The Complete Voice Input Guide (2026)
Everything you need to know about typing by voice on your desktop. Setup, providers, AI polishing, tips, and troubleshooting. Free with OpenTypeless.
See It In Action
What is Voice Input?
The basics
Voice input (also called voice typing, voice dictation, or speech-to-text) lets you type by speaking into your computer's microphone. Your speech is transcribed to text and inserted into whatever application you're using.
Modern voice input has two stages:
- Speech-to-Text (STT) — converts your audio into raw text transcription
- AI Text Polishing — an LLM removes filler words, fixes grammar, and formats the text
OpenTypeless combines both stages into a single hotkey press. You speak, and polished text appears in your app seconds later.
How to Set Up Voice Input
5 steps to start typing by voice
Download OpenTypeless
Download for Windows, macOS, or Linux. Install takes under 1 minute.
Choose an STT Route
Review current setup, data, and billing documentation for each route before configuring it.
Configure Providers
Open settings, paste your API key, and select your STT and LLM providers.
Set Your Hotkey
Start with Fn on macOS, Right Alt on Windows, or Ctrl+/ on Linux. Use the hotkey generator if you need a custom shortcut.
Start Dictating
Press your hotkey, speak naturally, and release. Polished text appears in your focused app.
Choosing Your STT Provider
Speed vs accuracy vs cost
Deepgram
A hosted streaming STT option. Check its current documentation for language, billing, and retention details.
Whisper (OpenAI/Groq)
Hosted Whisper-compatible routes. Compare each provider's current model, language, and policy documentation.
Custom Whisper-compatible
Configure the STT base URL and model you operate or trust, then verify the actual network route.
AssemblyAI
A hosted streaming STT option. Check its current documentation before comparing capabilities or terms.
Choosing Your LLM Provider
Quality vs speed vs cost
GPT-4o / Claude
Test the current models with representative prompts, tones, vocabulary, and formatting requirements; review current billing and data terms.
Gemini / DeepSeek
Test the current models with the same transcripts and prompts, then review current model availability, billing, and data terms.
Groq
Measure the complete polishing route with representative prompts and review current hosted-model, billing, rate-limit, and data documentation.
Ollama (Local)
Free and private. Runs Llama 3 on your machine. Quality depends on your hardware.
Tips for Better Voice Input
Get the most out of dictation
Use a decent microphone
A USB headset or decent built-in mic makes a big difference. Background noise is the #1 enemy of accuracy.
Speak in complete sentences
Short phrases work, but complete sentences give the LLM more context for better polishing and grammar correction.
Customize your polishing prompt
The default prompt works well, but you can customize it for your use case — formal emails, casual chat, code comments, etc.
Build your custom dictionary
Add project-specific terms, names, and acronyms. This prevents the STT from misrecognizing your domain vocabulary.
Alternate between typing and voice
Use voice for long-form content and typing for quick edits. This reduces strain and maximizes productivity.
FAQ
What is voice input?
Voice input lets you type by speaking into your microphone. The audio is transcribed to text and inserted into your app.
How accurate is voice typing in 2026?
Modern STT achieves 95-99% accuracy for clear English. AI polishing further improves output quality.
Do I need the internet?
Hosted providers require network access. A Custom Whisper-compatible endpoint can provide local or self-hosted STT, while Ollama is only the local LLM route. Verify both configured endpoints before assuming no hosted service is used.
Is voice input free?
The OpenTypeless desktop app is available under the MIT License. BYOK STT and LLM providers charge under their current terms; check current pricing before choosing a managed cloud plan.
Start Typing by Voice Today
Free, open-source, and works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Set up in under 5 minutes.
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