What to do if the app doesn't start up after signing in and clicking "Open Wispr Flow"

Last updated: November 6, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android

Browser sign-in finished, but Flow never appeared — no window, a blank white screen, or an error message. Start by checking whether Flow is already running in the background. If Flow opens but rejects your credentials, use Login Issues instead.

Quick checks

  • Mac: Click Flow's menu-bar icon and choose Open Wispr Flow; with no icon present, open Finder → Applications → Wispr Flow.

  • Windows: Click Flow's system-tray icon, or launch Flow again from Start or search while it is running.

  • Does Flow open directly? If yes but you are signed out, retry the browser hand-off below; if not, match the startup message.

Note: A menu-bar or system-tray icon means Flow is running with its main window hidden — automatic updates, Mac login launches, and Windows Launch at login all start Flow this way.

Retry the browser hand-off

  1. Select Sign in via browser in desktop Flow to start a fresh attempt.

  2. Complete sign-in using your chosen method in the browser.

  3. Click Open Wispr Flow on the browser page; that page never opens the app by itself.

Successful desktop sign-in brings the main window forward once Flow is ready, including after reinstalling. If sign-in returns before Flow finishes starting, no window may appear — open Flow directly. About 3 seconds after you click the return button, the page reveals a download link if nothing opened; on Android, the browser can send you to Google Play when Flow is not installed.

Clicking Sign in twice in quick succession counts as one attempt.

If the sign-in page errors or the return button is inactive

With Unable to open Wispr Flow. Please try signing in again and an inactive button, return to Flow and begin a fresh sign-in. The browser page also offers Log in with another <platform> account, even when the return button is inactive.

After 5 minutes, a desktop attempt times out and the Login screen shows Didn't finish signing in? Try again. The message clears as soon as you click Sign in again. A link can still complete sign-in afterward, including across an app restart; an older link is not automatically invalid. Request a fresh emailed link if it has expired or was already used.

Match the message you see

Compatibility and Applications-folder errors stop Flow before its main window or menu-bar/tray icon appears, independently of browser sign-in. After correcting one, reopen Flow; if the window opens, stop here.

What you see

What to do

Unsupported MacOS Version

Update to macOS 12.0 or later; Flow quits on an unsupported system.

Incorrect App Version

Replace the Intel version on your Apple Silicon Mac with the Apple Silicon download from Wispr's downloads page.

Unsupported Windows Architecture

Flow requires x64 architecture; use a compatible Windows device.

Mac reports Flow damaged, missing or zero bytes

Download a fresh copy from Wispr's downloads page and reinstall.

Blank white window

Update Flow to the latest version; if it recurs, quit and reopen Flow.

Flow hit a snag

Your data is safe; choose Restart Flow, or Contact support if crashes continue.

Move Flow to the Applications folder (Mac)

Flow must be named Wispr Flow.app at the top level of /Applications, ~/Applications or /System/Applications. Opened from a mounted disk image, Downloads or the Desktop, Flow offers Move to Applications or Quit.

  1. Choose Move to Applications and approve the macOS authorization prompt; Flow reopens from Applications.

  2. Drag the app into Applications yourself if you cancel the prompt or the move cannot finish; Flow explains this and quits.

  3. Rename a renamed copy (for example Wispr Flow 2.app or Flow.app) back to Wispr Flow, and move a copy stored in a subfolder to the top level of Applications.

  4. Open Flow from Applications afterwards.

If the location dialog no longer appears, the folder requirement is satisfied; address any remaining startup message above.

Mac and Windows: update, restart, then reinstall

Warning: Updating during dictation, meeting recording, or while meeting audio is saving can lose unsaved audio. The Restart to update? dialog offers Cancel or Restart anyway; cancel to finish saving first.

  1. Open Flow's menu-bar menu on Mac, or right-click its system-tray icon on Windows.

  2. Choose Check for updates...

  3. Select Update ready, restart now? when available, or Update in Settings.

If the main window opens, stop. If Flow remains unresponsive:

  1. Quit Flow fully.

  2. Restart your computer.

  3. Open Flow again; reinstall only if startup still fails.

If updates are unavailable or fail

Organization-managed updates can disable the update control; Settings shows Updates managed by your organization. Next check: {date}.

After three failed update attempts, automatic updates pause for 24 hours. There was an error updating Flow offers Restart Flow and Contact us; the menu reads Error updating, please restart. Restart Flow, then contact support if updating still fails.

Warning: Before signing out, resetting or reinstalling, save local content you need. Desktop sign-out stops meeting recording, cancels sign-in attempts, and clears local history, caches and backups. Only cloud-synced notes, meetings, shared notes and folders return after sign-in; dictation history and other local-only content do not. Onboarding progress and your cached profile picture are kept, so sign-out is not a full reset.

Reinstall on Mac

  1. Quit Flow from its menu-bar menu.

  2. Move Wispr Flow from Applications to the Trash.

  3. Download the latest Mac installer from Wispr's downloads page.

  4. Drag the app into Applications.

  5. Open Flow from Applications.

Reinstall on Windows

  1. Quit Flow from its system-tray menu.

  2. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps, or Apps & features.

  3. Uninstall Wispr Flow.

  4. Download the latest Windows installer and run it.

  5. Open Flow from Start.

After reinstalling, complete the browser hand-off steps above if sign-in is requested.

iOS and Android

Open Flow from the home screen or app drawer. After each step below, reopen Flow and stop when its main screen appears.

  1. Update Flow from the App Store or Google Play. On Android, a version below Flow's required minimum shows an update screen instead of opening from the sign-in link.

  2. Force-close Flow: iOS—from the app switcher; Android—Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Force stop.

  3. Reopen Flow and complete browser sign-in if requested.

  4. Tap Open Wispr Flow to return.

  5. Reinstall from the store only if startup still fails.

On iOS, browser sign-in uses a system sheet inside Flow. Canceling returns to sign-in without an error; if Couldn't finish signing in appears, sign in again to finish setting up your account on the device. A Wispr-logo screen after switching from the keyboard to the app clears within about 10 seconds, or when you leave Flow and return — no reinstall is needed.

Android: waiting for the browser, or it won't open

At Waiting for <provider>, complete browser sign-in before returning. Cancel, or dismissing the browser without a result, returns to the sign-in options without an error; select the provider again.

For Couldn't open the sign-in page. Please try again., check that a browser is installed and enabled.

Android: sign-in didn't finish, or won't go through

If a sign-in link is rejected, the sign-in screen names the reason straight away — including when Flow was reopened from the link. Start sign-in again from the sign-in options.

Finish signing in appears if Flow was closed during a browser attempt less than 30 minutes old, so a sign-in survives switching to your password manager or authenticator app. Older attempts return to normal sign-in. Try again starts a fresh request for Google, Apple or Microsoft. SSO and Email offer only Cancel; cancel and restart from the sign-in screen.

For Couldn't sign in with <provider> after an expired, already-used, canceled or failed sign-in, choose Try again; if the message says something went wrong on our end, wait a few minutes first. Use another sign-in method or your device's back gesture returns to the sign-in options.

Still stuck?

Email support@wisprflow.ai if Flow still will not open after the applicable steps. Include:

  • Your platform, device and operating system version.

  • The exact screen or error message you see.

  • The steps you already tried.