# Voice Key

> Voice Key is a free, MIT-licensed, open-source desktop voice-input application for Windows, macOS and Linux. Speech recognition runs locally with downloadable models. AI text refinement and translation are optional and use the user's configured provider.

Local recognition does not upload microphone audio and needs no ASR API key. Download a model before offline use and disable cloud refinement and translation. Optional cloud features send relevant text and dictionary terms to the configured LLM provider; provider fees and data policies apply. Do not describe every feature as offline or all data as never leaving the device.

Classic mode (SenseVoice, about 240 MB) supports Mandarin, English, Cantonese, Japanese and Korean. Streaming mode (X-ASR, about 586 MB) supports Chinese and English and shows partial text in the HUD. Modes are mutually exclusive. History stays locally until the user deletes it.

Current packages are unsigned. macOS requires Microphone and Accessibility permissions. Linux supports X11 and a dedicated Omarchy / Hyprland integration; other Wayland environments are not fully supported. Voice Key is desktop dictation software, not a hosted transcription API or meeting-recording service. Model downloads and update checks use the network.

## Documentation

- [Getting started](https://voicekey.buildwithais.com/guide.md): Installation, models, permissions and platform limitations.
- [Privacy and data flow](https://voicekey.buildwithais.com/privacy.md): Local processing, optional cloud features and network connections.
- [中文使用指南](https://voicekey.buildwithais.com/zh/guide.md): 安装、识别模式与平台支持。
- [中文隐私说明](https://voicekey.buildwithais.com/zh/privacy.md): 本地处理与可选云端功能的数据边界。

## Project

- [Source and README](https://github.com/BuildWithAIs/voicekey): Source code, MIT license and project documentation.
- [Releases](https://github.com/BuildWithAIs/voicekey/releases/latest): Authoritative latest version and available installation packages.
- [Issues](https://github.com/BuildWithAIs/voicekey/issues): Bug reports and support.