Private, offline dictation for Mac
Many dictation apps send your voice to a server to turn it into text. WhisperWrite does it on your Mac instead, so your audio never leaves it and dictation keeps working on a plane, on a train or with Wi-Fi turned off. It's free to use, with no account.
How on-device dictation works
- One download, then offline. The first time you open WhisperWrite, it downloads its speech model, about 610 MB. From then on it needs no connection to dictate.
- Runs on your Mac's Neural Engine. The model, Parakeet Ultra, is based on NVIDIA's Parakeet. Text appears about 0.1 seconds after you let go of the key.
- Audio isn't kept. Your recording is turned into text and discarded. It's never saved or sent anywhere.
- No account. Download, open and start talking. There's nothing to sign up for.
What uses the internet, and only if you want it
- AI Edit and Command Mode send transcribed text (never audio) to Anthropic using your own key. They're off by default.
- The OpenAI speech engine sends recordings to OpenAI using your own key. It's optional and off by default.
- Update checks and install statistics happen in the background. You can turn the statistics off in Settings.
The Privacy Policy lists exactly what each one sends.
Check it yourself
- Open WhisperWrite once while online so the speech model downloads.
- Turn off Wi-Fi.
- Click into Notes, hold Right Option and say a sentence. It's typed as usual.
Other ways to dictate offline on a Mac
- Apple Dictation is built in. Keyboard settings show whether your dictation is processed on your Mac or sent to Apple.
- VoiceInk and MacWhisper transcribe on your Mac. Both are paid, one-time purchases for full features.
- Spokenly and Superwhisper offer on-device models alongside cloud ones.
- Wispr Flow says its transcription always happens in the cloud.
See them side by side in the best dictation apps for Mac.
Questions
Does WhisperWrite need an internet connection?
Only once, to download the speech model (about 610 MB) the first time you open it. After that, dictation works with no connection. AI Edit, the optional OpenAI engine and update checks use the internet when they're on.
Is my audio saved or uploaded?
With the on-device engine, the default, your audio is never saved or sent anywhere. It's turned into text on your Mac and then discarded.
Does WhisperWrite collect any data?
There's no account, no advertising and no crash reporting. WhisperWrite checks for updates and shares basic install statistics, which you can turn off in Settings. The Privacy Policy lists exactly what's sent.
Which Macs are supported?
Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) running macOS 14 or later, with about 1 GB of free space for the speech model.
Write by talking, free.
Hold a key, speak, and your words appear in any app. No word limits, no subscription, no account. Speech recognition runs on your Mac.
Download WhisperWrite