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man spellkey

Under the hood

The speech engines, AI processing and drafting, the terminal Agent, personalization, and the questions people ask.

spellkey --engines

Two speech engines, pick by need

Recognition runs entirely on your Mac. Start on the bundled one, switch anytime in Settings, no re-install.

enginesizebest atavailability
SenseVoice 228 MB Fastest (~0.06s). Chinese-first; speaks zh / en / ja / ko / yue mixed in one sentence. bundled · default
Qwen3-ASR ~1.8 GB Best zh/en mixing. 30 languages + 22 Chinese accents. Steady memory; your corrections list doubles as built-in hotwords. free download
spellkey --ai

Pick your own AI text model

No API key required. Want it hassle-free? Run the local model. Want more speed and quality? Plug in your own API.

on-device

Local model: Qwen3-4B

Runs on your Mac. Offline and free. Loads only for the few seconds it's cleaning up, so idle memory is zero.

Routes by intent: a quick tidy takes ~1.7s; "write me an email" thinks for ~10s.

byok

Bring your own API key

Plug in any OpenAI-compatible endpoint for top speed and quality.

Your key lives in the macOS Keychain, never uploaded and never written to a log.

The backend tries in order: BYOK → local Qwen → regex fallback. If one fails it steps down, so it never loses your words.

spellkey --agent

Speak a task straight into your terminal Agent

Hit the Agent key and say what you want done. SpellKey starts Claude Code, Codex, or whichever agent you set, in the directory you point it at, then hands over the task you just dictated.

context & setup
selected textHighlight an error, some code, or notes first, then dictate. Both go over together as context.
Finder filesTrigger with screenshots or files selected in Finder and SpellKey hands their paths to the Agent.
your setupAll yours to set: which agent, the launch command, Terminal or iTerm2, the working directory.

SpellKey's job ends at typing the task into your own terminal. From there the agent runs it, the way you'd run it yourself.

spellkey --settings

Set it up for exactly how you talk and work

Great defaults out of the box. Or keep tuning until it fits how you talk and work.

triggers
remap any keySet the hotkeys however you like.
switch mid-recordStart on the fast key, tap the AI key to stop, and it ends in that mode instead — and vice versa.
record capAuto-stops at a limit you set (30s–3m) so the mic is never left open.
output pipeline
filler removalDrops "um / uh / like" fillers. The word list is editable.
retract detectionSay "scrap that" and the whole take is voided. Phrases editable.
glossaryFixes names it mishears (Claude, SpellKey…). Also feeds the engine as hotwords.
Simplified / TraditionalUnify all output to Simplified or Traditional Chinese.
dynamic island & translate
island skinsFour looks: frosted white, black notch, blue, purple. Drag it anywhere.
translateSpeak once, land it in any of 30 languages via a dedicated key. Turn the mode off to avoid mis-triggers.
selection modeAct on selected text; the generated result dwells on the island for an adjustable time.
spellkey --faq

Questions people ask

Is there a subscription?
No. SpellKey is a one-time purchase: yours for life, and updates are free.
Does it need internet?
Day-to-day is fully local and works offline: dictation, AI clean-up, and translation all run on your Mac. Only the first activation after purchase goes online once, to verify your code.
Is my audio uploaded?
No. Recording and recognition happen on this Mac; audio never leaves it and is never written to disk. Recent transcripts live in memory only and are gone when you quit.
What languages does it support?
The default SenseVoice engine handles Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, and Cantonese, mixed in a single sentence. Switch to Qwen3-ASR for 30 languages plus 22 Chinese accents and the best zh/en mixing. A separate translate key sends any speech into 30 target languages.
Do I need an API key?
No. AI clean-up and translation can run on a downloadable local model that works offline. You can also plug in your own cloud API key, locked in the macOS Keychain where the developer never sees it.
How does it compare to macOS dictation?
SpellKey does more than transcribe: it strips filler words, adds punctuation, and fixes zh/en mixing, then cleans up, rewrites, translates, and calls a terminal Agent. Hotkeys, glossary, and models are all yours to set.
Does it run on Intel Macs?
Apple Silicon (M-series) + macOS 14 or later only. The local models need an M-series chip to stay fast and smooth.
What's the refund policy?
14-day, no-questions-asked. Not for you? Get your money back. See the refund policy.

Pay once, no subscription.

From $19 · lifetime license · free updates · 14-day refund

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