How can we help?
Set up WhisperWrite, learn the shortcuts and fix common problems. Can't find an answer? Email us.
System requirements
Getting started
Setup takes a few minutes. Most of that is a one-time download of the speech engine.
Install
Open the DMG and drag WhisperWrite to your Applications folder. Then open it from Applications.
Grant access
The setup window asks for Microphone access, then Accessibility (direct download only).
Get the speech engine
WhisperWrite downloads its speech engine (about 610 MB). The first load optimizes it for your Mac. This can take a few minutes, and only happens once.
Using WhisperWrite
Hold, speak, let go
Hold the shortcut, speak, then let go. It's Right ⌥ Option by default in the direct download, and ⌥ Space in the App Store edition.
Hands-free
Tap the shortcut once to start, and tap again to finish. Press Esc to cancel. Prefer clicking? Choose Record from WhisperWrite's menu bar icon, or click the mic on Home, then click Stop to finish.
Where your words go
Direct download: your words are pasted where your cursor is, and ⌃⌘V pastes your last dictation again. The mic on Home copies them instead, ready to paste. App Store edition: your words are copied, so press ⌘V to paste.
Line breaks
Say "new line" or "new paragraph" to break up your text.
Dictionary and snippets
Add custom words on the Dictionary page. Snippets expand phrases: say "my email" and get your address.
Change the shortcut
Pick a different shortcut in Settings.
Speech engines
WhisperWrite turns your voice into text on your Mac by default. If you prefer, you can use OpenAI's cloud speech engine instead, with your own OpenAI API key.
Parakeet Ultra (default)
Runs on your Mac. It's free, works offline and never sends your audio anywhere. It needs a one-time download of about 610 MB.
OpenAI (cloud)
Sends each recording to OpenAI over HTTPS, using your own OpenAI API key. It needs an internet connection but no download, and text usually comes back in a second or two.
Switch to OpenAI
- Create an API key on OpenAI's API keys page. Your OpenAI account needs prepaid credits, which you add in its billing settings.
- In WhisperWrite, open the Speech Model page and choose OpenAI (cloud). The first time, WhisperWrite asks you to confirm that your recordings will be sent to OpenAI. Click Continue.
- Paste your key in the OpenAI API key card and click Save. You can also pick the OpenAI model there.
To switch back, choose Parakeet Ultra on the Speech Model page. To delete your key from WhisperWrite, click Remove Key.
OpenAI bills you directly, per minute of audio, usually less than a cent a minute. See OpenAI's pricing for current prices. Your key is kept in the macOS Keychain. The Privacy Policy explains exactly what's sent.
AI Edit (optional)
AI Edit and Command Mode use Claude to polish and rewrite your text. To turn them on, create an API key at platform.claude.com and add it on WhisperWrite's AI Edit page.
Anthropic bills you directly, usually a fraction of a cent per dictation. The Privacy Policy explains exactly what's sent.
Updates
Check for updates
WhisperWrite checks for new versions on its own. To check now, choose Settings › About › Check for Updates. To stop sharing install statistics with these checks, turn off Share install statistics in Settings › General.
Direct download
When a new version is out, WhisperWrite shows it on Home and in the menu bar. Choose Update Now: it downloads the new version, checks it's genuine (signed by Infugin Technologies and notarized by Apple), installs it and restarts, keeping your settings and history. Older copies that can't install updates themselves open the download pageinstead: quit WhisperWrite and drag the new copy to Applications to replace the old one. If WhisperWrite can't replace itself (for example, it isn't in your Applications folder), it offers the download page too.
App Store edition
Updates come through the Mac App Store.
If a version is marked as required, the update prompt can't be postponed, and dictation pauses until you update.
Troubleshooting
Text isn't appearing (direct download)
Turn WhisperWrite on in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility. If it's on but stopped working after an update, remove WhisperWrite from that list and add it again.
The pill shows no bars
Check that WhisperWrite has Microphone access in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone, and that the right microphone is picked in WhisperWrite's Settings.
The Fn key opens the emoji picker
In System Settings › Keyboard, set "Press 🌐 key to" to Do Nothing.
OpenAI says your API key isn't valid
Check that you pasted the whole key, and that it hasn't been deleted or revoked in your OpenAI account. If in doubt, create a new key, then paste it on the Speech Model page and click Save.
OpenAI says you're out of credit or over your rate limit
Add credits in your OpenAI account's billing settings, or wait a minute and try again. To keep dictating meanwhile, choose Parakeet Ultra on the Speech Model page.
You're offline, or OpenAI can't be reached
OpenAI needs an internet connection. If a request to OpenAI fails for any reason and Parakeet Ultra is downloaded, WhisperWrite transcribes that recording on your Mac instead and tells you in the pill. To have that fallback, download Parakeet Ultra on the Speech Model page.
The speech model download is stuck
Check your internet connection and free space, then choose Try Again on the Speech Model page.
The shortcut does nothing (App Store edition)
Another app may use the same key combination. Pick a different shortcut in Settings.
Still stuck? Email us.
Uninstall
Quit WhisperWrite and drag it from Applications to the Trash.
To remove its data too, delete ~/Library/Application Support/WhisperWrite (direct download). In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder and paste that path. If you added an Anthropic API key, remove it on the AI Edit page before you uninstall. If you added an OpenAI API key, remove it on the Speech Model page.
Then remove WhisperWrite from Microphone and Accessibility in System Settings › Privacy & Security.
Contact
Questions, feedback or a problem that isn't listed here? Email us. It helps to mention your macOS version and which edition of WhisperWrite you use.
rakesh@infugin.com