Handy

What it does

Hold a configurable hotkey, talk, and Handy pastes the transcription straight into whatever text field you are using - mail, chat, notes, anything. Transcription runs locally with Whisper and silence is trimmed automatically with Silero VAD, so no audio ever leaves your computer. Cross-platform desktop app with no command line. The project deliberately aims to be the most forkable speech-to-text tool rather than the most feature-complete one.

Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.

Screenshots & visuals

Before you start

• Setup difficultyEasy to start
• Command lineNot required
• API keyNot required
• Sends data onlineNo

Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.

Handy FAQ

Is Handy free?

Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.

Do I need to install anything or write code to use Handy?

You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.

Does Handy work on a phone?

No. It needs a computer.

Can Handy run offline?

Yes. Everything happens on your own machine, so your data is never sent to an outside server. That makes it usable for material you cannot share externally.

Can I use Handy commercially?

The licence is MIT, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.

How it compares

The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.

"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.

Other meetings & transcription tools