LesskeysWhat is on-device transcription?
On-device transcription turns speech into text on your own computer, using a speech model stored there, so the audio is never uploaded. Once the model is on the computer it works with no internet connection.
macOS 13+ on Apple Silicon · No subscriptionWindows 10 and 11 · No subscription
Last reviewed
Where it runs
On-device or cloud: where the work happens
A cloud tool sends your recording to a server. An on-device tool does the work on your own computer.
For an interview or a client call: one copy versus two.
| What | On-device | Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Where the audio is processed | Your computer | A remote server |
| Works with no internet | Yes, once it is set up | No |
| Audio leaves your computer | No | Yes |
| Account | Not needed | Usually required |
Terms explained in the glossary.
How accurate
How accurate is it?
It depends on the software you pick, not on where it runs.
We tested several on 6,086 words of public audio, against human transcripts. The best got about 2 words in every 100 wrong; a version about five times smaller made only a few more mistakes; the smallest, about 7 in 100.
We tested no cloud service, so we claim no match. Accents and noise matter more than the tool: try your own audio.
Source: our own measurement, Which Whisper model to run on a Mac.
On a Mac
What it needs on a Mac
- macOS 13 or later, on an Apple Silicon chip (M1 or newer)
- One download the first time; a small starter is already in the app
Step by step: how local transcription works.
On Windows
What it needs on Windows
- Windows 10 or 11
- One download the first time; a small starter is already in the app
Installing on Windows? Step-by-step install guide.
Cloud still wins
When the cloud is still better
- No capable hardware. A server beats an old machine or a phone.
- One team archive. Everyone searching calls in a browser needs a hosted database.
- A bot that attends for you. A local tool hears only your computer.
- Live captions for a large event. A laptop is not asked to do that.
Questions
Questions about on-device transcription
What is on-device transcription?
On-device transcription means speech is converted to text locally on your own computer, using software that runs on your hardware, with nothing uploaded to a server. It is also called local or offline transcription.
How is on-device transcription different from cloud transcription?
Cloud transcription sends your audio to a remote server to be processed and stored there. On-device transcription does the processing on your own machine, so the audio never leaves it and it can work without an internet connection.
Is on-device transcription accurate?
It depends on the software more than on where it runs. In our own test on 6,086 words of public audio, the best local setup got about 2 words in every 100 wrong. We did not test cloud services, so we do not claim a match; try a tool on your own audio.
Do I need an internet connection for on-device transcription?
Only for the one-time download it needs. After that the transcription runs entirely on your computer and works with no connection at all, on a plane or anywhere without reliable internet.
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