WhisperType documentation

Quick start

System requirements

• Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit, Intel or AMD), or macOS (public beta): Apple Silicon Mac: version 1.4.1, macOS 14 or later · Intel Mac: version 1.3.2, macOS 11 or later
• GPU: optional. An NVIDIA card is used when the CUDA 12 libraries are present; Apple Silicon uses Metal
• 75 MB to 3 GB of disk space for the model you choose on first run
• No GPU? WhisperType runs on the CPU — just slower

Download and install

1. Download WhisperType from the Download page
2. Run the installer (WhisperType-Setup-…exe on Windows, the .dmg on macOS)
3. Follow the installation wizard

First run (model download and trial)

On first launch, setup has you pick a model and start your 14-day free trial:

• Model: you pick one of four, from Base (~75 MB) to Large v3 (~3 GB); Small (~475 MB) is preselected. How long it takes depends on your connection
• Trial: enter an email address to start. No credit card required.
• A progress bar shows the download status. Don't close the app.
• WhisperType then lives in the system tray on Windows and in the menu bar on macOS.

This happens once. After it, transcription needs no connection; the app still goes online for license checks, updates and usage statistics.

Your first transcription

1. Open any app with a text field (Discord, VS Code, Word, etc.)
2. Place your cursor where you want text to appear
3. Press F8 (default hotkey)
4. Speak clearly
5. Press F8 again to stop
6. Text appears at your cursor position

Using WhisperType

The F8 shortcut (and how to change it)

Default: F8 starts/stops recording

To change: open Settings → Hotkey, click Record new hotkey, press the new key or combination and save.

The floating widget

While you record, a small floating bar appears:

• Status: "Listening" while it records, "Transcribing…" after
• Waveform: Audio level visualization
• Drag: Move widget anywhere on screen

What's included

Every trial and every subscription gets the same app — there's no reduced tier. That includes:

Supported languages

On Auto, WhisperType chooses between English and Spanish. For another language, pick it in Settings → General → Primary language, which offers:

• English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian
• Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Hindi

Troubleshooting

App doesn't start

• On macOS: if the launch is blocked, use Open Anyway in System Settings → Privacy & Security
• On Windows: check Event Viewer for error details
• Try running as Administrator
• Check antivirus/firewall isn't blocking the app

No audio detected

• Check microphone is connected and enabled
• Test the microphone in your system's sound settings; on macOS, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
• Ensure no other app is exclusively using the microphone
• Try a different microphone

Text not appearing in app

• Ensure cursor is in a text field
• Try in a different app (Notepad, Word, etc.)
• Check if target app requires elevated privileges
• On macOS: check that Accessibility is granted in System Settings → Privacy & Security

GPU not being used

• Ensure NVIDIA drivers are up to date
• The NVIDIA path needs the CUDA 12 libraries; without them WhisperType uses the CPU
• There is no GPU switch: WhisperType uses an NVIDIA GPU on Windows or Apple Silicon on a Mac when it can, and the CPU otherwise. AMD and Intel graphics are not used

Common Windows 11 issues

• Microphone privacy settings: Allow apps to access microphone
• Real-time protection: Add WhisperType to Windows Defender exclusions
• Power settings: Ensure high-performance power plan

License

Starting your trial

1. Download and install WhisperType
2. On first launch, enter an email address to start your 14-day free trial — no credit card
3. The full app is unlocked for the length of the trial

Subscribing

1. Subscriptions are not open yet, and nobody is charged. Get an email the day they open
2. When they open: you subscribe from inside the app for $9/month, pay through Stripe, receive a license key by email, and paste it in Settings → License (at the top of the General tab)

What your subscription includes

• All four models, Base to Large v3
• Every feature, on one active machine at a time
• All future updates for as long as you're subscribed

There's no reduced free tier anymore: if your trial or subscription lapses, the app stops running until you activate again.

Moving to a new machine

• Deactivate the license in Settings → License on the old machine
• Activate it on the new machine with the same key
• Lost access to the old machine? Email hello@whispertype.ai and we'll reset the activation

Cancelling and refunds

Subscriptions are not open yet, so nobody is charged and there is nothing to cancel. See the Refund & Cancellation Policy for how billing, cancellation, and refunds work.

System requirements

• OS: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit, Intel or AMD) · Apple Silicon Mac: version 1.4.1, macOS 14 or later · Intel Mac: version 1.3.2, macOS 11 or later (public beta)
• GPU: optional · NVIDIA with the CUDA 12 libraries on Windows · Metal on Apple Silicon
• No GPU: Any CPU — WhisperType falls back to CPU transcription, just slower
• Disk space: 75 MB to 3 GB for the model you choose on first run

Everything runs locally — no internet connection is needed for transcription after the model download.