StarWhisper turns speech into text anywhere on macOS. It runs OpenAI’s Whisper model locally on Apple Silicon, so dictation works offline and your audio is never uploaded.
Most dictation tools send your voice to a server to transcribe it. StarWhisper does the opposite: it runs the Whisper speech model directly on your Mac, using Apple’s Metal graphics acceleration on M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips. Nothing leaves the device.
Once you grant the Accessibility permission, StarWhisper can insert text into whatever app you are focused on:
Your speech is transcribed on-device. There is no cloud round-trip and no audio stored on a server.
On a plane or with no connection, dictation still works because the model lives on your Mac.
Whisper handles punctuation, names, and technical terms well. You can pick a larger model for higher accuracy or a smaller one for speed.
Download the DMG, drag StarWhisper into Applications, and allow Microphone and Accessibility when macOS asks. That is the whole setup. StarWhisper is free to start, with a Pro upgrade for unlimited use.
Yes. StarWhisper is free to start and runs entirely on your Mac. A Pro upgrade removes the daily limit, but you can dictate for free every day.
Yes. The Whisper model runs locally on Apple Silicon, so dictation works with no internet connection.
Yes. After you grant the Accessibility permission, StarWhisper inserts text into whatever app you are typing in, from Notes to Slack to your code editor.
Apple Dictation is convenient and free. StarWhisper uses the Whisper model, works fully offline with no time limit, and lets you choose the accuracy level by picking a larger or smaller model.
Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4) on macOS 12 or later. Intel Macs are not supported yet.
Download StarWhisper, grant two permissions, and start voice-typing anywhere.
Download for MacFree to start. Works on macOS 12 or later, Apple Silicon only.