The challenge
macOS has no fast, private way to dictate text into any app. Cloud solutions send your audio to external servers. Dictation software requires subscriptions, training, or a constant connection. Something simple was missing: you press, you speak, you paste.
Our approach
We built a menu bar app that runs Whisper directly on the Mac chip. No external dependencies, no subscription, no account. A global keyboard shortcut triggers recording; when you stop, the text is already in the clipboard. Works on Apple Silicon and Intel, on macOS 12 or above.
How it works
Lyrebird lives in the menu bar. You press the configurable keyboard shortcut and it starts recording. When you release, Whisper processes the audio locally in seconds and the text is in the clipboard ready to paste wherever you need it. No intermediate steps, no loading screens, no internet.
Privacy by design
Audio never leaves your machine. Whisper runs locally using Core ML on Apple Silicon or the standard inference engine on Intel. You can use it on a corporate network, on a plane, or without any connection. Nothing is logged, nothing is sent, nothing is retained.
Open, free app available for direct download on GitHub. Compatible with Apple Silicon and Intel. Supports automatic language detection: Spanish, English, Italian, and over 90 more languages.