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Session Expired

Symptom​

TalkWriter shows a "Session expired" or "Please sign in again" message. Dictation stops working until you re-authenticate.

Quick Fix​

Click the notification or go to TalkWriter Settings and click Sign In to re-authenticate.

Step-by-Step Diagnostic​

✅ Step 1: Understand Why Sessions Expire​

TalkWriter uses authentication tokens to keep you signed in. These tokens expire for security reasons:

ReasonToken Lifetime
Normal expiration30 days of inactivity
Password changeImmediate
Admin revocation (Enterprise)Immediate
macOS Keychain resetImmediate
App data clearedImmediate

✅ Step 2: Re-Authenticate​

  1. Click the TalkWriter menu bar icon
  2. Click Sign In (or the session expired notification)
  3. Complete the login flow (Google OAuth or email/password)
  4. Dictation resumes immediately after sign-in

✅ Step 3: Check Your Account Status​

If re-authentication fails:

  1. Visit talkwriter.ai in your browser
  2. Try signing in on the website
  3. If you cannot sign in on the website either, your account may be suspended or deleted
  4. Contact support@talkwriter.ai

✅ Step 4: Fix Repeated Expirations​

If your session expires frequently (daily or more):

  1. Open Keychain Access (Applications → Utilities → Keychain Access)
  2. Search for "TalkWriter"
  3. Delete any TalkWriter keychain entries
  4. Quit and reopen TalkWriter
  5. Sign in again — a fresh token is stored

✅ Step 5: Check Enterprise SSO Settings​

If you are on an Enterprise plan:

  1. Your admin may have set a short session timeout
  2. SSO token expiration is controlled by your identity provider
  3. Contact your IT admin to check the session timeout policy

Still Not Working?​

FAQ​

Will I lose my settings when my session expires? No. Your settings, custom dictionary, and preferences are preserved. You just need to sign in again.

Can I stay signed in forever? For security, tokens expire after 30 days of inactivity. If you use TalkWriter regularly, you should rarely see this message.

Does signing in on a new device sign me out of the old one? No. You can be signed in on multiple Macs simultaneously.