FAQ
Privacy and compliance
Section titled “Privacy and compliance”Is my case data transmitted anywhere?
No. All data (transcriptions, documents, RAG index) stays on your machine. You can verify this by enabling airplane mode — the app works identically.
Is Scribe Local compatible with professional secrecy obligations?
Yes. The fully local architecture is designed around professional secrecy and bar council requirements. No consultation data, document, or correspondence ever leaves your machine. There is no network connection during use — verifiable by running in airplane mode.
Is Scribe Local a data processor under GDPR Art. 28?
No. No case data transits through our servers. There is no data processing agreement to establish with the editor. You do not need to include a DPA clause in your client engagement letters.
Response to your regulatory authority:
“The application establishes no network connection during use. There is no data processing relationship under GDPR Article 28. This can be verified at any time by technical inspection.”
Can I use Scribe Local on an air-gapped network?
Yes, after first launch (model download). Licence verification is fully local — no internet connection is ever required, not even to activate a certificate.
Quality and reliability
Section titled “Quality and reliability”Is the transcription perfect?
No — Whisper makes errors, especially on proper names, acronyms, and highly specialised terms. Always review. Quality improves with larger models (recommend 16 GB RAM for Medium/Q5 level).
Can the AI make errors in reformulation?
Yes. LLMs can reformulate inaccurately, especially on complex legal structures. Review is mandatory before any sending or filing. You remain solely responsible for the documents you sign.
Can Scribe Local hallucinate sources in the Case Files panel?
No — this is an architectural invariant. RAG search only generates a response if it can cite a source from your index. If no relevant document is found, the app says so explicitly.
Languages and configuration
Section titled “Languages and configuration”Can I dictate in French, Spanish, or German?
Whisper supports 99 languages with automatic detection. The 6 built-in templates use French-language prompts; the reformulation output follows the language you dictate in. If you dictate in English, the LLM generates the document in English.
Does the app work on iPad or iPhone?
No — Scribe Local is a desktop application (macOS/Windows). The required AI models are too large for mobile devices.
Can I use my own GGUF models?
In v1, models are automatically selected and downloaded based on your hardware. To use a custom GGUF model, copy the file to the models directory in the app data folder (~/Library/Application Support/com.kortilabs.scribe-local/models/ on macOS, %APPDATA%\com.kortilabs.scribe-local\models\ on Windows) and rename it to match the expected filename shown in the app’s hardware info panel.
Hardware
Section titled “Hardware”Is a GPU required?
No. On Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3), Metal acceleration is used automatically. On PC, Scribe Local runs on CPU alone — generation times are longer (~25 seconds on a Core i7 without a dedicated GPU).
Can I use Scribe Local on an Intel Mac?
Yes, from macOS 12. Models will be lighter (Q4) to match CPU performance. A recent Intel Mac with 16 GB RAM performs well.
Licensing and billing
Section titled “Licensing and billing”How do I cancel?
By email to [email protected] before the expiry date (automatic reminder 30 days before).
Can I get an invoice?
Yes — LemonSqueezy issues a VAT-compliant invoice at the time of payment. Downloadable from your LemonSqueezy customer portal.
Does the price include updates?
Yes — quarterly application and AI model updates are included in the annual licence.