Voice typing. Made for your Mac.
Turn what you say into what you meant to write. Private, on-device dictation that keeps up with your thoughts.
Free to download. No subscription.
Apple silicon · macOS 26 or later · Version 1.0.1 (2) · 17.9 MB download
READY WHEN YOU ARE
AirDictate takes care of the typing.
Let’s make a little more room for the ideas, and a little less for the admin.
Illustrative interface · example text
On your device
In your own words
Across your workflow
Free to use
ONE APP. ALL THE USEFUL DETAILS.
Real tools for everyday work — from a quick sentence to a well-prepared meeting.
On-device dictation
Record with your shortcut and let local Parakeet turn speech into text. A sound-responsive recorder, automatic insertion, optional clipboard copy and filler cleanup keep it flowing. Basic dictation works offline after the model download.
AI Edit & writing styles
Select text and speak a rewrite instruction. Build custom formatting prompts, trigger styles by voice, or match them to an app or website. Test your style before using it. Optional AI features use your own OpenAI key.
Notes & voice snippets
Create and edit notes, organise lists, add tags and bookmarks, and find things with search. Switch between rows and cards. Preview Markdown, optionally enhance text with AI, and use voice commands to create, copy or insert saved notes.
Meeting workspace
Start with an objective and background documents, then build your discussion plan. Use questions or headlines, mark points covered and add private notes. Get private AI guidance from your topics, documents and completed transcripts. Ask for context or explicit edits, additions and reordering, with Undo.
Audio & video import
Drop in WAV, MP3, M4A, AIFF, MP4, MOV and other supported files for local transcription. Optionally identify speakers on Apple silicon, copy the result, create a note or use OpenAI formatting. Audio and text are saved in History.
Presentation design
Open a separate presentation window with your public discussion content. Save visual themes, add a logo or background, and adjust colours, fonts, alignment, spacing, progress and navigation. Private notes and chat stay in your workspace.
Custom dictionary
Keep your own names, specialist terms and phrases in a searchable, editable dictionary. Parakeet results use dictionary-based correction after transcription; adding words does not train the speech model.
Text replacements
Turn an abbreviation into a full phrase, a spoken cue into punctuation, or a short trigger into a personal snippet. Edit and search your input-to-replacement rules in one place.
Transcript & audio history
Search dated transcripts, filter by time and select or copy your text. Replay saved audio and download the recording from the same row. Keep the original words within reach.
Activity overview
See word and transcription counts, estimated typing time saved, and a daily activity graph. A simple overview of your own usage, with quick access to History, AI Edit and Settings.
Shortcuts & preferences
Configure recording, AI Edit and secondary-language shortcuts. Choose whether to keep inserted text on the clipboard, keep AirDictate in the menu bar while hiding its Dock icon, and decide whether it opens at login.
Privacy & storage controls
Manage microphone and Accessibility permissions, local recording retention and anonymous usage statistics. API keys are stored in Keychain, with optional iCloud key synchronisation. Local dictation and optional cloud AI stay distinct.
Local first. Cloud AI when you choose. Basic Parakeet dictation runs on your Mac. Optional OpenAI features send the relevant content to OpenAI and need your own API key and an internet connection. Provider charges may apply.
Read our privacy policyPREPARED, PRESENT, ORGANISED.
Prepare with documents. Work through discussion points. Ask the assistant for help. Record when you need to, then revisit the transcript after you stop.
Add the meeting objective and your documents in Setup. Generate a suggested plan, then shape it with manual changes or explicit instructions to the assistant.
Ask about your documents and the current discussion. Request changes to one point or several, add new points, organise the order and undo the last assistant change.
A simpler recorder: capture the meeting, then create the transcript when you stop. Audio and transcripts are available in the meeting’s Transcripts tab and History. Play or download transcript passages, export the complete recording package as a ZIP, and generate meeting notes with optional OpenAI assistance. You stay in charge of marking discussion points covered.
A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS
Yes. The current release is free to download and use, with no subscription or licence activation. Optional OpenAI features use your own API key, so any provider usage charges are separate. If you’d like to support development, you can support AirDictate on Buy Me a Coffee.
Local Parakeet dictation processes your audio on your Mac. Optional AI features send the relevant text and document context to OpenAI when you use them. You can use basic local dictation without enabling cloud AI. See the privacy policy for more detail.
Basic on-device dictation works offline after the one-time 2.49 GB Parakeet speech model download. Allow several gigabytes of free storage for installation. Initial downloads, software updates and optional OpenAI features need an internet connection.
This download is for Macs with Apple silicon running macOS 26 or later. You’ll need microphone permission for recording and the relevant macOS permissions for features such as automatic paste.
The meeting recorder captures audio, then produces the transcript after you stop. It does not need to continuously analyse the conversation as you record. You can use the optional AI assistant separately for document questions and discussion preparation.
A LITTLE MORE FLOW
Download AirDictate and get back to what you were thinking.
