Summary: Free, open-source, real-time dictation for Windows. Runs locally (no cloud!), uses AI (faster-whisper), and types directly into any application via a user-friendly GUI.

OmniDictate provides a modern desktop application for real-time speech-to-text on your Windows PC. It utilizes the optimized faster-whisper library (based on OpenAI's Whisper) for accurate transcription directly on your machine, ensuring privacy and offline capability. Text is typed directly into your active window.

Looking for the original command-line version? Find it here: OmniDictate-CLI Repository

• Premium Slate & Glass UI (v2.0): A stunning, modern interface featuring a dark slate theme with frosted glass accents, designed for clarity and focus.
• Whisper Ultra Support: Now supports the large-v3-turbo model for state-of-the-art accuracy with improved speed.
• Streamlined Controls: Simplified experience with unified VAD/PTT toggle and removal of complex stop hotkeys.
• Real-time Transcription: Converts speech to text with low latency.
• Local & Private: All processing happens on your machine; no cloud required.
• Type Anywhere: Simulates keyboard input into virtually any active Windows application (except OmniDictate itself).
• Configurable Settings: Adjust model size, language (Auto-Detect or specific), VAD sensitivity, typing delay, hotkeys, and more via the interface. Settings are saved automatically.
• Voice Activity Detection (VAD): Toggle automatic start/stop based on speech via a GUI button.
• Push-to-Talk (PTT): Use a configurable global hotkey (Default: Right Shift) for manual control.
• Voice Commands:
  • Spoken Punctuation (e.g., "comma", "period").
• Hallucination Filtering: Add/Remove specific repetitive phrases to filter from the output via the GUI.
• Transcription Display: View the transcribed text within the application.
• Copy Functionality: Easily copy the displayed transcription using a button.
• Restore Defaults: Reset all configurable settings to their original values.

Before installing, ensure your system meets these requirements.

• Operating System: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit).
• Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent (quad-core+).
• RAM: 8GB (16GB+ recommended).
• Storage: Space for the Whisper model, approx 4.5 GB.
• GPU (Highly Recommended): NVIDIA GPU with CUDA support (4GB+ VRAM, 6GB+ for larger models) for acceptable performance. CPU mode is supported but significantly slower.

• Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable: REQUIRED for both CPU and GPU usage.
  • Download Visual Studio 2015-2022 Redistributable (x64)
• NVIDIA Users (Critical): If you intend to use GPU acceleration, you MUST install the following before running the application:
  1. NVIDIA Driver: Download Latest Driver
  2. CUDA Toolkit 12.6: Download from NVIDIA Archive
  3. Verify: Ensure nvcc --version works in your terminal.

Important Considerations:

• Large File Size: Includes Python runtime and AI models.
• Unsigned Application: You may see a Windows SmartScreen warning ("Windows protected your PC"). Click "More info" -> "Run anyway" to proceed.

1. Prerequisites: Ensure you have installed the items listed in System Requirements.
2. Download: Go to the Releases Page and download the latest OmniDictate_Setup_vX.Y.Z.exe.
3. Run Installer: Double-click the .exe. Accept the SmartScreen warning. Follow the prompts.
4. Launch: Use the Start Menu or Desktop shortcut.

1. Prerequisites: Ensure you have installed the items listed in System Requirements.
2. Download: Go to the Releases Page and download OmniDictate_Portable_vX.Y.Z.7z.
3. Extract: Use 7-Zip to extract the archive to a folder of your choice.
4. Run: Open the extracted folder and double-click OmniDictate.exe.

1. Launch OmniDictate.
2. Configure (Optional): Adjust settings in the "Configuration" section. Settings save automatically.
3. Start Dictation: Click the "Start Dictation" button. The status will update.
4. Dictate:
   • VAD Mode (Default): Simply speak when the status is "Listening". Transcription starts automatically. Pause speaking to stop recording.
   • Push-to-Talk (PTT): Hold down the configured PTT key (Default: Right Shift). Transcription occurs only while the key is held. This overrides VAD. (Toggle VAD off using the button if you only want PTT).
   • Output: Text appears in the active application window (unless it's OmniDictate) and in the "Transcription Output" area in the GUI.
5. Use Commands: Say "comma", "at", "open bracket", etc., during dictation.
6. Stop Dictation: Click the "Stop" button.

• Model: Select Whisper model size (including large-v3-turbo).
• Language: Supports Auto Detection and multiple languages (English, Spanish, French, German, etc.).
• VAD Toggle: Enable/disable Voice Activity Detection.
• Silence Threshold: VAD sensitivity (lower = more sensitive).
• Typing Delay: Time (seconds) between typed characters.
• PTT Hotkey: Click "Set" and press the desired key.
• Filter Words: Add/Remove exact phrases to ignore.
• Restore Defaults: Reset all settings.

• CUDA is not available / Slow Performance: Verify GPU, NVIDIA Driver, matching CUDA Toolkit/cuDNN installation, and CUDA-enabled PyTorch installation. Check PATH variables.
• Failed to load Python DLL... (when running .exe): Ensure Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (VS 2015-2022 x64) is installed.
• Garbled Typing: Increase the "Typing Delay" setting. Test in Notepad first.
• No Audio/VAD Not Working: Check default microphone in Windows Sound settings (ensure 16000 Hz, not exclusive mode). Adjust "Silence Threshold".
• ModuleNotFoundError: Activate virtual environment and run pip install -r requirements.txt.
• Hotkey Issues: Ensure no other app uses the same global hotkeys. Restart the app after changing keys.

The pre-built application was compiled with the following versions. If you are building from source or troubleshooting GPU issues, aim for these:

If you prefer to build from source:

1. Install Python 3.11.9 and Git.
2. Clone Repo: git clone https://github.com/gurjar1/OmniDictate.git && cd OmniDictate
3. Create & Activate Venv: python -m venv venv and activate it.
4. Install PyTorch (CUDA Version):

   pip install torch torchvision torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu126

5. Install Other Dependencies: pip install -r requirements.txt
6. Run: python main_gui.py

This project is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

• ✅ Free for personal/non-commercial use.
• 🚫 Commercial use requires explicit permission.

(See the LICENSE file for full details).

Copyright (c) 2025 Kapil Gurjar