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Manual Windows

Running in the background

The tray icon, the floating panel, starting with Windows, and the small settings that decide how much Neato Echo is in the way.

Neato Echo is meant to be forgotten about until you press the hotkey. It runs from the system tray, shows a small floating panel while you dictate, and stays out of the way otherwise.

Everything on this page lives under SettingsPreferences under App.

The tray icon

The tray icon is how you reach the app when no window is open. Click it to show or hide the control panel; right-click for the menu.

Closing the control panel window doesn't quit Neato Echo. That's deliberate: it has to keep running to hear your hotkey. Quit properly from the tray menu when you actually want it gone.

Windows hides tray icons it doesn't recognize. If Neato Echo seems to have vanished, click the ^ caret at the right of the taskbar — it's usually there. Drag it out to keep it visible.

The floating panel

The floating panel is the small window that shows you're recording.

SettingDefaultWhat it does
Auto-hide when idleOffKeeps the panel hidden until you start dictating
Start positionBottom RightWhere it appears: Bottom Right, Bottom Center or Bottom Left

You can drag the panel anywhere; the start position is where it comes back on launch. If it's ever off-screen — usually after unplugging an external monitor — restart the app and it returns to the start position.

Starting with Windows

SettingDefaultNotes
Launch at loginOffStarts Neato Echo when you sign in to Windows, straight to the tray
Start minimizedOffLaunches without opening the control panel window

If you turn Launch at login on and later disable the app under Windows Settings → Apps → Startup, the toggle here reflects that.

Sound and appearance

SettingDefaultWhat it does
ThemeAutoLight, Dark, or match your system
Dictation soundsOnA tone when recording starts and stops
Pause mediaOffPauses music automatically when dictation starts, and resumes after

Dictation sounds are worth keeping on to begin with — they're how you learn whether the hotkey registered without watching the screen.

Notifications

Four separate switches, all on by default:

  • Meeting detection — tells you a meeting was detected so you can start recording
  • Calendar reminders — tells you a scheduled meeting is about to start
  • App updates — tells you a new version is available
  • Disable all notifications — silences everything except errors

Still need help?

Write to [email protected] with your Windows version, your Neato Echo version (Settings → System), and what you were doing. A person reads every message.