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AI Transform

Rewrite any selected text using voice instructions

AI Transform lets you select text in any app, then speak a voice instruction to have AI rewrite it. It’s like having an editor who listens to your requests and applies changes instantly.

How AI Transform Works

  1. Select text in any application
  2. Press the recording shortcut (⌥ Space)
  3. Speak your instruction — e.g., “make this more formal” or “translate to Spanish”
  4. Release or press again to stop recording
  5. AI rewrites the text — the selected text is replaced with the AI’s result

The result streams in token by token, replacing your selection in real time.

Requirements

Before using AI Transform, you need:

  • AI provider configured — Set up in Settings → AI with an API key
  • Accessibility permission — Yapper reads the selected text using the Accessibility API
  • Text selected — You must have text selected in an app before starting

If no text is selected when you start recording, Yapper falls back to normal dictation mode.

Step-by-Step Example

Rewriting an Email

  1. Draft a rough email in Mail or any app
  2. Select the paragraph you want to improve
  3. Press ⌥ Space
  4. Say: “Make this more professional and concise”
  5. Press ⌥ Space again to stop
  6. Watch as the AI rewrites and replaces your selection

Translating Text

  1. Select text in any language
  2. Press the recording shortcut
  3. Say: “Translate this to French”
  4. Stop recording
  5. The selected text is replaced with the French translation

Other Examples

  • “Summarize this in two sentences”
  • “Fix the grammar and spelling”
  • “Make this sound more casual”
  • “Convert this to bullet points”
  • “Rewrite for a technical audience”
  • “Shorten this by half”

The Overlay During AI Transform

The overlay shows distinct states during an AI Transform:

ColorIconMeaning
RedWaveformRecording your voice instruction
BlueSpinnerProcessing speech to text
PurpleSparkleAI is rewriting the text (streaming)
GreenCheckmarkTransform complete

When the AI is rewriting, the overlay expands to show the result in a card with formatted Markdown. The result streams in live as it’s generated.

How It Detects Transform Mode

Yapper automatically detects AI Transform mode when:

  1. You have text selected in the active application
  2. You start recording
  3. Yapper reads the selected text via the Accessibility API

You don’t need to toggle any setting — just select text before recording and Yapper handles the rest.

If no text is selected, Yapper proceeds with normal dictation instead.

Tips for Better Results

Be Specific

The more specific your instruction, the better the result:

  • Instead of “fix this” → “fix the grammar and remove filler words”
  • Instead of “change this” → “make this more concise while keeping the key points”

Use the Right Model

  • Quality models (Claude Sonnet, GPT-5 Mini, Gemini Pro) produce better rewrites for complex instructions
  • Fast models (Claude Haiku, GPT-5 Nano, Gemini Flash) are quicker for simple edits like grammar fixes

Configure your model in Settings → AI.

Works in Any App

AI Transform works anywhere you can select text:

  • Text editors and word processors
  • Email clients
  • Web browsers
  • Code editors
  • Messaging apps
  • Any app that supports text selection

Some apps with custom text controls may have limited support. See Text Injection Issues if text isn’t replaced correctly.

Privacy

When using AI Transform:

  • Your selected text is read locally via the Accessibility API
  • Your voice instruction is transcribed locally on your Mac
  • Both the selected text and instruction are sent to your chosen AI provider for rewriting
  • Audio is never sent — only text

For details, see Privacy & Security.

Canceling

Press Escape at any point to cancel — during recording, processing, or while the AI is streaming. The original selected text is preserved.

Troubleshooting

”No text selected” or falls back to dictation

  • Make sure text is actually selected (highlighted) before pressing the shortcut
  • Click once in the text field first, then select text, then press the shortcut
  • Some apps may not expose selected text to the Accessibility API

AI not rewriting correctly

  • Try being more specific in your instruction
  • Switch to a higher-quality model
  • Check that your AI provider is configured in Settings → AI

Transform is slow

  • Try a faster model (Haiku, Nano, Flash variants)
  • Check your internet connection — AI Transform requires network access
  • Longer selections take more time to process