What is Squidbrain?

A fast way to capture audio — recordings, sounds playing on your computer, samples — and get it to your desktop. Capture on your phone, in the web editor, or with the Mac menu bar recorder; it syncs to your desktop and lands in your Squidbrain folder, ready for your DAW, hardware sampler, or wherever you want to use it next.

How does it work?

You capture audio → it uploads to your Squidbrain Cloud → the desktop app delivers it into your Squidbrain folder → you drop it into your DAW or sampler. Cloud is just a temporary pipe between your devices.

Do I need the desktop app?

Yes. The desktop app is what delivers your captures into your Squidbrain folder on the desktop. Without it, captures wait in Cloud and never reach your machine. Add that folder to your DAW, sampler software, or wherever you normally collect sounds. Install the desktop app from the onboarding "Set up your Mac" step or your Account page.

Is it Mac only?

No. Delivery works on macOS and Windows — both apps pair with your account and file captures into your Squidbrain folder. You can capture with an iPhone, with an Android phone (experimental beta), or in the web editor in any modern browser.

Two things are still Mac-only in this beta: recording the audio your computer itself is playing, and the Lock Screen / Control Centre shortcuts on the phone. Recording on Windows is in testing and arrives in a later beta.

Where are my files stored?

Your audio lives on your own devices. Cloud copies are temporary: delivered samples clear after 7 days, and undelivered samples clear after 30 days. We don't permanently store your recordings. See the Privacy Policy.

A sample is "stuck in transit." What do I do?

That means it's uploaded to Cloud but hasn't been delivered yet. Make sure the desktop app is running and signed in with the same account you captured from — it only delivers samples for the account it's logged into.

What gets recorded, and how long can clips be?

Audio is captured as lossless WAV. The phone app, web editor, and Mac recorder capture up to 180 seconds per clip; the web editor can also import and edit existing files.

Why does macOS ask for Screen & System Audio Recording?

To record audio that is playing on your Mac, macOS uses a permission called Screen & System Audio Recording. Squidbrain uses that permission only when you press record in the Mac app; it does not upload your screen or watch what you do.

If I delete a sample, is it gone everywhere?

Deleting removes the Cloud copy only. Anything already delivered to your Squidbrain folder stays on your own machine.

Is my audio private?

Yes. Audio passes through Cloud only to reach your devices, is encrypted in transit and at rest, and is never sold or used to train anything.

How do I delete my account?

Use "Delete account" in the app's Account screen. This erases your Cloud and account data; files already on your devices remain yours.

New here?

Beta setup walks through installing all three parts, in order.

Still stuck?

Head to Support and we'll help you out.