Speech to text for Claude

Speech to Text in Claude

Dictate a long prompt into Claude, inspect the text, then send it when it is ready. StarWhisper turns speech into text in the focused Windows input with a global hotkey and local Whisper transcription.

"Turn these notes into a clear project brief..."

Set Up Dictation in Claude

Install once, then use the same focused-field workflow for every prompt.

1

Install StarWhisper

Download StarWhisper, install it on Windows, and allow microphone access. Use a local Whisper model to start. The free tier includes 2,000 words per week.

2

Set a hotkey

Right-click the StarWhisper circle, open Settings, choose the Basic tab, and use the Hotkey section. Pick a combination that does not interfere with your normal browser or app shortcuts.

3

Focus the Claude message field

Open Claude and click the message input where you want the prompt to appear. Check that the cursor is in the intended conversation before recording. StarWhisper sends text to the active field, not to a named integration.

4

Dictate, review, and send

Hold the hotkey, speak naturally, and release it when finished. StarWhisper transcribes locally and inserts the result. Review names, instructions, and formatting, then send the prompt yourself.

Useful Claude Dictation Jobs

Voice is a fast way to get context and intent into a prompt you can still edit.

Write a detailed prompt

Dictate the role, background, task, constraints, examples, and desired format in one pass. Read the resulting text before you ask Claude to work.

Turn notes into an outline

Speak rough ideas, headings, audience notes, and the order you have in mind. Then ask Claude to organize them without losing your original context.

Explain a code question

Describe the behavior you want, the error you saw, and the trade-offs that matter. Paste the exact code separately when spelling and punctuation must stay unchanged.

Draft a rewrite brief

Dictate the audience, tone, length, facts to preserve, and points to remove. The editable transcript gives you a chance to correct proper names before sending.

Why Dictate Prompts Into Claude?

A useful AI prompt often needs more than a sentence. It may need context from a meeting, the reason for a decision, examples of an acceptable answer, and limits on what should change. Speaking that material can help you capture the full brief while the thought is still fresh.

StarWhisper keeps the final step in your hands. The transcript appears in Claude's text field, where you can edit it, add a pasted reference, or remove anything that does not belong before you send it.

Local Speech Recognition on Windows

StarWhisper uses OpenAI Whisper through local whisper.cpp processing. In Local Mode, speech is transcribed on your computer. The audio does not need to leave the device for the text to appear in the focused Claude input.

Pro users can choose an optional cloud Whisper fallback. If local processing is the reason you are evaluating a desktop dictation tool, see the offline speech-to-text guide for the local setup.

Choose a Model for the Session

StarWhisper supports the Whisper model range from tiny through large-v3 and supports 100+ languages. A short question and a long multilingual brief do not have to use the same model choice. Select a language or use the available language options in the app.

CUDA, Vulkan, and Metal acceleration paths are supported according to hardware and operating system. CPU-only processing is also available. Pick the option that fits your computer and the length of the prompt you plan to dictate.

Troubleshooting Speech to Text in Claude

  • The words go to the wrong place: click the Claude message field again before holding the hotkey.
  • Nothing is inserted: check the configured hotkey, microphone permission, and selected input device.
  • The result is slow: try a smaller model or an available CUDA, Vulkan, or Metal path.
  • A name is misheard: edit it in Claude's input field or paste the exact spelling before sending.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does StarWhisper work in Claude?
Yes. StarWhisper types dictated text into the active Windows text field. Focus the Claude message field, use the configured hotkey, speak, release, and review the text before sending it.
Is speech to text in Claude processed offline?
In Local Mode, StarWhisper runs Whisper locally through whisper.cpp, so audio stays on the device during transcription. Pro users can optionally choose cloud fallback, but it is not required.
What can I dictate into Claude?
You can dictate prompts, context, constraints, outlines, notes, and explanations. Exact code and punctuation-heavy syntax are usually easier to paste or type, then you can dictate the surrounding request.
How do I change the StarWhisper hotkey?
Right-click the StarWhisper circle, open Settings, choose the Basic tab, and use the Hotkey section to set a key combination.

Try Speech to Text in Claude Free

2,000 words per week on the free tier. Local Whisper transcription on your computer.

Download StarWhisper for Windows