Typing Shouldn't Be a Barrier
For millions of people, using a keyboard is painful, difficult, or impossible. Repetitive strain injuries (RSI), carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, dyslexia, and motor disabilities can make traditional typing a daily struggle. Chirp provides an alternative: speak your thoughts, and they appear as text wherever your cursor is.
Voice Input in Any App
Chirp works system-wide with a single global hotkey — Fn (or Option+M) on Mac, Alt+M on Windows. Press it once to start and again to stop. The Option/Alt+M shortcut can be changed in Settings > Keyboard. There's no need to switch to a special dictation window or configure app-by-app integrations. On Mac, the transcribed text is pasted straight into the app you're using. On Windows it's copied to the clipboard, ready to paste with Ctrl+V.
Clear Audio Feedback
Chirp plays a sound when recording starts, when it stops, and when text is pasted, so you always know the current state without needing to look at the screen. This is especially important for users who rely on audio cues or who may have difficulty visually tracking a small indicator.
Offline Reliability
For assistive technology, reliability is not optional — it's essential. Cloud-based voice-to-text services can fail when your internet connection drops, slows down, or becomes unavailable. Chirp processes everything locally on your device using the whisper.cpp engine. Transcription never needs an internet connection, so your voice input works the same whether you're online, offline, or on a spotty connection. Recordings can run for up to five minutes, with a countdown in the last 20 seconds.
RSI and Carpal Tunnel Relief
If you've been diagnosed with RSI or carpal tunnel syndrome, your doctor has probably told you to reduce keyboard use. But in a world that runs on text, that's easier said than done. Chirp lets you write emails, documents, messages, and notes with far less typing — one key press to start and one to stop. Use it as your primary input method, or alternate between voice and typing to manage your symptoms.
Support for Dyslexia
People with dyslexia often find it easier to express their thoughts verbally than in writing. Chirp turns clear spoken English into correctly spelled text, sidestepping the spelling and letter-reversal challenges that make typing frustrating. It uses a small, English-only model, so it works best in a quiet room and may need the odd correction for unusual names or jargon.
Motor Disability Support
For users with limited fine motor control, a keyboard can be an unreliable input device. Chirp offers voice as a text input method that needs only a single key press to start and stop. The Option/Alt+M shortcut can be changed to whatever key combination is most accessible for your setup; on Mac, the Fn key also works. Chirp is a dictation tool, not a full voice-control system, so it won't click buttons or navigate apps for you.
Privacy You Can Trust
Your voice and your transcriptions never leave your computer. Chirp uses a small local AI model (about 30 MB) that runs entirely on your machine, and the audio file is deleted as soon as it has been transcribed. The text stays in your local history until you delete it. No account is required, nothing is sent to the cloud, and the app has no analytics. Read more in our guide to private, offline dictation. For users who rely on assistive technology for sensitive personal or medical communication, this privacy is critical.
Available on Mac and Windows
Chirp runs on macOS 13 or later (one universal download for Apple Silicon and Intel) and Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit). It starts with 28 free transcriptions — no account needed — and a $9.99/year license unlocks unlimited use on up to 5 devices.