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High CPU or Memory Usage

Symptom​

TalkWriter is consuming a large amount of CPU or memory, making your Mac slow, hot, or causing the fans to spin up.

Quick Fix​

Quit and reopen TalkWriter. If the issue persists, check for stuck audio streams.

Step-by-Step Diagnostic​

✅ Step 1: Check Activity Monitor​

  1. Open Activity Monitor (Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor)
  2. Click the CPU tab
  3. Search for "TalkWriter"
  4. Note the % CPU value:
CPU UsageStatus
0-5%✅ Normal (idle)
5-15%✅ Normal (during dictation)
15-30%⚠️ Elevated — check for stuck streams
30%+❌ Abnormal — restart TalkWriter
  1. Click the Memory tab and check TalkWriter's memory usage:
Memory UsageStatus
Under 200 MB✅ Normal
200-500 MB⚠️ Elevated
Over 500 MB❌ Abnormal — restart TalkWriter

✅ Step 2: Check for Stuck Audio Streams​

A dictation session that did not end properly can keep the audio stream open:

  1. Look at the TalkWriter menu bar icon — if it shows a recording indicator when you are not dictating, the stream is stuck
  2. Click the menu bar icon and check the status
  3. If it says "Recording" or "Processing," click Stop or quit TalkWriter
  4. Reopen TalkWriter

✅ Step 3: Close Competing Audio Apps​

Multiple apps using the microphone simultaneously can cause high CPU:

  1. Check for the orange dot in the menu bar (indicates microphone use)
  2. Close apps that may be using the microphone:
    • Video call apps (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet)
    • Other voice tools
    • Audio recording software
  3. Try TalkWriter alone

✅ Step 4: Restart TalkWriter​

  1. Right-click the TalkWriter menu bar icon
  2. Click Quit
  3. Wait 5 seconds
  4. Reopen TalkWriter from your Applications folder
  5. Check Activity Monitor to confirm CPU/memory is back to normal

✅ Step 5: Check for Updates​

Older versions may have bugs that cause resource leaks:

  1. Open TalkWriter Settings → General
  2. Check for updates
  3. Install any available updates

✅ Step 6: Restart Your Mac​

If TalkWriter's resource usage does not drop after quitting:

  1. Save all your work
  2. Restart your Mac from the Apple menu
  3. Open TalkWriter and monitor resource usage

Still Not Working?​

  • Collect logs using the Collecting Logs guide
  • Email support@talkwriter.ai with:
    • Screenshots from Activity Monitor
    • Your macOS version and Mac model
    • How long TalkWriter was running before the issue started

FAQ​

Is it normal for CPU to spike during dictation? Yes. Brief spikes (5-15%) during active dictation are normal. CPU should drop back to near 0% when idle.

Does TalkWriter run in the background? Yes. TalkWriter stays in the menu bar and uses minimal resources (under 5% CPU, under 100 MB memory) when idle.

Should I force-quit TalkWriter? Only as a last resort. First try quitting normally from the menu bar. If it does not respond, use Activity Monitor to force quit.