> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.callecho.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Start a meeting

> Start Echo from Home, a reminder or the meeting-detected prompt, and choose how it captures the call.

Echo only listens once you start a meeting, and it stops when you end it. There are a few ways to start.

## Ways to start

* On Home or the brief page, select **Join + start** on the meeting. Echo opens setup, and the meeting's join link opens when you start.
* When Echo detects a call you've joined, it shows a prompt such as **Zoom detected** with **Start Session**. Which calls it detects depends on the app and your computer; see [Supported platforms](https://docs.callecho.ai/reference/platforms.md). Calendar reminders offer **Join + Start Echo**, and a call app using your microphone can bring up **Meeting detected**.
* Without a calendar event, select **New meeting** in the sidebar, then **New meeting** in the menu that opens.

![Echo's 'Zoom detected' prompt with a Start Session button, shown over Home as the Zoom call begins.](https://mintcdn.com/callecho/3msX5gJvFFZ4hlDx/images/meetings/meeting-detected-v1.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3msX5gJvFFZ4hlDx\&q=85\&s=f9307f319efb73ad9d84bb53616b4588)

## Set up the meeting

Setup takes a few seconds. Echo fills in what it knows from the calendar and the Meeting Type.

![Echo's setup window for the Implementation review: Online meeting chosen as the audio source, the Client review meeting type, multilingual transcription and English notes, and the meeting's checklist.](https://mintcdn.com/callecho/3msX5gJvFFZ4hlDx/images/meetings/start-setup-v1.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=3msX5gJvFFZ4hlDx\&q=85\&s=324bf50866fd622e80915d321e7dcbef)

**1. Choose how Echo listens**

Under **Capture**, pick **Online meeting** to record your microphone and your computer's audio, or **In person** to record the microphone only. Use Online meeting for any call on your computer, such as Zoom, Google Meet or Teams. For meetings away from your desk, use the phone app; it's for in-person meetings, not phone calls.

**2. Pick a Meeting Type**

The **Meeting type** decides what Echo does during and after the call: which live help is on and how the notes are written. See [Meeting Types](https://docs.callecho.ai/customize/meeting-types.md).

**3. Check the languages**

**Transcription** starts on **Multilingual (automatic)**, which handles calls that switch between languages. Pick a single language if the whole call is in one. **Notes** sets the language Echo writes the notes in.

**4. Adjust the extras**

If the Meeting Type has a **Checklist**, you can edit it for this meeting only, one item per line. Under **Additional settings**, add jargon such as product or client names so the transcript spells them right, and switch **Record audio** on or off. It's the same setting as in **Settings › Account & workspace**, so your choice also applies to later meetings.

**5. Start**

Select **Join + start**, or **Start capture** when the meeting has no join link.

Echo uses your computer's current microphone and speakers. To switch microphones during a call, select the green level bars and pick another source. See [Use the live window](https://docs.callecho.ai/meetings/live-window.md).

## Recording audio

With **Record audio** on, which is the default, Echo uploads the recording to its cloud so you can play the meeting back later. The transcript and notes don't depend on it. You choose how long recordings stay in **Settings › Account & workspace**. See [Transcript, speakers and recordings](https://docs.callecho.ai/meetings/transcript-and-speakers.md).

> [!WARNING]
>
> Tell the people in your meeting that you're taking notes with an AI assistant, and follow the consent rules where you and they are. Echo doesn't notify other participants for you.

## Languages

Multilingual (automatic) leans toward English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese unless you change the set under **Preferred languages** in Settings. You can also pick one of these languages: English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Hindi or Indonesian.


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