Munu is a voice assistant that runs on your own computer. When Munu is out, the download page has the installers. This guide shows what to do with them: install, set up in about three minutes, and ask your first question.
What you need
| You need | Why |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 or 11 on an x64 PC, or macOS 15 or newer on a Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or newer) | Munu runs on these systems. |
| An internet connection | The AI models and the voice services are in the cloud. |
| An email address | To sign in and start your free trial. Munu emails you an 8-digit code. |
| A microphone and speakers or headphones | For voice. Built-in ones are fine, and a headset works best. |
| About 1 GB of free disk space | For the app and its files. |
- Windows on ARM. Munu 1.0 is built and tested for 64-bit (x64) PCs. PCs with an ARM processor are not tested yet.
- Language. Munu 1.0 understands and speaks English only.
- The free trial. You sign in with your email. There is no password, and you never copy or paste a key. The trial lasts 7 days or until you have used its included AI use, whichever comes first. Settings > Account shows how many days are left. See pricing for the plans after that.
Install Munu
Munu installs for your user account only. It never asks for administrator rights, and there is nothing else to install first.
On a Mac
- Get
Munu-1.0.0-macos-arm64.dmgfrom the download page. It is for a Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or newer). To check yours, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac: a Chip line means Apple silicon. Intel Macs are not supported yet. - Open the file. In the window that appears, drag Munu onto Applications.
- Open Munu from your Applications folder. Munu lives in the menu bar at the top right of the screen, not in the Dock. The first time, a welcome window helps you set up and macOS asks to let Munu use the microphone.
If macOS will not open Munu. The first downloads are not signed by Apple yet, so macOS blocks Munu the first time with a message such as “Apple could not verify ‘Munu’ is free of malware”.
- Click Done.
- Open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, and scroll down to the message about Munu.
- Click Open Anyway and confirm with your password.
You only do this once.
On Windows
- Get
Munu-1.0.0-windows-x64-setup.exefrom the download page and open it. - Click Install. Munu installs into your user account and appears in the Start menu. Leave Launch Munu ticked and click Finish.
- Munu lives in the notification area at the bottom right of the screen, near the clock. Click the ^ arrow if you do not see it. The first time, a welcome window helps you set up.
If Windows warns you. Until the installer is signed, Windows may show “Windows protected your PC”. Click More info, then Run anyway. If your browser asks whether to keep the download, choose Keep.
The nine setup steps
The first time you open Munu, a welcome window walks you through setup. It takes about three minutes, and the account comes last.
- Welcome. Click Get started.
- Your name. Tell Munu what to call you.
- Permissions. Every permission Munu needs, on one page, each with one line on why. Click Allow all, or allow one row at a time.
- Microphone. Pick your microphone, watch the level bar, then click Test and say a few words.
- Speaker. Pick your speakers, click Play a sound, then say whether you heard it.
- Say “Munu”. Say its name five times, then read three short sentences. It learns how you say its name, on your computer.
- Hand gestures. Keep the box ticked to use the camera for hand gestures, or untick it. Calibrate now fits gestures to your hands.
- Start your free trial. Type your email, then the 8-digit code Munu sends you. There is no password.
- Done. Say Munu’s name and ask anything.
Permissions on Mac and Windows
On a Mac, the page lists Microphone, Camera, Accessibility, Screen Recording, and Automation for Mail and for Calendar. Click Allow all and answer each question your Mac shows, or click Allow on one row at a time. Some rows open System Settings: switch Munu on there and come back. Each row turns to “On”, with a tick, by itself. Mail and Calendar only ask while they are open, so they say “Not checked yet” until then.
On Windows the page lists only the microphone and the camera. Allow opens the Windows privacy page for it.
Teaching Munu your voice
On the Say “Munu” step, click Start, say Munu’s name five times when asked, then read three short sentences. Munu learns how you say its name. This takes about 30 seconds and stays on your computer.
Signing in with your email
Type your email and click Send me a code. Munu emails you an 8-digit code. Look in your spam folder if it does not arrive within a minute. Type the code and click Sign in. You can paste it with a space or a dash in it, because Munu uses only the digits. If the code is wrong or has expired, Munu says so and helps you try again. If you typed the wrong email, click Use a different email.
You can skip any check. Until a check passes, its button says Skip. Do it later: permissions in Settings > Permissions, the microphone, speaker and name checks with Run the checks in Settings > Voice, and your hands with Calibrate my hands in Settings > General.
Everything else starts with sensible choices: a notes folder in Documents, the calm personality and your computer’s speakers. You can change all of it in Settings, from the Munu icon in the menu bar (Mac) or the notification area (Windows). Settings > Account shows how much of your free trial is left and has a Sign out button.
First things to say
Munu sleeps until it hears its name. Say the name and your request together, in one breath. You do not need to pause after the name.
| Say | What happens |
|---|---|
| Munu, what’s on my list today? | Wakes it and asks in one breath. This is the normal way to use it. |
| Munu, open Spotify | Opens an app installed on this computer, by its name. |
| Munu, search for pizza dough | Opens a web search in your browser. |
| Munu, remember that the dentist moved to Friday | Saves it to your notes and brings it up later. |
| Munu, take a screenshot | Saves a full-size picture of the screen on your Desktop. |
| Munu, next song | Skips the song in whatever is playing. |
| Munu, stop | It goes quiet at once and drops what it was saying. |
| Munu, go to sleep | It sleeps until it hears its name again. |
All the phrases, and how to be heard well
Updating
Download the new version and install it the same way. On a Mac, choose Replace when you drag Munu onto Applications. Your settings, notes and sign-in are kept.
Uninstall
- Mac. Quit Munu from its menu in the menu bar, then drag Munu from your Applications folder to the Trash.
- Windows. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (on Windows 10: Apps & features), find Munu and choose Uninstall. The uninstaller stops Munu and removes the program and its Start menu entry.
This removes the program only. Your settings, logs, downloaded models and connected account stay, so installing Munu again picks up where you left off. To remove them too, see how to delete everything. Your notes folder is never deleted for you. That folder is yours.
