You think faster than you type. ParrotInk closes that gap. It is the only open-source, Windows-native application that brings professional-grade, real-time voice-to-text directly to your cursor. With a polished visual identity and high-fidelity tray feedback, ParrotInk streams your words instantly so you never lose your flow state.
- 🚀 The Story Behind ParrotInk
- ✨ Key Features
- 🖼️ Visual Preview
- 📥 Download & Install
- 💎 Choose Your Engine
- 💰 What does it cost?
- 🛡️ Privacy & Security
- 🔍 User Manual: How it Works
- 🛠️ Customization & Advanced Settings
- 🏗️ Building from Source
- 🤝 Contributing & Community
- ⚖️ License
I built ParrotInk because existing dictation tools broke my concentration. They either forced me to wait for "batch processing" to dump a giant block of text onto the screen, or—like the built-in Windows dictation (Win + H)—struggled heavily with slight accents.
I wanted true real-time streaming with professional-grade accuracy, and I wanted the freedom to use my own API keys from industry leaders like OpenAI and AssemblyAI. When I couldn't find a single open-source, Windows-native tool that met these standards, I decided to build it. ParrotInk is the result: a tool designed for people who want to type as fast as they can think, without the wait.
- Zero-Latency Feel: Real-time streaming ensures your text appears as you speak, keeping you in the zone.
- Global Language Support: Works with almost any language (English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, etc.) via world-class AI models, so you can work in your native tongue.
- Native RTL Support: Full support for Arabic and other Right-to-Left languages with correct character shaping and HUD alignment.
- Smart Injection: Automatically stops recording if you start typing manually, preventing frustrating text collisions.
- Secure by Design: API keys are stored safely in the Windows Credential Manager, protecting your sensitive credentials.
ParrotInk natively handles mixed-language environments and Right-to-Left (RTL) text.
(Note: Screenshots show the Skia-powered HUD with Acrylic blur and RTL alignment.)
ParrotInk is a portable application. There is no installer needed; just download the EXE and run it.
- Download: Click the button below to get the latest version.
⚠️ Note on Windows Security: Because ParrotInk is a new open-source project and is not yet signed with a paid Microsoft Developer certificate, you may see a "Windows protected your PC" warning.To run the app: Click More info -> Run anyway.
As this is 100% open-source software, you can always inspect the code or build the EXE yourself from source if you prefer.
- Launch: Open
ParrotInk.exe. You will be greeted by a Welcome Onboarding window that explains the basics. You will also see a new icon in your System Tray (the small icons area next to your clock). - Setup API Key:
- What is an API Key? Think of it as a "secret password" that allows ParrotInk to securely talk to the AI models (OpenAI or AssemblyAI) that handle the transcription.
- How to get one: Sign up for a free account at AssemblyAI or OpenAI and copy your "API Key" from their dashboard.
- Where to put it: Right-click the ParrotInk tray icon and select Settings > API Credentials.
- Start Dictating: Press
Ctrl + Alt + V(default) and start speaking. Your words will appear instantly at your cursor!
Pro Tip: To have ParrotInk start automatically with your computer, right-click the tray icon and check Settings > Run at Startup.
ParrotInk requires you to bring your own API key. You only pay the AI providers for the raw milliseconds of audio they process.
Featuring Universal-3 Pro (u3-rt-pro) and Instructional Prompting.
- Why we recommend it: The latest U3 Pro model is the industry benchmark for streaming accuracy. It supports Instructional Prompting, allowing you to guide the AI (e.g., "Always use medical terminology" or "Format as a list").
- Get Started for $0: New users currently receive $50 in free credit upon signing up.
- Advanced Features: Supports Shaded Partials in the HUD, letting you see the AI "thinking" in real-time before finalizing the text.
- Setup: Paste your key from the AssemblyAI Dashboard into the ParrotInk menu.
Unmatched support for 50+ languages and Arabic.
- Why use it: For native Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, or multilingual workflows, OpenAI provides world-class coverage.
- Language Support: Perfect for users who switch between global languages frequently.
- Setup: Requires a key from the OpenAI Platform. Note: OpenAI requires a small pre-paid balance (usually $5 minimum) to activate their Realtime API.
ParrotInk is open-source and 100% free software. Your only cost is your direct usage with the API providers (OpenAI or AssemblyAI), meaning there is no middleman markup.
- Casual User: A few quick Slack replies a day? Roughly $0.50/month.
- Power User: 2 hours of dictation every day? Roughly $5.00 - $7.00/month.
As an open-source project, transparency is our priority:
- Encrypted Storage: Your API keys are stored directly in the Windows Credential Manager, encrypted at the OS level.
- No Local Audio Storage: Audio is streamed via encrypted WebSockets to the provider and is never saved to your hard drive.
- Local Logs & Stats: All diagnostic data is kept strictly on your machine:
- Logs:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\ParrotInk\Logs\parrotink.log(Rotational, capped at 30MB). - Statistics:
%APPDATA%\ParrotInk\Stats\stats.json.
- Logs:
ParrotInk stays out of your way in the System Tray (the icons next to your clock). The icon color tells you exactly what the app is doing:
- 🔘 Grey: Idle — App is ready and waiting for your hotkey.
- 🔵 Blue: Listening — Capturing your voice and streaming text.
- 🟡 Yellow: Connecting — Establishing a secure link to the AI.
- 🔴 Red: Error — Something is wrong (usually a missing API key).
- Click into the application where you want to type (Notion, Slack, Word, etc.).
- Press
Ctrl + Alt + V(or your custom hotkey). - Speak. Your words will appear instantly. Stop speaking or press any key to finish.
ParrotInk monitors a global hotkey via native Win32 hooks. You can switch between two distinct modes via the tray menu (Settings > Hold to Talk):
Best for short bursts, quick replies, and coding snippets.
- Action: Press and hold your hotkey.
- Dictate: Speak your mind.
- Stop: Release the hotkey. The session ends immediately when you let go.
Best for long-form writing, drafting long emails, or deep thinking.
- Action: Press the hotkey once to start recording. You can now take your hands off the keyboard and focus entirely on your speech.
- Stop: Press the hotkey again to finish.
- Smart Stop: If you start typing manually on your keyboard while it's listening, ParrotInk will automatically stop the session.
- Right-click the tray icon.
- Select Settings > Change Hotkey....
- Press the new key combination (e.g.,
Alt + SorCtrl + Space). ParrotInk saves it instantly.
ParrotInk follows a Portable-First configuration strategy. It looks for its settings in the following order:
- Portable Mode: A
config.tomlfile located in the same folder as theParrotInk.exe. (Ideal for USB drives or custom installs). - Standard Mode:
%APPDATA%\ParrotInk\config.toml(Used if no local file is found).
Available Tuning:
- HUD Styles: Customize the Skia-powered HUD appearance.
- Acoustic Profiles: Switch between
Headset(near-field) andLaptop Mic(far-field) profiles. - Latency Tuning: Choose between
Fast,Balanced, orAccurateprofiles to match your speaking pace.
Detailed documentation on all technical settings can be found in the config.example.toml file.
ParrotInk is built with Python 3.12+ and uses modern, high-performance libraries like skia-python for rendering and sounddevice for low-latency audio capture.
- Prerequisites:
- Python 3.12+
- uv (for dependency management)
- Clone & Setup:
git clone https://github.com/Aalwattar/ParrotInk.git cd ParrotInk uv sync
- Run Locally:
uv run main.py
- Build Frozen EXE (Using PyInstaller):
.\scripts\build_onefile.ps1
ParrotInk is actively maintained and welcomes contributions!
- Found a bug? Open an issue on the GitHub Issue Tracker.
- Have an idea? Submit a feature request or open a Pull Request.
- Code Style: We use
rufffor linting and formatting, andmypyfor strict type checking. See the local CI scripts for our "Definition of Done".
Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.
Built for speed. Built for Windows. Built for you.