Whisper Desktop is an open-source Windows app that runs OpenAI's Whisper on your GPU. Its README says it has not been updated since 2023. Here is what it does, where it falls short for everyday dictation, and how Whisper Dictator compares.
Installed from the Microsoft Store: the app passed Microsoft's review and comes signed by Microsoft, with no Windows warnings.
Available for Windows 10 and 11.
Windows 10/11 (64-bit) · Free tier: 7 transcriptions/day
The README describes one screen that transcribes an audio file and another that captures live audio from a microphone, with a latency of about 5 to 10 seconds. It does not describe typing text into other applications.
The README states that the software has not been updated since 2023, and that the author built a closed-source commercial successor with a new speech-to-text engine.
The README warns that whisperdesktop.com is impersonating the project and should not be trusted. If you want the open-source version, use the GitHub repository linked in the sources below.
Same family of OpenAI Whisper models, but built as a hold-to-talk dictation tool: press a key in any app, speak, and the text appears at the cursor. Distributed through the Microsoft Store and updated regularly.
If you came looking for Whisper Desktop, this is how the two differ in daily use.
Hold a key in Outlook, Word, Chrome or VS Code and the text lands at the cursor when you release. Whisper Desktop describes in-app transcription screens instead.
Whisper Dictator loads Whisper models (Base to Large-v3 Turbo) and processes audio on your PC. Choose the size that fits your hardware.
Pick an audio or video file and it is transcribed locally, then handed back as text you can copy or save. There are no speaker labels, and export is plain text today.
Install from the Microsoft Store, signed by Microsoft, with updates handled for you.
NVIDIA cards get CUDA acceleration. Without one it runs on the CPU. Whisper Desktop works on any Direct3D 11 capable GPU, which covers more graphics cards.
If you only need to transcribe files, are comfortable with a technical setup, and want free open-source software (MPL-2.0 license), Whisper Desktop does that at no cost.
Get it free from the Microsoft Store. The package is signed by Microsoft, so Windows shows no warning. The setup wizard then offers to download a Whisper model (Large-v3 Turbo recommended for most users) while you confirm your email.
Default hotkey is right-Alt (AltGr). Open any Windows app, hold the key, and speak naturally.
Let go of the key. Whisper Dictator transcribes on your PC and types the text into the active field. No paste, no clipboard, no switching windows.
What each one does, using the Whisper Desktop README for the open-source project.
| Capability | Whisper Dictator | Whisper Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | ✓ Windows 10/11, 64-bit | ✓ 64-bit Windows only |
| Types into other apps with a hotkey | ✓ | Not described in the README |
| Live microphone | ✓ | ~ About 5 to 10 s latency, per README |
| Transcribe audio or video files | ✓ Plain text export | ✓ |
| Update status | ✓ Actively updated | ✕ README: not updated since 2023 |
| Price | 7 transcriptions/day free, then $39.99/year or $99 one-time | Free, MPL-2.0 open source |
| Source code | ✕ Closed source | ✓ Open source |
Whisper Desktop is free and open source, which Whisper Dictator is not. Where Whisper Dictator loses: it runs on Windows only, the free tier is capped at 7 transcriptions a day, and it has no voice commands or custom vocabulary today.
Every statement about another product on this page comes from the official source listed below, checked on the date shown. Products change, so confirm on the vendor's page before you decide. Statements about Whisper Dictator describe the current Windows app.
The free tier covers casual use. Paid plans are a yearly or one-time purchase.
Enough to find out if voice dictation fits your workflow
Installed from the Microsoft Store: the app passed Microsoft's review and comes signed by Microsoft, with no Windows warnings.
Available for Windows 10 and 11.
~$3.33/month, billed annually
Pay once, own forever. No renewals.
The open-source project on GitHub is free under the MPL-2.0 license. Its author also mentions a closed-source commercial successor with a free 30-day evaluation and a one-time purchase afterward.
The project README states that it has not been updated since 2023. Check the repository yourself for the current state before relying on it.
The README does not describe that. It describes a screen for transcribing audio files and a screen for live microphone capture with a latency of about 5 to 10 seconds.
If you want free, open-source file transcription and do not mind the setup, Whisper Desktop fits. If you want to hold a key and have text typed into any app, with updates handled by the Microsoft Store, Whisper Dictator fits better.
The README warns that whisperdesktop.com is impersonating the project. Use the GitHub repository for the open-source app, and the Microsoft Store listing for Whisper Dictator.
Install Whisper Dictator from the Microsoft Store and be dictating into your email, documents or editor in about five minutes.
Installed from the Microsoft Store: the app passed Microsoft's review and comes signed by Microsoft, with no Windows warnings.
Available for Windows 10 and 11.
Windows 10/11 · Free tier · Works offline