Introducing the Exponential Chrome Extension

We've all been there. You're deep in research — jumping between tabs, reading articles, comparing tools — and ideas are forming faster than you can type them out. By the time you open a note-taking app, half the thought has evaporated.

That's why we built the Exponential Chrome Extension.

Your browser, now with a voice

The extension sits quietly in your Chrome toolbar until you need it. Click the icon, tap Start Recording, and speak. Your words appear in real time as transcribed text, automatically saved to whichever Exponential project you choose. No copy-pasting, no context switching, no lost thoughts.

When you're done, you get a shareable session link — a single URL your team can open to read exactly what you captured, complete with timestamps.

Two ways to transcribe

Not every situation is the same, so we give you a choice:

• Local (Whisper) runs an AI model directly on your device. Your audio never leaves your computer — ideal for sensitive conversations or when you're working offline.
• Google sends audio to the cloud for fast, real-time transcription. If speed is your priority and you have a stable connection, this is the one to pick.

Switching between them takes a single click. No setup, no configuration — just pick the one that fits the moment.

Screenshots that tell the whole story

Sometimes words aren't enough. Say "take screenshot" while recording (or click the Screenshot button), and the extension captures exactly what you're looking at. The image is saved alongside your transcription, so when you review a session later, you see both what you said and what you were seeing.

Need to highlight something first? The built-in annotation tools let you draw arrows and freehand marks directly on the webpage before you capture. Point at the detail that matters, snap the screenshot, and move on. The annotations clear themselves automatically afterward.

Getting started

Setup takes about two minutes:

1. Generate an API key at exponential.im/settings/api-keys
2. Download the extension from GitHub
3. Load it into Chrome:
   • Open chrome://extensions
   • Enable Developer mode (toggle in the top right)
   • Click Load unpacked
   • Select the exponential folder from the downloaded repo
4. Paste your API key, pick a project, and hit record

The extension is open source — you can inspect the code, contribute, or modify it to fit your workflow.

Read the full setup guide

Built for the way you actually work

The best capture tool is the one that's already open. You don't need to leave your browser, open another app, or break your flow. Just speak, annotate, screenshot, and keep going. Everything lands in your Exponential project, organised and ready for review.

Give it a try and let us know what you think.