Whisper Notes
Based on the provided text, Whisper Notes is an app that can be downloaded on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac OS X 13.0 or later. The page...
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What is Whisper Notes?
Whisper Notes is an offline speech-to-text app for iPhone and Mac that uses OpenAI's Whisper AI model to transcribe voice recordings and audio files completely on your device. It captures meetings, lectures, interviews, voice memos, dreams, and random thoughts, converting them into accurate text without ever sending audio to the cloud. The app supports 100+ languages including English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Korean, Russian, Arabic, and Hindi.
Key features include 100% offline processing for total privacy, system-wide dictation on Mac by holding the Fn key in any app, audio file import (MP3, M4A, WAV), streaming transcription output, timestamp exports, and on Mac, AI-powered meeting summaries and the ability to chat with transcripts using local AI. On iPhone, you can start recording from the Lock Screen or Control Center instantly, and share Voice Memos recordings directly to Whisper Notes for transcription.
Whisper Notes is designed for professionals who value privacy and accuracy: journalists, researchers, doctors, medical students, lawyers, podcasters, students recording lectures, and anyone capturing ideas or meeting notes. It's ideal for users tired of subscription-based transcription services who want a one-time purchase with unlimited transcriptions and free updates forever.
Whisper Notes pricing
Pricing model: Paid
iPhone & iPad: $6.99 USD one-time purchase on the App Store with unlimited transcriptions, 100+ languages, 100% offline & private, and free updates forever. Mac: Free trial with 10,000 words (no credit card, no sign-up), then $6.99 USD one-time to unlock full version. Mac includes Fn voice typing, Whisper Large V3 Turbo model, no duration limit, AI meeting summaries, and chat with transcript. Both platforms are separate purchases (not Universal Purchase). No subscriptions, no ads, no hidden costs. All future updates included for each platform.
Whisper Notes pros
- 100% offline - audio never leaves your device
- No subscriptions - one-time $6.99 purchase
- No ads and no tracking/analytics
- 100+ languages supported
- Highly accurate Whisper Large V3 Turbo model
- System-wide Fn key dictation on Mac
- Import MP3, M4A, WAV audio files
- Share Voice Memos recordings directly to app
- Lock Screen and Control Center quick recording on iPhone
- Streaming transcription output - see text as it processes
- Export transcripts with timestamps
- Mac version has AI meeting summaries and transcript chat
- HIPAA compliant without requiring BAA
- Free 10,000-word trial on Mac before purchasing
- 10x faster than standard Whisper with Parakeet V3 model
- Refund available through Settings
- Works in airplane mode for complete privacy
Whisper Notes cons
- No iCloud sync between devices due to privacy design
- iPhone 12 or later required (iPhone 11/SE too slow)
- Mac requires M-series chip (no Intel support)
- iOS version has no AI summaries yet (Mac only)
- Chat with transcript only works for recordings over 3 minutes
- Transcription stops if you switch apps on iOS
- Older iPhones have slower transcription speed
- Separate purchases for iOS and Mac (no Universal Purchase)
- Verbatim transcription only - no auto-polishing like cloud services
- Mac App Store version no longer maintained (must download DMG)
Frequently asked questions about Whisper Notes
What is Whisper Notes?
An offline speech-to-text app for iOS and macOS. Record your voice—meetings, lectures, random thoughts—and get accurate transcripts. Everything runs locally on your device using Whisper AI.
Does it work offline?
Yes. No internet needed. Once you download it, Whisper Notes processes all audio directly on your device. Your recordings and transcripts never leave your iPhone or Mac.
Does Whisper Notes collect my data?
No. Your data is architecturally private — it physically never leaves your device. They use no analytics or tracking tools whatsoever. They don't even know how many daily active users they have. Since they do not operate transcription servers, they have zero access to your audio. This local-first design supports HIPAA compliance without requiring a Business Associate Agreement.
What devices are supported?
iPhone: iPhone 12 and later (including all Pro/Plus/Max models). Older iPhones like iPhone 11 or SE lack the Neural Engine performance needed for fast transcription. Mac: All M-series Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4, and future chips). Intel Macs are not supported. They recommend 8GB+ RAM since they use the larger Whisper Large V3 Turbo model for better accuracy.
Can I transcribe audio files?
Yes. Import recordings from meetings, lectures, or interviews. Supports most formats—MP3, M4A, WAV. On iPhone, you can also share recordings directly from the Voice Memos app: tap the recording → '...' → Share → 'Transcribe with Whisper Notes'. Everything transcribes offline on your device.
How to use voice typing on Mac?
Hold the Fn key in any app—Gmail, Slack, VS Code, Notes, ChatGPT, Claude, or any browser text field—and speak. Release the key, and your text appears. Works completely offline, so your voice stays private even when using cloud-based apps. To customize the shortcut key, open the left side panel → Voice Typing (not in Settings).
What languages does it support?
100+ languages, including English, Chinese, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Czech, Polish, Ukrainian, Swedish, and many more.
How fast is transcription?
With Parakeet V3 (the default model), transcription is very fast. On Mac, a 35-minute recording takes about 18 seconds—10× faster than Whisper. On iPhone, speed depends on your device: newer models like iPhone 15 are significantly faster than older ones. If you switch to Whisper for broader language support, expect roughly a 1:5 ratio—5 minutes of audio in about 1 minute on iPhone 15.
Can Whisper Notes summarize my meetings?
Yes—on Mac. Whisper Notes uses a local AI model to auto-generate titles and summaries, and you can chat with your transcript to ask questions or extract key points. Everything runs on-device, nothing is uploaded. On iPhone, AI summaries are not yet available. You can copy the transcript and use ChatGPT or Claude if needed.
Do I need to buy separately for iOS and Mac?
Yes. iOS and Mac are separate purchases—$6.99 each. They are not a Universal Purchase. The iOS version is available on the App Store; the Mac version is a direct download from the website with a free 10,000-word trial. Each purchase includes all future updates for that platform. The Mac App Store version is no longer maintained because Apple required them to remove Accessibility permissions, which broke core features like Fn key voice typing.