Granola

What is Granola?

Granola is an AI notepad for people who move from one meeting to the next and need a fast way to turn spoken conversation into useful written output. The app listens through your computer audio, then converts what is said into notes that you can edit, search, and share. Unlike a bot that joins the meeting, Granola says it uses your computer audio, which means it can work quietly without adding another participant.

Granola is designed around one central job: help you keep momentum on the work that matters after a call ends. The product turns meetings into a rich, searchable memory, so you can revisit decisions, actions, and follow-ups instead of relying on scattered handwritten notes. It is available on macOS, Windows, and iPhone, which makes the meeting notes experience available on desktop and on the go.

Key features

Granola focuses on meeting notes, meeting memory, and quick retrieval of context. The core features shown on the site include:

• AI notepad for meetings: built for people with back-to-back meetings who need notes handled with minimal friction.
• Editable notes: spoken conversation is turned into notes you can refine after the meeting.
• Searchable memory: notes are organized so you can find past context later.
• Chat with context: the app includes AI chat that already knows what you are working on.
• Private by default: the site says notes are private by default and easy to share if you choose.
• Every meeting platform: Granola says it works with every meeting platform, which is useful if your team uses more than one service.
• No meeting bot: it uses your computer audio instead of inviting a bot into the call.
• iPhone support: Granola for iPhone covers meeting notes on the go and for phone calls.

The app also shows examples of turning meeting discussion into structured notes with actions, decisions, and follow-ups. That makes the AI notepad more than a transcript viewer; it is meant to produce something you can use immediately.

How to use it

Using Granola is centered on capturing a meeting, then turning the result into actionable notes.

1. Download the app on macOS, Windows, or iPhone.
2. Start or join your meeting on the platform you already use.
3. Let Granola use computer audio so it can listen without adding a bot participant.
4. Review the generated notes after the meeting and edit them as needed.
5. Use chat for follow-up context when you want the app to help answer questions based on your work.
6. Share the notes if you want teammates to see the recap, actions, or decisions.

Because it is an AI notepad, the best workflow is to let Granola capture the meeting live and then spend your time refining the outcome rather than writing from scratch. The desktop app is the main fit for recurring meetings, while the iPhone version is useful when you need meeting notes from calls away from your computer.

Who it is for

Granola is a strong fit for people whose calendars are packed and whose notes need to be usable later, not just archived.

• Founders and operators who move between planning sessions, check-ins, and reviews.
• Sales, customer success, and marketing teams that need follow-up notes, action items, and shared meeting memory.
• Managers who want concise recaps from 1:1s, project syncs, and review meetings.
• Anyone using multiple meeting platforms and wanting one AI notepad experience across them.
• Mobile-first users who want meeting notes on iPhone for phone calls and time away from the desk.

Granola is especially helpful if you want a meeting notes tool that stays out of the way during the call and gives you something editable afterward. The app’s AI chat also suggests it is useful for people who need quick context from past work rather than only a transcript.

What to know before you use it

Granola is useful, but it is not a replacement for every kind of record-keeping.

• It is built around meeting notes and conversational memory, not project management, CRM, or task tracking.
• The site says it uses computer audio, so setup and audio quality may affect results.
• Because it relies on AI, the output should be treated as a draft that may need review, especially for names, decisions, and action items.
• The app says it works with every meeting platform, but exact behavior can still depend on your device, system audio, and call setup.
• If you need a legally authoritative record, compliance archive, or official transcript, use the source system or an approved recording workflow instead of relying only on Granola.
• Private by default does not mean every sharing choice is automatic; you still need to review what you share and with whom.

Granola is best when you want an AI notepad that keeps meetings moving and turns conversations into searchable context. If you need the clearest possible record, verify the notes before sending them, and use the official meeting source when accuracy must be exact.