FrigadeHQ/yap

Free, open source voice dictation for macOS. On-device transcription with Apple's Speech framework. No cloud/no API keys/no account.

What it solves

Yap provides a fast, private, on-device voice dictation tool for macOS that allows users to insert text into any active text field without relying on cloud-based transcription or heavy external models like Whisper.

How it works

It utilizes Apple's SpeechAnalyzer and SpeechTranscriber APIs (available in macOS 26) to perform streaming speech-to-text locally on Apple Silicon. The app captures audio via AVAudioEngine, generates a live preview of the transcription, and then inserts the final text into the focused application by temporarily writing to the clipboard and simulating a paste command (⌘V).

Who it’s for

macOS users on Apple Silicon who want a lightweight, privacy-focused dictation tool that works globally across all applications and does not send audio data to external servers.

Highlights

  • Fully On-Device: No API keys, no accounts, and no network calls; all transcription happens locally.
  • Global Integration: Works in any app where you can type via a rebindable global shortcut.
  • Low Overhead: Written in native Swift, avoiding heavy browser engines or large bundled models.
  • Live Feedback: Features a live waveform and real-time partial transcripts while speaking.
  • Local History: Saves all transcripts locally for later retrieval and search.

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