Granola Install & Auth
Overview
Install Granola, the AI notepad that captures meeting audio directly from your device (no bot joins the call), transcribes with GPT-4o/Claude, and produces structured notes with action items. Supports Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, Slack Huddles, and WebEx.
Prerequisites
- macOS 12+ or Windows 10+ (iOS/Android for mobile)
- Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook account
- Active internet connection for initial auth
Instructions
Step 1 — Download and Install
# macOS via Homebrew
brew install --cask granola
# Or download directly
open "https://www.granola.ai/download"Windows: download the installer from granola.ai/download and run the .exe.
Step 2 — Create Account and Authenticate
- Launch Granola
- Click Sign up — authenticate with Google or Microsoft
- Granola uses WorkOS for SSO; enterprise users may see their IdP login (Okta, Azure AD)
Step 3 — Grant System Permissions
macOS (critical — both required):
System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone
→ Enable Granola
System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording
→ Enable GranolaThe Screen Recording permission is required because macOS bundles system audio capture under that category — Granola does not record your screen.
Windows: Microphone permissions are granted automatically. Confirm at:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone → Granola enabledStep 4 — Connect Calendar
- Granola Settings (avatar bottom-left) > Calendar
- Connect Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook
- Select which calendars to sync (personal, work, shared)
- Granola detects meetings from synced calendars with video/conference links
Step 5 — Verify Audio Capture
# macOS — confirm Granola is running
pgrep -l Granola
# Check installed version
defaults read /Applications/Granola.app/Contents/Info.plist CFBundleShortVersionString 2>/dev/null || echo "Check Granola > About"Join or start any meeting (Zoom, Meet, Teams). Granola shows a floating notepad when it detects a calendar event with a conferencing link. Verify the live transcription indicator appears.
Step 6 — Configure Preferences
| Setting | Location | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-start with calendar | Preferences > General | On |
| Default template | Preferences > Templates | Match your meeting type |
| AI model | Uses GPT-4o/Claude | No configuration needed |
| Auto-update | Preferences > General | On |
Output
- Granola installed and running on login
- Calendar connected with meeting auto-detection
- System audio + microphone permissions granted
- Live transcription verified on a test call
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No audio captured | Missing Screen & System Audio permission (macOS) | System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording > enable Granola, then restart |
| Calendar not syncing | OAuth token expired or wrong account | Disconnect calendar in Settings, re-authenticate |
| App won't launch | macOS Gatekeeper block | Right-click Granola.app > Open, or xattr -cr /Applications/Granola.app |
| Meeting not detected | Event has no video link | Add a Zoom/Meet/Teams link to the calendar event |
| Bluetooth audio drops | BT device causes transcription stops | Switch to built-in mic or wired headset |
Granola Architecture (How It Works)
Your Device Audio ──→ Granola Desktop App ──→ Granola Cloud (transcription)
│ │
Local notepad GPT-4o / Claude
(your typed notes) (enhance + summarize)
│ │
└────── Merged Output ───┘
│
Structured meeting notes
with action items- Audio is transcribed server-side; Granola does not store raw audio after processing
- Your typed notes are merged with the transcript for context-aware summaries
- No bot joins your meeting — capture happens via system audio
Resources
Next Steps
After installation, proceed to granola-hello-world for your first meeting capture.