Offline dictation on Mac: two ways to type by voice without internet.
On a plane, on a locked-down office network, or simply because you do not want recordings to leave your computer. Here are two ways to do it, what each requires, and which steps will never work offline.
Short answer:Yes. There are two ways: Apple Dictation, only for languages Apple processes on the Mac, and VoiceInput's local engines (SenseVoice needs a one-time download of about 239 MB; Apple Speech Recognition needs none). Cloud recognition and AI Tidy do not work offline.
Option 1: Apple Dictation, if it runs on the Mac
Apple Dictation does not process every language on the device. Open System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation: the page shows whether the current language is processed on your Mac or sent to Siri servers. Languages processed on the Mac keep working with no connection; the others return nothing offline. This varies by language and region, so trust what your system shows.
Option 2: VoiceInput's local engines
VoiceInput has four recognition engines, switchable under Settings → Recording → Speech recognition engine:
- VoiceInput Cloud (recommended): zero setup, 60 free minutes a month on the free plan, needs internet.
- Local SenseVoice: an Alibaba Tongyi speech model that runs entirely offline. About 239 MB downloaded on first use, then no network needed. The model itself supports Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean and Cantonese.
- Apple Speech Recognition: built into macOS, no download.
- Volcano Engine (Doubao): bring your own API credentials; cloud-based.
For offline use pick Local SenseVoice or Apple Speech Recognition. With SenseVoice, download the model while you are online; after that you can work with the network off.
How to confirm it is really offline
- While online, select the local engine and wait for Settings to show "Model ready".
- Turn Wi-Fi off and say a sentence with the Direct Insert key (hold Right Option by default).
- If the text lands at the cursor, that path does not depend on the network.
What does not work offline
- AI Tidy calls a model, so it is unavailable offline. The Direct Insert key skips AI and inserts the recognized text as-is; with no AI connection, the AI Tidy key also falls back to direct insert.
- Cloud recognition (VoiceInput Cloud, Volcano Engine) needs internet.
- Downloading the model and checking for updates need internet too.
VoiceInput also has a "Usage and performance data" switch, on by default, which you can turn off at any time under Settings → Preferences → Privacy; the privacy policy lists what is reported. With a local engine the audio itself stays on the Mac.
FAQ
Is VoiceInput fully offline with the local engine?
With a local engine, recording, recognition and inserting text do not use the network, and the audio never leaves your Mac. AI Tidy calls an AI model, so use the Direct Insert key to skip it. Usage and performance reporting has its own switch under Settings, Preferences, Privacy.
How big is the local SenseVoice model?
About 239 MB, downloaded once on first use and then usable offline. To avoid a download, choose Apple Speech Recognition, which is built into macOS.
Can I use AI Tidy offline?
No. AI Tidy needs the network to reach a model. Offline, use the Direct Insert key and the recognized text is inserted as-is. With no AI connection set up, the AI Tidy key also falls back to direct insert.
Is local recognition more accurate than cloud recognition?
There is no single answer; it depends on your accent, environment and what you say. Local engines are free, unlimited and keep audio on the Mac. To compare, switch engines in Settings and say the same passage with each.
VoiceInput details match v0.91.0 (checked 2026-10-13). Apple Dictation details: Apple, "Use Dictation on Mac", checked 2026-10-13.