Welcome to OpenWhispr
OpenWhispr is a privacy-first voice-to-text dictation desktop app that works anywhere on your system. Dictate in any application with a simple hotkey, and your transcribed text automatically appears at your cursor.Quick Start
Get up and running in under 5 minutes
Installation
Download and install for your platform
Features
Explore all capabilities and processing modes
Configuration
Customize hotkeys, models, and preferences
What Makes OpenWhispr Different
OpenWhispr gives you complete control over your voice data with three flexible processing modes:OpenWhispr Cloud
Sign in and transcribe instantly—no API keys needed. Free tier includes 2,000 words/week, Pro offers unlimited transcription.
Bring Your Own Key
Use your own API keys from OpenAI, Groq, Mistral, or AssemblyAI. Full control over provider and model selection.
Local Processing
Keep your voice data completely private. Audio never leaves your device with Whisper or NVIDIA Parakeet models.
Key Features
Global Hotkey Control
Global Hotkey Control
Customizable hotkey to start/stop dictation from any application. Default is backtick (`) on most platforms, with compound hotkey support like
Cmd+Shift+K.- macOS: Optional Globe/Fn key toggle for hardware-level triggering
- Windows: Native push-to-talk support with low-level keyboard hooks
- Linux: GNOME Wayland integration via D-Bus, X11 support everywhere else
Multi-Provider AI Processing
Multi-Provider AI Processing
Choose from multiple AI providers for intelligent text processing:
- OpenAI: GPT-5, GPT-4.1, o-series reasoning models
- Anthropic: Claude Opus 4.6, Claude Sonnet 4.5, Claude Haiku 4.5
- Google: Gemini 3.1 Pro, Gemini 3 Flash, Gemini 2.5 Pro/Flash
- Groq: Ultra-fast inference with Llama and Mixtral models
- Local: Qwen, LLaMA, Mistral models via llama.cpp
Privacy-First Architecture
Privacy-First Architecture
- Local processing keeps voice data on your device
- No analytics or telemetry collection
- Open source code available for review
- Secure storage for API keys in system keychain
- Minimal permissions (microphone and accessibility only)
Smart Dictionary & History
Smart Dictionary & History
- Custom Dictionary: Add technical terms, names, and jargon to improve accuracy
- Auto-learn: Automatically detects corrections and updates dictionary
- SQLite History: All transcriptions stored locally in searchable database
- Export Options: Copy, edit, or delete past transcriptions
Cross-Platform Support
Cross-Platform Support
Works seamlessly on macOS 10.15+, Windows 10+, and modern Linux distributions.
- macOS: Native AppleScript integration for reliable pasting
- Windows: Native SendInput API with terminal detection
- Linux: Multiple package formats (AppImage, deb, rpm, tar.gz, Flatpak)
How It Works
Press your hotkey
Activate dictation from anywhere with your customizable global hotkey (default: backtick `)
Speak naturally
A draggable panel shows recording status with visual feedback. Speak in any of 58 supported languages.
Stop recording
Press the hotkey again (or release in push-to-talk mode) to stop and begin transcription.
OpenWhispr supports 58 languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, and more. Set your preferred language or use auto-detect.
Processing Options Explained
OpenWhispr Cloud
The fastest way to get started. Sign in with Google or email, and start transcribing immediately.- Free Plan: 2,000 words per week with 7-day Pro trial for new accounts
- Pro Plan: Unlimited transcriptions at $9/month
- No Configuration: No API keys or model downloads required
- Account Features: Email verification, referral program, usage tracking
Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)
Use your own API credentials for maximum flexibility. Supported Providers:- OpenAI Whisper API: Industry-leading accuracy with whisper-1 model
- Groq: Ultra-fast inference, cost-effective for high-volume use
- Mistral: Voxtral transcription with competitive pricing
- AssemblyAI: Advanced features like speaker diarization
- Custom Endpoints: Point to your own API-compatible services
Local Processing
Complete privacy with on-device transcription. Choose from two engines:Whisper (via whisper.cpp)
OpenAI’s Whisper model optimized for CPU with GGML quantization:| Model | Size | Speed | Quality | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tiny | 75MB | Fastest | Basic | Quick notes |
| base | 142MB | Fast | Good | Recommended balance |
| small | 466MB | Medium | Better | Quality-focused |
| medium | 1.5GB | Slow | High | Professional work |
| large | 3GB | Slowest | Best | Maximum accuracy |
| turbo | 1.6GB | Fast | High | Speed + quality |
NVIDIA Parakeet (via sherpa-onnx)
Fast multilingual transcription with INT8 quantization:- parakeet-tdt-0.6b-v3: 25 languages, ~680MB, optimized for speed
- Best for lower-end hardware or speed-critical workflows
- Efficient CPU inference with ONNX runtime
Technology Stack
OpenWhispr is built with modern, battle-tested technologies:- Frontend: React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS v4
- Desktop: Electron 36 with context isolation
- Database: better-sqlite3 for local history
- Speech-to-Text: whisper.cpp + sherpa-onnx (local), OpenAI API (cloud)
- Audio: FFmpeg for preprocessing
- UI Components: shadcn/ui with Radix primitives
Open Source & Community
OpenWhispr is MIT licensed and welcomes contributions:- GitHub: OpenWhispr/openwhispr
- License: MIT (free for personal and commercial use)
- Version: 1.5.5 (actively maintained)
- Stars: Trusted by thousands of users worldwide
Report Issues
Found a bug? Let us know on GitHub
Contribute
Help improve OpenWhispr for everyone
Next Steps
Install Now
Download for macOS, Windows, or Linux
Quick Start
First transcription in 5 minutes
Browse Features
Explore all capabilities in depth