Handy

Handy is completely free and open-source speech recognition software (text-to-speech) which allows you to automatically transcribe everything you say and automatically paste it into a word processor or notepad. Unlike other similar programs, it doesn't require an Internet connection, so you can work offline and your voice will never end up in the cloud or on an unknown server.

Simple installation and setup

Handy is easy to use. The program can be installed in seconds, and you can download any of the different models directly from the app. You will have more than half a dozen to choose from, with different sizes and functionalities. Parakeet V3, for example, is a relatively fast and accurate model coming in at just under 500 MB; whereas Whisper Turbo offers great speed and accuracy, but takes up around 1.5 GB and makes more intensive use of the GPU. If you are unsure, the app will recommend the best model for your device.

Choose your keyboard shortcut and microphone

The next step to comfortably using Handy and implementing it as a regular tool in your work is to determine which keyboard shortcut you want to use and if you want to set it as Push to Talk. By default, the app will activate when you press Ctrl+space and you will need to keep the keys pressed while you speak. In any case, you can always change the app's behavior from the Options menu. A key aspect to consider is your default microphone. A good microphone is important for the speech recognition to work well.

An excellent text-to-speech app for Windows

Download Handy and discover one of the best pieces of speech recognition software available on Windows. A simple and very easy-to-use app to comfortably transcribe everything you say while using the PC, which can also be used offline. The program also allows you to save the audio clips you record while taking notes and store them in a local folder.