Does my audio ever leave my Mac?

No. Transcription runs entirely on your Mac and works offline. Audio is never uploaded, and the recording is deleted after each transcription. The only time any text leaves your machine is if you explicitly choose the optional OpenAI provider for AI cleanup.

How much does OpenWhisp cost?

Nothing. OpenWhisp is free and open source under the MIT license — no account, no subscription, no usage meter.

What are the system requirements?

An Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer) running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.

How is it different from the built-in macOS dictation?

OpenWhisp streams words in about 0.3 seconds behind your voice, already punctuated, and adds things macOS dictation doesn't have: voice editing of selected text, AI refinement that runs offline, custom vocabulary, per-app modes, a searchable local history, and a built-in MCP server so AI coding agents can use your voice.

Can AI coding agents like Claude Code use OpenWhisp?

Yes. OpenWhisp doubles as a local MCP server, so Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-aware agent can ask you questions out loud and take your spoken answer, rewrite text with your on-device model, and read your recent dictations. It works with any API key or Bedrock setup, over SSH, and in regulated environments, because nothing is ever sent to the cloud. It is off until you enable it, and you approve each agent and each capability.

How do I install OpenWhisp?

Download the DMG, drag OpenWhisp to your Applications folder, and open it. The build is signed and notarized by Apple, so it launches with a double-click — no Gatekeeper prompts. You can also build it yourself from source.

Can I edit existing text by voice on a Mac?

Yes. OpenWhisp lets you select text in any app, double-tap its hotkey, and speak an instruction; the selected text is rewritten in place by an AI model.

Does voice editing send my text to the cloud?

Not unless you choose to. OpenWhisp can run the rewrite on a built-in offline model on your own Mac, on your own server, or on OpenAI — your choice.

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July 2, 2026|4 min read

How to edit text by voice on a Mac (not just dictate)

To edit text by voice on a Mac, select the text in any app, double-tap OpenWhisp's hotkey, and speak an instruction like “make this more formal.” The selection is rewritten in place by an AI model — no retyping, no copy-paste. Unlike ordinary dictation, this edits text that already exists.

Dictation apps are good at one thing: turning speech into new text. But a lot of writing is editing — tightening a sentence, making an email more polite, translating a paragraph. OpenWhisp adds a feature most Mac dictation tools don’t have: voice editing of text you’ve already selected.

How it works

Highlight some text in any app.
Double-tap your OpenWhisp hotkey (no dictation needed).
Say what you want changed: “make it more formal,” “translate to Russian,” “tighten this up.”
The selection is replaced in place with the rewrite.

It stays private

The selected text is read through the macOS Accessibility API, so your clipboard is left untouched, and secure or password fields are never read. The rewrite can run on the built-in offline model that lives on your own disk, so the text never leaves your Mac — or on your own server, or OpenAI if you prefer.

Why it beats copy-paste-into-a-chatbot

The usual workflow — copy text, switch to a chatbot, paste, read the result, copy it back — breaks your focus and touches the cloud. Editing in place keeps you in the document and, with the local model, keeps everything on your machine. It pairs naturally with everyday dictation: talk to write, double-tap to revise.

Try it

Voice editing ships in OpenWhisp, a free, open-source dictation app for Apple Silicon Macs. Get it from the OpenWhisp site or GitHub.

Frequently asked questions

Can I edit existing text by voice on a Mac?: Yes. OpenWhisp lets you select text in any app, double-tap its hotkey, and speak an instruction; the selected text is rewritten in place by an AI model.
Does voice editing send my text to the cloud?: Not unless you choose to. OpenWhisp can run the rewrite on a built-in offline model on your own Mac, on your own server, or on OpenAI — your choice.
Is my clipboard affected when I edit text by voice?: No. The selection is read via the macOS Accessibility API, so your clipboard is left untouched, and secure or password fields are never read.

Try OpenWhisp

Free, open source, and 100% on-device dictation for Apple Silicon Macs.

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