Free dictation software for Windows, Mac and Linux
OiPer is free for unlimited local dictation. Hold a hotkey, speak, and your words are typed into any app on Windows, macOS or Linux. There is no word cap, no trial and no account. Here is what is free, what costs money, and when the dictation already built into your computer is enough.
Updated
What is free
The full desktop app, with transcription on your own computer.
Unlimited local transcription
Whisper models from Tiny to Large v3 Turbo run on your CPU or GPU. Dictate as much as you want, offline.
Read about ModelsNo account
Local features do not need an account. Install the app, pick a model and start talking.
Read about QuickstartProfiles, snippets and history
Give each task its own hotkey and language, expand short phrases into longer text, and replay past dictations.
Read about ProfilesYour own API key
Prefer a cloud model? Add a key for OpenAI, Groq or any OpenAI-compatible provider. The provider bills you directly, OiPer charges nothing.
Read about ModelsWhat costs money
Only hosted services, and only if you want them.
OiPer hosted models
Paid plans add OiPer’s hosted speech and formatting models, with nothing to configure and no API key to manage.
Read about ModelsYour cloud provider’s usage
If you use your own API key, you pay that provider at its own rates.
Read about Security & Data HandlingWhen built-in dictation is enough
Windows and macOS already include free dictation. For occasional use it may be all you need.
Windows voice typing
Press Win + H in a text box to start. Microsoft describes it as online speech recognition that needs an internet connection, and lists around fifty languages on Windows 11.
macOS Dictation
Built into every Mac and works anywhere you can type, with no time limit on long dictation. It stops after 30 seconds of silence, and some languages are processed on the device.
When OiPer is the better fit
You want dictation on Linux, offline dictation on Windows, a choice of speech model, formatting that turns speech into an email or prompt, or a separate hotkey for each kind of task.
Read about FormattingQuestions, answered
What people ask before they start dictating with OiPer.
What is the best free dictation software for Windows 11?
Windows voice typing (Win + H) is built in and fine for occasional use, but it needs an internet connection. OiPer is free for unlimited local dictation on Windows 10 and 11, works offline and uses your GPU when available.
Is there a free dictation app for Mac?
Yes. macOS Dictation is built in, and OiPer is free for unlimited local dictation on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 10.15 or later.
Is there free dictation software for Linux?
Yes. OiPer runs on Linux with AppImage, .deb and .rpm builds, supports X11 and Wayland, and local dictation is free and unlimited.
Is OiPer really free?
Yes. Local transcription is free and unlimited, with no word limit and no account. You only pay if you choose OiPer’s hosted models, or your own cloud provider for its usage.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Local features work without an account. An account is only needed for OiPer’s paid hosted models.
Can I use free dictation offline?
Yes. OiPer’s local mode transcribes on your computer, so it keeps working without internet once a Whisper model is downloaded.
Is OiPer open source?
No. OiPer Desktop is not open source. Local transcription is free and unlimited, runs entirely on your device and needs no account.