video file (a recording, a podcast episode, a lecture MP3).
It writes down every word — as plain text and as subtitles (`.srt`) — so you can
read, search, and copy instead of listening again.

It uses **your own free key** (Groq). Your files go straight from your computer to
Groq and back — they never pass through us.

## What you need

- A computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux)
- Internet connection
- **Free:** [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/)
- **Free:** a Groq API key (takes 2 minutes — instructions below)

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## Step 1 — Get your free Groq key (~2 minutes)

1. Go to **https://console.groq.com/keys**
2. Click **Sign up** (email or Google — free).
3. On the page that appears, click **Create API Key**.
4. Give it any name (e.g. "whisperclip"), click **Create**.
5. **Copy the key** (it looks like `gsk_…` — long and secret). Save it somewhere,
   you'll paste it in Step 3.

## Step 2 — Install Node.js (only once, ~3 minutes)

1. Go to **https://nodejs.org/**
2. Click the big green button that says **LTS** (left side).
3. Open the downloaded file, click **Next** (or **Continue**) through every screen,
   then **Install** / **Finish**.

> **Already have Node?** Skip this. Check: open a terminal, type `node --version` —
> a number like `v18` or higher means you're good.

## Step 3 — Unzip + set up WhisperClip

1. Right-click `whisperclip.zip` → **Extract All** (Windows) / double-click (Mac).
2. Open the `whisperclip` folder.
3. **Windows:** double-click **`setup.bat`** (black window installs the tool, ~30 seconds).
   **Mac/Linux:** right-click `install.sh` → **Open with → Terminal** (if asked,
   click **Open**). If it won't run, open Terminal and type:
   `cd Downloads/whisperclip` then `bash install.sh`.
4. Find **`.env.example`**, right-click → **Rename** → change it to exactly **`.env`**
   (keep the dot at the front!).
5. Open `.env` with Notepad. Paste your Groq key next to `GROQ_API_KEY=`
   (and your license key next to `DS_LICENSE_KEY=` if you've bought one).
   Save and close.

> **Windows tip:** if you don't see `.env.example`, click **View** → tick
> **File name extensions** and **Hidden items**.

## Step 4 — Transcribe a file (free demo works!)

1. In the folder, open a terminal (Windows: click the address bar, type `cmd`, Enter;
   Mac: right-click folder → **New Terminal at Folder**).
2. Run:
   ```
   node src/transcribe.mjs path/to/your/file.mp3
   ```
   Replace `path/to/your/file.mp3` with your real file — easiest trick: drag the
   file onto the terminal window and it types the path for you.
3. Watch the progress. When it finishes, you get `file.txt` and `file.srt`
   next to your audio.

**Demo mode** transcribes the first ~30 seconds for free — try before you buy.

## Step 5 — Unlock with your license (after you buy)

Paste your `ds-…` license key into `.env` (Step 3.5) and re-run — full length,
unlimited files.

---

## Common questions

- **I lost my license key?** Visit **https://smadsolutions.com/agent-b/recover/** and
  enter the email + order ID from your PayPal receipt.
- **New computer?** Your key allows 3 devices. Release the old one at
  **https://smadsolutions.com/agent-b/manage/**.
- **Which file types?** MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, MOV, and most others.
- **Stuck?** Email us via the studio contact on smadsolutions.com — we reply fast.