Coconut Whisper
Internal tool

Dictation that runs on your own computer.

Hold one key, talk, and your words appear wherever your cursor is. Slack, Gmail, the ATS, anywhere. No credits to run out of, no monthly limit, and your voice never leaves your machine.

Version 0.1.8  ·  Windows 10 and 11, macOS 12 and later  ·  Intel Mac version

How to use it

Three steps. The first launch takes a few minutes because the speech model downloads once, then everything works offline.

1

Open it

On Windows, double click the file, no installer needed. On Mac, unzip and drag Coconut Whisper into Applications. A microphone icon appears in your menu bar or next to the clock.

2

Hold Right Ctrl

Click where you want to write first, then hold the key. A green pill at the bottom of the screen shows it is listening.

3

Talk, then let go

Release the key and your text is typed in for you, punctuation included. A short sentence takes about two seconds.

See the step by step with pictures: for Windows or for Mac

First run on a Mac

macOS is strict with apps that did not come from the App Store, so the first launch has a few extra clicks. You only do this once.

Opening it the first time

  1. Unzip the download and move Coconut Whisper into your Applications folder.
  2. Right click the app and choose Open, then confirm. A normal double click will be refused the first time.
  3. If macOS still blocks it, go to System Settings, Privacy and Security, scroll down and click Open Anyway.

Two permissions it needs

  1. Microphone, so it can hear you. macOS asks the first time you dictate.
  2. Accessibility, so it can watch for the dictation key and paste the text. Go to System Settings, Privacy and Security, Accessibility, and switch Coconut Whisper on.

Without Accessibility the key does nothing, which is the most common reason it seems dead on a Mac.

Languages

Pick a language from the menu, or leave it on auto detect. You can switch any time without restarting.

  • Ready
    EnglishAccurate out of the box, including accents from the team.
  • Ready
    PortugueseSame quality as English, punctuation and accents included.
  • In testing
    Tagalog and TaglishIt works, but it makes more mistakes than the other two. Read what you dictated before you send it, and tell us how it went.

Your voice stays here

The speech model runs on your own processor. Nothing is uploaded, no account is needed, and the app works with the wifi off once the model has downloaded.

There is no usage meter and nothing to top up. Dictate as much as you want.

What you need

SystemWindows 10 or 11, macOS 12 or later
DiskAbout 1 GB free
MicrophoneAny headset or webcam
InternetFirst launch only

Common questions

Windows says it cannot verify the publisher

That warning shows on any program without a paid signing certificate. Click More info, then Run anyway. If your antivirus quarantines the file, restore it and allow it.

My Mac says the app is damaged or cannot be checked for malware

Same story on the Mac side, the app is not notarised with Apple. Right click it and choose Open, or allow it in System Settings, Privacy and Security. If it still refuses, open Terminal and run xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Coconut Whisper.app".

Which Mac download do I pick?

Apple menu, About This Mac. If the chip says Apple M1, M2, M3 or newer, take the Apple Silicon file. If it says Intel, take the Intel file.

Nothing happens when I hold the key

On a Mac, check that Accessibility permission is granted, that is almost always the cause. On both systems, check the icon: if it is amber the model is still loading. And make sure you clicked into a text box before holding the key.

The text is going into the wrong place

The text lands wherever your cursor is. Click into the message box first, then hold the key.

It is slow on my laptop

Open Settings from the icon and choose a smaller model. Small is a good balance, Base is faster still. The app picks one automatically the first time, based on your computer.

Can I change the key?

Yes. Open Settings from the menu bar or tray icon and pick another one. You can also switch from holding the key to pressing once to start and once to stop.

It wrote a word wrong every time

Open Settings and add it under word replacements, one per line, as spoken = written. Useful for client names and internal shorthand.