Getting started

This page covers your first ten minutes with WaveKat Voice: adding an account, confirming you’re online, and placing a first call.

Before you start

You’ll need two things:

• The app installed — see Installing WaveKat Voice.
• A SIP account from a provider — the username, domain, and password your provider gave you. If you have a Twilio or 2talk account, the provider guides show exactly where to find each value. If you don’t have a provider yet, start with Picking a SIP provider.

The welcome guide

On first launch, WaveKat Voice walks you through setup step by step:

1. Add your account. Click Get started, then pick your provider from the dropdown — we pre-fill the technical details (domain, port, connection type) so you only enter your account name, username, and password. If your provider isn’t listed, choose Enter details manually and fill in the fields yourself (Picking a SIP provider explains each one).
2. You’re online. After you save, the app signs in to your provider — usually a second or two. A green dot next to your account on Home means you’re registered and reachable.
3. Live transcription (optional). The guide asks whether you want live, on-device transcription. A small model transcribes each call in real time and saves the text alongside the call — it runs entirely on your computer, so no audio is sent anywhere for transcription. It needs a one-time download (70–110 MB). Skip it if you’re not sure; you can turn it on any time in Settings → AI.
4. Place your first call. Use Test microphone to record a few seconds and play them back — this is also when macOS asks for microphone permission, so click Allow. If your provider has an echo-test number, the guide offers to call it: it reads back what you say, so you check your microphone and speakers in one round trip. Otherwise, make a quick test call to a number you know.

If sign-in fails instead of going green, the guide explains what went wrong in plain language and links the matching provider guide. See Troubleshooting for the common causes.

You can reopen the guide any time from Welcome guide in the sidebar.

Day-to-day calling

• Placing a call — click New call in the sidebar, enter a number, and call. Numbers generally work best in full international format (e.g. +64…), but your provider’s rules apply.
• Receiving a call — incoming calls ring and show who’s calling, with Answer and Decline buttons. The green dot on your account means callers can reach you whenever the app is running.
• Looking back — the History page lists your past calls; click one for its details.

Adding more accounts

You’re not limited to one provider. Add more accounts under Settings → Accounts — each signs in independently, and you pick which account to call from when you dial.

Next steps

• Picking a SIP provider — if you’re still choosing, or need the field-by-field reference.
• Provider setup guides — Twilio and 2talk, step by step.
• Troubleshooting — when something doesn’t work.