Vibe Transcribe not working?
Most issues fall into a few buckets: graphics acceleration, a bad model download, an odd media file, or an outdated build. Try the quick checklist first, then jump to the section that matches what you see.
Quick checklist
- Set performance/graphics to a safer mode (CPU/low) and restart the app.
- Delete and re-download your Whisper model.
- Test with a simple MP3/WAV file and a short clip.
- Update to the latest release.
Crashes on launch or during transcription
Turn down hardware acceleration in Vibe settings, restart, and try again. If that stabilizes the app, update GPU drivers and retry higher performance later.
Stuck at 0% or never starts
- Re-download the model (corrupted downloads happen).
- Try a different file and a simpler path (avoid unusual characters in folders).
- Free RAM if you are using a very large model on a small machine.
Very slow transcription
- Use a smaller model for speed.
- Enable acceleration only if it is stable on your system.
- Close heavy apps while transcribing.
macOS won’t open the app
Use right-click → Open, or allow the app in System Settings → Privacy & Security, depending on your macOS version.
Linux AppImage issues
Run from a terminal to read errors. On some distros you may need FUSE libraries for AppImages—search your distro docs for “AppImage fuse”.
Still stuck?
Check the project’s GitHub issues and debugging docs with your OS version, app version, and a short description of the file type you used.
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Free downloadFrequently asked questions
Why does Vibe Transcribe keep crashing?
The most common cause of Vibe crashes is a GPU driver conflict when hardware acceleration is enabled. Fix: open Settings → set Graphics Performance to 'Low' or 'CPU Only'. Also ensure you have at least 4GB of free RAM and that your Whisper model file is fully downloaded and not corrupted.
Why is Vibe Transcribe stuck at 0%?
If transcription is stuck at 0% (showing 'transcribing 0'), the most likely causes are: (1) corrupted model file — re-download the model from Settings, (2) unsupported audio format — convert your file to WAV or MP3 first, (3) corrupted input file. Try a different audio file to test.
Why won't Vibe Transcribe open on Windows?
If Vibe won't open, try: (1) Right-click and Run as Administrator, (2) Check Windows Event Viewer for error codes, (3) Reinstall using the latest .msi from GitHub, (4) Ensure Visual C++ Redistributable 2022 is installed.
Why is Vibe Transcription so slow?
Slow transcription is usually caused by running in CPU-only mode with a large model. Solutions: enable GPU acceleration in Settings, switch to the Small or Base model, or close other applications to free up RAM.
Vibe says 'Generic whisper error' or error code -6 — how do I fix this?
Error code -6 typically means the Whisper model file is corrupted or incomplete. Go to Settings → Models, delete the current model, and re-download it. Also ensure you have enough disk space for the model.
Vibe Transcribe is not working on macOS — how to fix?
On macOS, if Vibe fails to transcribe: (1) Right-click the app and select Open to bypass Gatekeeper, (2) In System Settings → Privacy & Security → allow Vibe microphone and disk access if prompted, (3) Check that the model is fully downloaded in Settings.