watzon / pindrop

Pindrop 🎤 > The only 100% open source, truly Mac-native AI dictation app **Pindrop** is a menu bar dictation app for macOS that turns your speech into text—completely offline, completely private. Built with pure Swift/SwiftUI and powered by WhisperKit for optimal Apple Silicon performance. **Download Latest Release** · **Documentation** · **Contributing** · **Community** --- Why Pindrop? While other dictation apps compromise on privacy, performance, or platform fidelity, Pindrop is designed specifically for Mac users who refuse to compromise. | Pillar | What It Means | | ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 🍎 **Mac-Native** | Pure Swift/SwiftUI—not a web wrapper. Feels like Apple built it. | | 🔒 **Privacy-First** | 100% local transcription. Your voice never leaves your Mac. | | ⚡ **Apple Silicon Optimized** | WhisperKit + Core ML = 2-3x faster than generic Whisper on M-series chips. | | 🏆 **100% Open Source** | No freemium tiers, no "Pro" features, no lock-in. Ever. | --- Comparison | Feature | Pindrop | Handy | OpenWhispr | | ------------------- | -------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------ | | **Platform** | macOS only | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | | **Framework** | Swift/SwiftUI (native) | Tauri (Rust + Web) | Tauri (Rust + Web) | | **ML Engine** | WhisperKit (Apple Core ML) | Generic Whisper | Generic Whisper | | **Apple Silicon** | Native optimization | Emulated | Emulated | | **Source Code** | 100% open source | 100% open source | Freemium (paid "Lazy Edition") | | **Battery Impact** | Minimal (native) | Higher (web runtime) | Higher (web runtime) | | **Menu Bar Design** | First-class native | Web-based UI | Web-based UI | **The bottom line:** If you want the best dictation experience on a Mac—maximum speed, minimal battery drain, and true native feel—Pindrop is the only choice. --- Features • **100% Local Transcription** — Runs entirely on your Mac using OpenAI's Whisper model via WhisperKit. Your voice never leaves your computer. • **Multiple Transcription Engines** — Choose between WhisperKit (Core ML optimized) and Parakeet, with streaming transcription support for real-time results. • **Global Hotkeys** — Toggle mode (press to start, press to stop) or push-to-talk. Works from anywhere in macOS. • **Smart Output** — Text is automatically copied to your clipboard and optionally inserted directly at your cursor. • **Notes System** — Full note-taking with pinning, tagging, and AI-powered title generation. Organize and revisit your transcriptions as structured notes. • **Transcription History** — All your dictations are saved locally with full search. Export to JSON, CSV, or plain text. • **Multiple Model Sizes** — Choose from Tiny (fastest) to Large (most accurate) depending on your needs. • **AI Enhancement (Optional)** — Clean up transcriptions using any OpenAI-compatible API—completely optional and off by default. • **Custom Dictionary** — Define custom word replacements and vocabulary to improve transcription accuracy for names, jargon, and specialized terms. • **Media Controls** — Automatic media pausing and system audio muting during recording so your transcription stays clean. • **Auto-Updates** — Sparkle-based automatic update system keeps Pindrop up to date with zero effort. • **Beautiful macOS Design** — Native SwiftUI interface that feels at home on your Mac. --- Built With • **Swift** — Apple's modern, fast, and safe programming language • **SwiftUI** — Declarative UI framework for truly native Mac apps • **WhisperKit** — High-performance Core ML implementation of OpenAI Whisper by Argmax, Inc. • **SwiftData** — Modern data persistence framework • **Just one external dependency** — WhisperKit. Everything else is Apple's first-party frameworks. Requirements • **macOS 14.0 (Sonoma) or later** • **Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)** recommended for optimal performance • **Microphone access** (required for recording) • **Accessibility permission** (optional, enables direct text insertion; clipboard works without it) Installation Pindrop releases are now signed with the project's Apple Developer identity. After the app is notarized and stapled, macOS should open it normally: • Download from the releases page • Open the DMG and drag Pindrop to Applications • Launch Pindrop from Applications • If you downloaded a build that has not been notarized yet, macOS may still warn on first launch: • Right-click Pindrop → Open, or • Open System Settings → Privacy & Security and use "Open Anyway" • After notarization, Pindrop should launch without the old self-signed workaround **For maintainers:** the default local release flow now exports a signed app bundle before packaging the DMG. remains available only as a fallback when Apple signing is unavailable. Screenshots *Coming soon: Notes & History dashboard, AI Enhancement settings, Recording indicator* Building from Source Since this is an open-source project, you can also build it yourself. Don't worry—it's straightforward. Step 1: Clone the Repository Step 2: Open in Xcode Or simply double-click in Finder. Step 3: Build and Run • In Xcode, select a scheme from the toolbar (Pindrop should be selected by default) • Press or click the Run button • The app will compile and launch After the first build, Pindrop will appear in your menu bar (look for the microphone icon). The app runs exclusively in the menu bar—no dock icon. Using the Build System (Recommended) This project includes a for common build tasks. Install if you haven't already: **Common commands:** **Release commands (maintainers):** Manual Build (Alternative) To create a distributable build manually: The compiled app will be in . Exporting a Signed App To export a Developer ID-signed app bundle: Creating a DMG To create a distributable signed DMG: This requires : The DMG will be created in . Creating a R…