---
title: "Start your processing trial"
description: "Find out when your 30-day processing trial starts and what remains available when it ends."
updated: "2026-09-22"
canonical: https://docs.recordstead.app/getting-started/start-trial
---

# Start your processing trial

Recording and setup alone do not start your 30-day processing trial. It begins
when Recordstead is ready to run your first eligible processing job.

1. [Record your first meeting](https://docs.recordstead.app/getting-started/first-recording), or add a file
   for transcription.
2. Let Recordstead prepare the audio and the model needed for processing. It
   checks access just before the first eligible processing job starts. Connect
   to the internet for that check.
3. Open Settings › **License** to see the access state. Once the trial begins,
   the pane shows **Trial ends** with a date and time.

**Your result:** transcription, speaker analysis and summaries can run during
the trial. If access cannot be checked, your recording remains available and
processing waits; reconnect and use **Try Again** in the License pane. When the
trial ends, you can still record, read and export meetings, but new processing pauses.
An [active license key](https://docs.recordstead.app/getting-started/activate-license) can restore it.