FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Yapper
Quick answers to common questions about Yapper.
General Questions
What is Yapper?
Yapper is a voice-to-text dictation app for macOS. Press a shortcut, speak, and your words are automatically typed into any application. Speech recognition happens entirely on your Mac. Optional AI features let you rewrite text with voice instructions or ask questions by saying “Hey Yapper.”
How is Yapper different from macOS Dictation?
| Feature | Yapper | macOS Dictation |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | Always local (on-device) | Often cloud-based |
| Works offline | Yes | Limited |
| AI features | Yes (Transform + Q&A) | No |
| Custom vocabulary | Yes | No |
| Multiple engines | Yes (Parakeet + Whisper) | No |
| Works in any app | Yes | Yes |
Does Yapper require an internet connection?
For basic transcription: No. Speech recognition works entirely offline after the initial model download.
For AI features: Yes. When you use AI Transform or AI Q&A, text is sent to your chosen AI provider.
For license activation: Yes, briefly, to validate your license.
What languages does Yapper support?
The languages available depend on the transcription engine:
- Parakeet TDT v3 supports 25 EU languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, and more.
- Whisper models support ~100 languages including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and many more.
Set your language in Settings → Transcription → Language. The picker automatically filters to show only languages supported by your selected model. You can also set a secondary language and switch between both instantly with ⇧ ⌥ L — see Transcription Settings for details.
How do I switch between languages?
Set a primary and secondary language in Settings → Transcription, then press ⇧ ⌥ L (Shift + Option + L) to toggle between them. A floating pill with the language’s flag confirms the switch. No need to open Settings each time.
Privacy & Security
Is my voice sent to the cloud?
No. Voice processing happens entirely on your Mac. Your audio never leaves your computer.
The only time data leaves your Mac is when you use AI features (AI Transform or AI Q&A)—and only the transcribed text (not audio) is sent to your chosen AI provider.
What data does Yapper collect?
Yapper doesn’t collect any data. There’s no analytics, telemetry, or usage tracking. Your transcriptions are stored locally on your Mac and never uploaded anywhere.
Where is my data stored?
Locally on your Mac:
- Transcript history:
~/Library/Application Support/Yapper/ - Settings:
~/Library/Preferences/com.yapper.app.plist - Models:
~/Library/Application Support/Yapper/Models/
Can I use Yapper on a corporate/secure network?
Yes. Basic transcription requires no network access. AI features (Transform and Q&A) require connection to your chosen AI provider (Gemini, OpenAI, Anthropic, or xAI). License activation requires a brief internet connection.
Technical Questions
What Macs does Yapper support?
Yapper requires:
- macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later
- Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4 or newer)
Why does Yapper need Accessibility permission?
Yapper uses the Accessibility API for two things: simulating keyboard input (typing your transcription character by character into applications) and reading selected text when you use AI Transform. This is the same permission required by text expanders and keyboard automation tools.
Yapper doesn’t monitor your activity or read your screen beyond the selected text for AI Transform.
Why does Yapper need Microphone permission?
To hear your voice when you record. Yapper only accesses the microphone when you press the recording shortcut. Audio is processed locally and immediately discarded—it’s never stored or uploaded.
How much storage do the models need?
| Model | Storage |
|---|---|
| Parakeet TDT v3/v2 | ~800 MB |
| Tiny | ~150 MB |
| Base | ~250 MB |
| Small | ~500 MB |
| Large v3 Turbo | ~1.5 GB |
| Large v3 | ~3 GB |
You can see your total model storage usage in Settings → Transcription, and use Clear Downloaded Models to free space.
Can I use Yapper without AI features?
Yes. AI features are optional. Without them, Yapper works entirely offline with excellent transcription quality. Many users don’t configure AI at all.
Features & Usage
What’s the default keyboard shortcut?
⌥ Space (Option + Space) to start/stop recording. Escape to cancel a recording. ⇧ ⌥ L (Shift + Option + L) to toggle between primary and secondary language. ⇧ ⌥ T (Shift + Option + T) to toggle auto-type on or off.
You can customize all shortcuts in Settings → Preferences → Keyboard Shortcuts.
What’s the difference between toggle and hold modes?
Toggle mode (quick press): Press the shortcut once to start, press again to stop. Good for longer dictation.
Hold mode (press and hold for >0.3s): Recording continues while you hold the keys. Release to stop. Good for quick phrases.
Yapper detects which mode automatically based on how long you hold the keys.
Can I quickly copy my last transcription?
Yes. Click the Yapper menu bar icon → Copy Last Transcript. This copies your most recent transcription to the clipboard without opening the history window.
Can I transcribe audio files?
Yes. Click the Yapper menu bar icon → Transcribe Audio File. Supported formats: MP3, WAV, M4A.
How do I add custom vocabulary?
Settings → Transcription → Custom Vocabulary. Add names, technical terms, and acronyms that Yapper might otherwise miss.
What AI providers does Yapper support?
- Gemini (Google) — Gemini 3 Flash Preview, Gemini 3 Pro Preview
- OpenAI — GPT-5 Mini, GPT-5 Nano
- Anthropic — Claude Sonnet 4.5, Claude Haiku 4.5
- xAI — Grok 4, Grok 4.1 Fast
You need an API key from your chosen provider. Set up in Settings → AI.
Troubleshooting
The shortcut isn’t working
- Verify Yapper is running (check menu bar)
- Check model is loaded (Settings → Transcription)
- Verify permissions (Settings → Preferences → Permissions)
- Try a different shortcut (Settings → Preferences → Keyboard Shortcuts)
Text isn’t appearing in my application
- Make sure you’ve clicked in a text field first
- Verify Accessibility permission is granted
- Try a different application (like TextEdit) to test
- Some apps with custom text handling may not work
Transcription quality is poor
- Try a different model — Parakeet TDT v3 is recommended for EU languages, Large v3 Turbo for other languages
- Set the correct language
- Add problem words to Custom Vocabulary
- Reduce background noise
- Use AI Transform to fix up text after transcription
AI features aren’t working
- Verify a provider, API key, and model are configured in Settings → AI
- Check your API key is correct
- Verify internet connection
- Check your API account has credits
What is AI Transform?
Select text in any app, press the recording shortcut, and speak an instruction (e.g., “make this more formal”). The AI rewrites the selected text based on your instruction. Learn more →
What is “Hey Yapper”?
Say “Hey Yapper” followed by a question during any recording. Yapper detects the wake phrase and shows the AI’s answer in a floating panel — it’s a quick voice assistant. Learn more →
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Yapper includes a 7-day free trial that starts automatically on first launch. All features are fully available during the trial.
Licensing
How many Macs can I use Yapper on?
One license = one Mac at a time. You can deactivate on one Mac and activate on another.
How do I deactivate my license?
Settings → Preferences → License → Deactivate. This frees your license for use on another Mac.
My license isn’t activating
- Verify you copied the entire license key
- Check your internet connection
- If already activated elsewhere, deactivate it first
- Contact hello@yapper.to if issues persist
How do I update Yapper?
Yapper checks for updates automatically in the background. When an update is available, you’ll be prompted to install it. You can also manually check by clicking the Yapper menu bar icon → Check for Updates.
Can I get audio feedback when recording?
Yes. Enable Sound Feedback in Settings → Preferences. Yapper will play short sounds: Purr when recording starts, Pop when transcription completes, and Funk if an error occurs.
Can I dictate without typing into an app?
Yes. Disable Auto-Type in Settings → Preferences, via the menu bar, or with ⇧ ⌥ T. Your transcriptions will still be processed and saved to history, but text won’t be injected into the focused application. This is useful for recording notes to review later.
Can I fix the recording overlay position?
Yes. Enable Fixed Position in Settings → Preferences to pin the overlay to the top-center of your screen instead of having it follow your cursor.
Still Have Questions?
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
- Browse the help topics
- Read the troubleshooting guides
- Contact us at hello@yapper.to