Offline dictation
Offline dictation for Mac.
Free, with no account.
TypeAloud runs a speech-to-text model on your Mac. Once the model is downloaded you can turn Wi-Fi off and keep dictating into any app, for as long as you like.
How it works without internet
On first launch you choose a local model. The recommended one, Qwen3-ASR 0.6B, is a one-time download of about 1 GB. From then on, recording and transcription both happen on your device.
Hold Ctrl+Shift, speak, release. The transcript is inserted where your cursor is. A small prompt with a live waveform shows that TypeAloud is listening.
What stays on your Mac
In local mode the audio is processed on your device and transcripts are saved there. Neither is uploaded for transcription. There is no account, so there is no profile on a server tied to what you dictate.
What still uses the network
Three things: the first model download, app updates, and the cloud features if you turn them on. Cloud transcription and English translation are optional, use your own Groq or OpenAI key and send audio to that provider.
What you need
A Mac, with Apple Silicon recommended for local dictation. Microphone permission to record, and macOS Accessibility permission so TypeAloud can listen for the shortcut and type into other apps.
Common questions
- Does it really work with no connection at all?
- Yes. After the model download, local dictation needs no network. You can test it by turning Wi-Fi off.
- Is there a limit on how much I can dictate?
- No. With a local model there is no monthly bill and no transcription quota.
- Which languages does it understand?
- The local Qwen3-ASR model detects the spoken language automatically, including sentences that mix languages.
- Does it work in every app?
- It inserts text into the app that has focus. If an app blocks insertion, the finished transcript is still in History for you to copy.
Local transcription. No account. No subscription.
Download for Mac