koe

Your voice.
Where you type.

A small dictation app for your Mac.
Press a shortcut. Say what’s on your mind.
Let the words land at your cursor.

Build koe for Mac Explore the source

Open-source preview · macOS 13+ · Apple Silicon
Build from source. Bring your own API key.

From a thought声 / koe / voice
“Let’s take the long
way home.”
to a sentence.

Let’s take the long way home.

Illustration only. No microphone, no audio upload.

The actual koe recording indicator, showing Listening, elapsed time and the shortcut to finishThe real app stays this small.

In your menu bar.
Out of your way.

Japanese, English,
or auto-detect.

Your API connection.
Your choice.

One shortcut.
Then, just talk.

For the message you’d rather say.
The idea that arrives mid-sentence.
The Japanese words you don’t want to type.

  1. Find your cursor.

    Click into a text field in your editor, browser, or messaging app.

  2. ⌃⌥Space

    Press. Speak.

    Use the global shortcut to start recording. Change it in koe’s settings.

  3. Press again. It’s text.

    koe transcribes the recording, then pastes the result into the focused app.

Automatic paste needs Accessibility permission. Without it, press ⌘ V to paste the result yourself.

Your Mac.
Your keys.
Your call.

Not another AI subscription.
A little tool for a connection you control.

Use your own OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, or compatible transcription service. koe doesn’t bundle a shared account or an API allowance.

OpenAI
Your API key and a supported model.
Azure OpenAI
Your resource, deployment, and API key.
Compatible API
Your endpoint and model. Audio transcription support is required.

The app’s source is free under the MIT license. API usage is billed by your provider to your own account. A ChatGPT subscription does not include OpenAI API usage.

Choose your connection

A short path
for your words.

Your recording goes from your Mac to the service you choose. Not through a koe server.

API keys stay in macOS Keychain. koe deletes its temporary recording after processing. Your provider’s data handling and retention policies still apply.

Read the privacy details

Before you try it.

Can I download it from the App Store?

Not yet. This is a source-build preview for people comfortable with Terminal and an API key. There is no notarized installer or App Store release. The guide walks through the build.

Am I using the developer’s Azure credits?

No. There is no shared key or koe transcription backend. You configure your own connection, and your provider bills your account. Never share your API key or someone else’s configured credentials.

Does it work offline?

OpenAI and Azure transcription need an internet connection. koe does not include a local speech model. Advanced users can configure their own compatible local transcription server.

Why does music sound different with AirPods?

When the AirPods microphone is active, Bluetooth can switch to a microphone-and-playback mode with lower audio quality. Use a separate input microphone in macOS settings if you want to keep music playback quality.

What should I know about the preview?

There is no transcription history or retry queue. Keep the intended app focused while the request finishes. Clipboard restoration currently preserves text only, not images or files. Read the current limitations.

A little less typing.
A little more you.

Made by Yuya. Open source. Still finding its voice.

Get started with koe Source-build preview · Your own API key