You can run voice dictation entirely on your Mac with zero internet, zero API keys, and zero data leaving your device. Parrot's local mode handles transcription and AI cleanup completely on-device. Setup takes under 5 minutes through a built-in wizard, and once the models (~4 GB) are downloaded, it works fully offline.
This guide walks through what local mode does, how to get it running, and how to tune it for the best results.
What "local" actually means
When you run Parrot in local mode, two things happen on-device:
- Transcription — your voice is converted to text using an on-device speech-to-text engine optimized for Apple Silicon. It's fast enough for daily email, notes, and chat.
- Cleanup — an on-device AI engine fixes grammar, removes filler words, and applies your writing style — all without an internet connection.
No audio leaves your machine. No text is sent anywhere. After the initial model download, you don't even need an internet connection.
Step 1: Install Parrot
Download Parrot for Mac to get started. On first launch, it'll ask for microphone permission — that's the only system permission it needs.
If macOS shows a "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" warning, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.
Step 2: Run the setup wizard
When you first open Parrot, the onboarding wizard walks you through local mode setup. It checks your system, requests the macOS permissions it needs, and downloads the dictation and cleanup engines for you. No Terminal, no package managers, no manual model downloads.
You'll pick a speed/accuracy balance once. Parrot downloads what it needs, then everything runs offline from there. The recommended default works well on most Apple Silicon Macs.
Step 3: Start dictating
Press fn (or your custom hotkey) to start recording. Press it again to stop. Your transcription appears where your cursor is — no copy-paste needed.
The first transcription may take a few extra seconds while the engines warm up. Subsequent transcriptions will be faster.
Step 4: Customize your setup
Once basic dictation is working, head to Parrot's settings to tune your experience:
- Custom vocabulary — add names, technical terms, and jargon so Parrot recognises them correctly. See our guide on custom vocabulary.
- Writing context — tell the cleanup engine what kind of text you typically dictate (emails, code comments, medical notes) so it formats output appropriately.
- Hotkey — change the default fn key to any key combination that fits your workflow.
Performance expectations
On Apple Silicon, local dictation is fast enough for daily work — short clips feel near-instant once the app is warm. Parrot targets M1 and later; that's where the experience is built to shine.
- Time-to-text — release the hotkey and text lands at your cursor with minimal wait for everyday phrases.
- Disk — budget a few GB once for models; after that, no network needed.
- RAM — leave headroom while dictating; 16 GB system memory is a comfortable baseline for most machines.
Accuracy is strong for everyday speech. Adding custom vocabulary helps significantly with proper nouns and jargon.
Troubleshooting
- Setup wizard stuck on download — check your internet connection. Models are downloaded once during setup; after that, everything runs offline.
- Slow transcription — switch to the Lite dictation tier in settings. Close memory-heavy apps to free up RAM.
- Poor accuracy — switch to the Precise dictation tier, or add frequently misheard words to your custom vocabulary in Parrot's settings.
- Microphone not working — check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and ensure Parrot has permission.
- Hotkey not pasting text — make sure Parrot has Accessibility permission under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
Why go local?
Three reasons people choose local mode:
- Privacy — nothing leaves your Mac. Important for medical professionals, lawyers, and anyone handling sensitive information.
- No API key required — no external accounts, no setup beyond the wizard.
- Offline — works on planes, in areas with bad connectivity, or if you just don't want to depend on the internet.
Do you still need cloud transcription?
For most daily dictation on a modern Mac, no. Local is what Parrot ships — free for life, private by default, and fast enough for email, docs, and chat. Cloud APIs still make sense for specialized server-side pipelines, batch jobs, or apps that can't run models on-device.
If you're comparing API vendors for a product you're building, see our comparison of transcription APIs. If you just want to dictate on your Mac, stay local.