File Information

Name	Handy – Offline Speech-to-Text AI App
License	MIT License (Open Source)
Platforms Supported	Windows / macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon) / Linux
Official Repo	Github Handy
Website	handy
Developer	Christopher J. Pais
Technologies Used	Rust, Tauri, React, TypeScript, Whisper, Parakeet V3
Installer Type	Portable executables (no cloud dependency, works fully offline)
Size	10MB (Windows), 16MB (macOS), 18MB (Linux) may vary by OS

Description

Handy is a powerful, privacy-focused, offline speech-to-text AI application designed for speed, simplicity, and complete local processing. Built with Tauri (Rust + React + TypeScript), Handy brings frictionless transcription to Windows, macOS, and Linux—completely free and open source.

Unlike cloud-based tools that send your voice data to remote servers, Handy performs every step locally on your device. Your audio never leaves your computer. With customizable shortcuts, just press a key, speak, and watch your words typed instantly into any text field—whether it’s Notepad, Word, a browser, terminals, or coding editors.

Handy supports Whisper models (Small, Medium, Turbo, Large) for ultra-accurate transcription with GPU acceleration where available, as well as Parakeet V3, a fast CPU-optimized speech model with automatic language detection.

Designed to be extensible, hackable, forkable, and easy to build on, Handy isn’t trying to be “the biggest speech tool”, it’s designed to be the most customizable and developer-friendly one. Privacy-conscious users, open-source enthusiasts, developers, and productivity warriors will immediately love its lightweight design and advanced capabilities.

Whether you want faster dictation, hands-free writing, offline transcription for sensitive content, or a customizable STT engine, Handy is one of the best open-source alternatives to cloud tools like Google Dictation, Otter.ai, Whisper Web UIs, VoiceIn, etc.

Screenshots

Features of Handy Speech to Text AI

Feature	Details
100% Offline	No cloud calls. Transcription runs fully on your device.
Open Source & Free	MIT licensed. Fully modifiable and extensible.
Cross-Platform	Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux (AppImage supported).
Shortcut-Based Transcription	Press a hotkey → speak → release → text appears anywhere.
Whisper Model Support	Small, Medium, Turbo, Large with GPU acceleration when available.
Parakeet V3 Support	CPU-optimized model, ~5x faster real-time on mid-range hardware.
Auto Pasting	Output goes directly into text fields seamlessly.
Voice Activity Detection (VAD)	Silence filtered using Silero VAD.
Push-to-Talk Mode	Optional real-time transcription workflow.
Configurable Hotkeys	Customize start/stop shortcuts easily.
Debug Mode	Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + D for logs & diagnostics.
CLI Interoperable	Can work with Handy CLI & related tools.
Extensible Architecture	Designed for contributors and developers.

System Requirements

Component	Recommended for Best Performance
CPU	Intel i5 (Skylake+) / AMD Equivalent
GPU (Whisper)	NVIDIA / AMD / Intel GPU recommended
RAM	8GB minimum, 16GB recommended
OS	Windows 10/11 (x64), macOS Intel & M-series, Linux x64
Linux Tested	Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04
Disk Space	Whisper models range from 400MB to 1.6GB depending on selected model

How to Install Handy Speech To Text AI App??

Windows (.exe)

1. Download Handy.exe
2. Run the executable
3. Allow microphone permission when prompted
4. Open Handy from Start Menu or Desktop
5. Go to Settings → Shortcuts and configure start/stop key
6. Choose your transcription model
   • Whisper (GPU-accelerated)
   • Parakeet V3 (CPU, fast & lightweight)
7. Press your shortcut → speak → release

Done! Handy will paste transcription automatically into any text field.

macOS (.dmg)

1. Download Handy.dmg
2. Open the DMG and drag Handy to Applications
3. macOS may show “untrusted developer” → open via:
   System Settings → Privacy & Security → Allow Anyway
4. Grant microphone + accessibility permissions
5. Launch Handy
6. Configure your shortcut and model (Whisper or Parakeet)

Start transcribing anywhere instantly.

Linux (.AppImage)

1. Download Handy_0.6.0_amd64_linux.AppImage
   
2. Make it executable:
   chmod +x Handy_0.6.0_amd64_linux.AppImage
3. Run the AppImage
4. Grant mic permissions if using Wayland/X11
5. Configure shortcuts and select your STT model

You’re ready to use Handy across all Linux apps.

For DEB-Based Distros (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, Debian, etc.)

File: Handy_0.6.0_amd64_linux.deb

Using Terminal (Recommended)

1. Download the .deb file Handy_0.6.0_amd64_linux.deb
2. Open Terminal in the download directory cd ~/Downloads
3. Install the package sudo dpkg -i Handy_0.6.0_amd64_linux.deb
4. Fix missing dependencies (if any) sudo apt --fix-broken install
5. Launch Handy handy or open from the application menu.

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For RPM-Based Distros (Fedora, RHEL, Rocky Linux, openSUSE, etc.)

File: Handy-0.6.0-1.x86_64_linux.rpm

Using Terminal (Recommended)

1. Download the .rpm file Handy-0.6.0-1.x86_64_linux.rpm
2. Open Terminal in the download directory cd ~/Downloads
3. Install the package
   Fedora / RHEL / Rocky / AlmaLinux: sudo rpm -i Handy-0.6.0-1.x86_64_linux.rpm or sudo dnf install Handy-0.6.0-1.x86_64_linux.rpm openSUSE: sudo zypper install Handy-0.6.0-1.x86_64_linux.rpm
4. Launch Handy handy or via application launcher.

Download Handy Offline Open-Source Speech-to-Text AI App For Windows, macOS & Linux

Why Handy Stands Out??

• Best open-source alternative to cloud speech-to-text apps
• Faster offline transcription with Whisper / Parakeet
• Fully private, no data leaves your device
• Perfect for programmers, writers, journalists, students, and productivity users
• Excellent voice dictation tool for long documents & coding workflows
• Designed for extensibility, ideal for developers

Conclusion

Handy is one of the best offline, open-source, privacy-preserving speech-to-text apps available today.

It’s lightweight, fast, cross-platform, secure, and designed both for everyday users and developers who want something powerful yet extensible. With no cloud usage, no paid plans, and complete local processing, Handy stands out as a perfect alternative to cloud STT tools.

Whether you’re dictating emails, coding hands-free, writing documents, or transcribing sensitive material, Handy delivers fast, accurate, private transcription across Windows, macOS, and Linux—with simple installation and zero tracking.

Download it, set your shortcut, and enjoy instant speech-to-text anywhere.