> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.voicetypr.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Frequently Asked Questions

> Common questions about VoiceTypr

## General Questions

<Accordion title="What is VoiceTypr?">
  VoiceTypr is an open source, AI-powered voice-to-text dictation tool for macOS and Windows. It's an alternative to proprietary tools like Wispr Flow and SuperWhisper, offering:

  * **100% offline transcription** - your voice never leaves your device
  * **System-wide hotkey** - record anywhere with a single keystroke
  * **Automatic text insertion** - transcribed text appears at your cursor
  * **Multiple AI models** - choose between speed and accuracy
  * **99+ languages supported** - automatic language detection
  * **Open source** - full transparency under AGPL-3.0 license

  **Pay once, use forever** - no subscriptions or cloud dependencies.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Is VoiceTypr really offline?">
  Yes! **VoiceTypr is 100% offline** for core transcription:

  * AI models run entirely on your device (CPU or GPU)
  * Your voice recordings never leave your computer
  * No internet connection required for transcription

  **The only internet connections are for**:

  * **Initial model downloads** (\~75 MB to 2.9 GB, one-time per model)
  * **Update checks** (optional, checks GitHub for new versions)
  * **License validation** (trial check only, with 90-day offline grace period)
  * **AI Enhancement** (optional feature using Groq/Gemini/OpenAI APIs)

  All other operations work completely offline, including recording, transcription, and text insertion.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Is my data private?">
  **Absolutely.** VoiceTypr is privacy-first by design:

  * **No cloud uploads** - all transcription happens on your device
  * **No telemetry or tracking** - we don't collect usage data
  * **No third-party analytics** - zero external services
  * **Open source** - you can verify the code yourself

  Your recordings are:

  * Stored temporarily during transcription
  * Automatically deleted after processing
  * Never sent to any server

  The only data that leaves your device is:

  * **Update checks** to GitHub (just version number)
  * **Optional AI Enhancement** (if you enable it and provide API keys)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What's the difference between VoiceTypr and SuperWhisper/Wispr Flow?">
  | Feature              | VoiceTypr            | SuperWhisper  | Wispr Flow     |
  | -------------------- | -------------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
  | **Price**            | Pay once             | Subscription  | Subscription   |
  | **Open Source**      | ✅ Yes (AGPL-3.0)     | ❌ No          | ❌ No           |
  | **Offline**          | ✅ 100%               | ✅ Yes         | ✅ Yes          |
  | **Platforms**        | macOS, Windows       | macOS only    | macOS, Windows |
  | **GPU Acceleration** | Metal, Vulkan, ANE   | Metal only    | Metal only     |
  | **AI Models**        | Whisper, Parakeet    | Whisper       | Whisper        |
  | **AI Enhancement**   | Groq, Gemini, OpenAI | Built-in      | Built-in       |
  | **Custom Hotkeys**   | ✅ Yes                | ✅ Yes         | ✅ Yes          |
  | **Multi-language**   | 99+ languages        | 99+ languages | 99+ languages  |

  **Key advantages of VoiceTypr**:

  * **Open source** - full transparency and community contributions
  * **One-time payment** - no recurring costs
  * **Windows support** with Vulkan GPU acceleration
  * **Apple Neural Engine** support via Parakeet models
  * **Community-driven development**
</Accordion>

***

## Pricing & Licensing

<Accordion title="How much does VoiceTypr cost?">
  VoiceTypr uses a **pay-once, use forever** licensing model:

  * **Free trial**: Full-featured trial period
  * **Lifetime license**: One-time payment for permanent access
  * **No subscriptions**: Pay once, own it forever
  * **Free updates**: All future updates included

  **Important**: VoiceTypr is open source (AGPL-3.0), so you can also:

  * Build from source for free (for personal use)
  * Contribute to development
  * Fork and modify (must remain open source)

  Commercial use of pre-built binaries requires a license.

  Check the [website](https://voicetypr.com) for current pricing.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What happens when my trial ends?">
  VoiceTypr has a **90-day offline grace period** after trial ends:

  * You can continue using VoiceTypr offline for 90 days
  * Internet connection required to activate a license
  * Trial status is checked on launch (requires internet)
  * After grace period, you must activate or VoiceTypr will be limited

  **To activate after trial**:

  1. Purchase a license key
  2. Open VoiceTypr → Settings → License
  3. Enter your license key
  4. Click "Activate"

  Your license is tied to your device ID and works offline indefinitely after activation.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Can I use VoiceTypr on multiple computers?">
  License terms vary by purchase option. Typically:

  * **Single license**: One device
  * **Multi-device licenses**: Available for purchase
  * **Device ID**: Tied to hardware (OS metadata + system info)

  **To transfer license**:

  1. Deactivate on old device (Settings → License → Deactivate)
  2. Activate on new device with same license key

  Contact support for multi-device licensing options.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Is VoiceTypr really open source?">
  Yes! VoiceTypr is licensed under **AGPL-3.0**:

  * **Source code available**: [GitHub repository](https://github.com/moinulmoin/voicetypr)
  * **Build from source**: Instructions in README
  * **Contributions welcome**: Pull requests accepted
  * **Fork allowed**: Must remain open source (AGPL-3.0)

  **What this means**:

  * You can inspect all code
  * You can build for personal use without a license
  * Commercial use of pre-built binaries requires a license
  * Modifications must also be open sourced

  This ensures transparency and privacy while supporting sustainable development.
</Accordion>

***

## Platform Support

<Accordion title="Which operating systems are supported?">
  **macOS**:

  * macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
  * Intel and Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3+) Macs
  * DMG installer available
  * Exclusive Parakeet model support (Apple Silicon only)

  **Windows**:

  * Windows 10 (64-bit) or Windows 11
  * x64 and ARM64 architectures
  * NSIS installer with GPU detection
  * Vulkan GPU acceleration support

  **Linux**: Not currently supported (contributions welcome!)

  **iOS/Android**: Not planned (requires different architecture)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Does VoiceTypr work on Intel Macs?">
  Yes! VoiceTypr supports **both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs**:

  **Intel Macs**:

  * ✅ Full Whisper model support
  * ✅ Metal GPU acceleration
  * ✅ All core features
  * ❌ No Parakeet models (requires Apple Neural Engine)

  **Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3+)**:

  * ✅ All Whisper models with Metal
  * ✅ Exclusive Parakeet model support (Apple Neural Engine)
  * ✅ Better performance and battery efficiency

  **Performance**: Apple Silicon is 2-5x faster with better battery life, but Intel Macs work great with Whisper models.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Can I use VoiceTypr on Windows with AMD or Intel GPUs?">
  Yes! VoiceTypr for Windows supports **all Vulkan-compatible GPUs**:

  **Supported GPUs**:

  * ✅ **NVIDIA**: GeForce GTX 900+ (Vulkan 1.0+)
  * ✅ **AMD**: Radeon RX 400+ (Vulkan 1.0+)
  * ✅ **Intel**: Arc, Iris Xe, UHD Graphics 600+ (Vulkan 1.0+)

  **Performance boost**: 5-10x faster transcription with GPU acceleration

  **Requirements**:

  * Up-to-date graphics drivers (includes Vulkan Runtime)
  * 1+ GB VRAM

  **Automatic fallback**: If GPU is unavailable, VoiceTypr uses CPU mode automatically.

  See [Windows Platform Guide](/platforms/windows) for driver update links.
</Accordion>

***

## Features & Usage

<Accordion title="How many languages does VoiceTypr support?">
  VoiceTypr supports **99+ languages** out of the box through Whisper models:

  * **Auto-detect**: Automatically identifies the spoken language
  * **Manual selection**: Force a specific language for better accuracy
  * **Multilingual**: Switch between languages without restarting

  **Popular languages include**:
  English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, and many more.

  **How it works**:

  1. Speak in any supported language
  2. Whisper automatically detects the language
  3. Transcription appears in the original language

  **Note**: Language detection is more accurate with larger models (Small, Medium, Large).
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What AI models are available?">
  **Whisper Models** (All platforms):

  | Model      | Size   | Speed    | Accuracy  | Best For                       |
  | ---------- | ------ | -------- | --------- | ------------------------------ |
  | **Tiny**   | 75 MB  | Fastest  | Lower     | Quick notes, fast systems      |
  | **Base**   | 142 MB | Fast     | Good      | Balanced performance           |
  | **Small**  | 466 MB | Moderate | High      | **Recommended for most users** |
  | **Medium** | 1.5 GB | Slow     | Very High | High accuracy needs            |
  | **Large**  | 2.9 GB | Slowest  | Highest   | Professional use, best quality |

  **Parakeet Models** (macOS Apple Silicon only):

  | Model                    | Size   | Speed     | Accuracy | Engine              |
  | ------------------------ | ------ | --------- | -------- | ------------------- |
  | **Parakeet TDT 0.6B v3** | 500 MB | Real-time | High     | Apple Neural Engine |

  **Choosing a model**:

  * **Speed**: Use Tiny or Base
  * **Accuracy**: Use Medium or Large
  * **Balance**: Use Small (recommended)
  * **Battery efficiency** (Apple Silicon): Use Parakeet

  You can download multiple models and switch between them.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What is the difference between Push-to-Talk and Toggle mode?">
  **Push-to-Talk (PTT)**:

  * **Hold** your hotkey to record
  * **Release** hotkey to stop and transcribe
  * Like a walkie-talkie
  * Minimum duration: 1 second
  * Best for: Quick, controlled recordings

  **Toggle Mode**:

  * **Press** hotkey once to start recording
  * **Press** again to stop and transcribe
  * Or press **Esc** twice to cancel
  * Minimum duration: 3 seconds
  * Best for: Longer recordings, hands-free

  **Switch modes**:

  * Settings → General → Recording Mode
  * Or menubar/tray → Recording Mode

  **Tips**:

  * PTT is more precise for short bursts
  * Toggle is better for lengthy dictation
  * Both modes work in any application
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Can VoiceTypr transcribe audio files?">
  Yes! VoiceTypr supports **audio file upload and transcription**:

  **Supported formats**:

  * WAV, MP3, M4A, FLAC, OGG, and more
  * Multi-channel audio (up to 4+ channels)
  * Any sample rate (automatically normalized to 16kHz)

  **How to use**:

  1. Open VoiceTypr Settings
  2. Navigate to **Upload** section
  3. Drag & drop audio file or click to browse
  4. Wait for transcription
  5. Text appears in the upload section (can copy to clipboard)

  **Note**: File transcription does **not** auto-insert text at cursor - you must copy it manually.

  **Use cases**:

  * Transcribe meeting recordings
  * Convert voice memos to text
  * Transcribe podcast segments
  * Process existing audio archives
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What is AI Enhancement?">
  **AI Enhancement** is an optional feature that improves transcriptions using cloud AI APIs:

  **What it does**:

  * Fixes grammar and punctuation errors
  * Removes filler words (um, uh, like)
  * Formats text appropriately
  * Applies custom prompts (email, commit messages, notes)

  **Supported providers**:

  * **Groq** (fast, affordable)
  * **Gemini** (Google's AI)
  * **OpenAI** (GPT models)
  * **OpenAI-compatible** endpoints (custom URLs)

  **Requirements**:

  * Internet connection
  * API key from provider (you provide your own)
  * Costs based on provider's pricing

  **How to enable**:

  1. Settings → AI Enhancement
  2. Choose provider
  3. Enter API key
  4. Select enhancement mode (or create custom prompt)
  5. Enable enhancement toggle

  **Privacy**: Your transcriptions are sent to the AI provider for enhancement. If privacy is a concern, **keep AI Enhancement disabled**.
</Accordion>

***

## Performance & Requirements

<Accordion title="How much disk space do I need?">
  **Minimum**: 3-4 GB free space

  **Breakdown**:

  * VoiceTypr app: \~200 MB
  * Single Whisper model: 75 MB to 2.9 GB
  * Parakeet model (macOS): \~500 MB
  * Temporary recording files: \~100 MB

  **Recommended**: 5+ GB to have room for multiple models

  **Storage locations**:

  * **macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/com.voicetypr.app/`
  * **Windows**: `%APPDATA%\com.voicetypr.app\`

  **Free up space**:

  * Delete unused models (Settings → Models → Remove)
  * Use smaller models (Tiny/Base instead of Large)
  * Reset App Data to clear cache (Settings → Advanced)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Do I need a GPU for VoiceTypr?">
  **No, but it helps significantly.**

  **Without GPU** (CPU only):

  * ✅ VoiceTypr works fine
  * ⚠️ Transcription is 1-2x real-time (depends on CPU)
  * ⚠️ Slower with larger models
  * ✅ No special drivers needed

  **With GPU**:

  * ✅ 5-10x faster transcription (Windows Vulkan)
  * ✅ 2-5x faster (macOS Metal)
  * ✅ Near real-time with Parakeet (Apple Neural Engine)
  * ⚠️ Requires updated graphics drivers

  **GPU requirements**:

  * **macOS**: Any Mac with Metal support (all modern Macs)
  * **Windows**: NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel GPU with Vulkan support

  **Bottom line**: VoiceTypr **always works** - GPU just makes it faster.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="How fast is transcription?">
  **Speed depends on**:

  1. Platform (macOS vs Windows)
  2. Hardware (GPU vs CPU, Apple Silicon vs Intel)
  3. Model size (Tiny vs Large)

  **Approximate speeds**:

  **Apple Silicon + Parakeet**: \~1.0x real-time (30s audio = 30s to transcribe)

  **macOS Metal GPU**:

  * Tiny/Base: 5-10x real-time (30s audio = 3-6s)
  * Small/Medium: 2-5x real-time (30s audio = 6-15s)
  * Large: 1-2x real-time (30s audio = 15-30s)

  **Windows Vulkan GPU**:

  * Tiny/Base: 8-12x real-time (30s audio = 2-4s)
  * Small/Medium: 4-8x real-time (30s audio = 4-8s)
  * Large: 2-4x real-time (30s audio = 8-15s)

  **CPU only** (no GPU):

  * Tiny/Base: 1-3x real-time
  * Small/Medium: 0.5-1.5x real-time (slower than real-time)
  * Large: 0.2-0.5x real-time (very slow)

  **Recommendation**: For best experience, use Small model with GPU acceleration.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Does VoiceTypr drain my battery?">
  **Battery impact varies by platform and usage**:

  **macOS Apple Silicon + Parakeet**:

  * ⚡ **Minimal impact** (Apple Neural Engine is ultra-efficient)
  * Comparable to normal typing
  * Best option for laptops

  **macOS Intel + Whisper Metal**:

  * ⚠️ **Moderate impact** during active transcription
  * GPU and CPU both active
  * Drains faster than Parakeet

  **Windows GPU (Vulkan)**:

  * ⚠️ **Moderate to high impact** during transcription
  * GPU acceleration uses more power than CPU alone
  * Worth it for speed boost

  **CPU-only mode**:

  * ⚠️ **High impact** due to sustained CPU usage
  * Slower transcription = longer CPU time = more drain

  **Battery saving tips**:

  1. Use Parakeet on Apple Silicon Macs
  2. Use smaller models (Tiny/Base)
  3. Keep recordings short
  4. Disable AI Enhancement (requires internet/API calls)
  5. Quit VoiceTypr when not in use
</Accordion>

***

## Troubleshooting

<Accordion title="Why is transcription slow?">
  See the [Troubleshooting Guide](/troubleshooting) for detailed solutions on slow transcription.

  **Quick fixes**:

  1. **Update graphics drivers** (Windows - most common fix!)
  2. **Use smaller models** (Tiny/Base instead of Large)
  3. **Try Parakeet** (macOS Apple Silicon only)
  4. **Check GPU detection** in logs
  5. **Free up RAM** by closing background apps
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Why won't my recording start?">
  See the [Troubleshooting Guide](/troubleshooting) for detailed solutions on recording issues.

  **Quick checklist**:

  1. ✅ Microphone permission granted
  2. ✅ At least one model downloaded
  3. ✅ Hotkey not conflicting with other apps
  4. ✅ VoiceTypr running in background (menubar/tray icon visible)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Why is the transcription inaccurate?">
  See the [Troubleshooting Guide](/troubleshooting) for detailed solutions on improving transcription accuracy.

  **Quick improvements**:

  1. Use **larger models** (Small, Medium, or Large)
  2. **Reduce background noise**
  3. **Speak clearly** at normal pace
  4. Set **language explicitly** instead of auto-detect
  5. Enable **AI Enhancement** for grammar fixes (requires API key)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Where can I get help?">
  **Documentation**:

  * [Troubleshooting Guide](/troubleshooting) - Common issues and solutions
  * [macOS Platform Guide](/platforms/macos) - macOS-specific help
  * [Windows Platform Guide](/platforms/windows) - Windows-specific help

  **Community Support**:

  * [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/moinulmoin/voicetypr/discussions) - Ask questions
  * [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/moinulmoin/voicetypr/issues) - Report bugs

  **Before asking for help**:

  1. Check [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting) first
  2. Search existing GitHub issues
  3. Collect diagnostic info (Settings → Help → Copy System Info)
  4. Include logs if relevant (Settings → Help → View Logs)

  **Response time**: Community-driven project - response times vary. Be patient and provide details!
</Accordion>

***

## See Also

* [Troubleshooting Guide](/troubleshooting)
* [macOS Platform Guide](/platforms/macos)
* [Windows Platform Guide](/platforms/windows)
* [System Requirements](/guides/system-requirements)
* [GPU Acceleration](/guides/gpu-acceleration)