Free Voice-to-Text for Windows — No Subscription Required
Record voice → Get text instantly → Paste anywhere
VoiceGrab is a free, open-source alternative to Dragon NaturallySpeaking ($300) and Windows Voice Typing. Uses Groq Whisper API for professional-grade transcription in 57 languages.
Not a browser extension. Works system-wide: VS Code, Cursor, Slack, Word, ChatGPT, Telegram — any Windows app.
| You get | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 100% Free Tier | Groq's free API = ~8 hours/day of dictation |
| Speak 3x faster than typing | Voice prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot |
| Auto-Translation | Speak Russian → Type English (DeepL/Groq) |
| Smart Cleaning | Removes "um", "uh" and Whisper hallucinations |
| 5 Dev Modes | Prompts for coding, docs, notes, chat |
Note: Gemini 2.0 integration is experimental (in development). Primary stable engines: Groq (transcription) + DeepL (translation).
Voice-to-Text with Real-time Translation:
demo.mp4
(15 sec: Dictating in Russian → Auto-translates to English → Pastes into MS Word)
- Download Latest Release (ZIP)
- Get Free API Key → console.groq.com/keys
- Run
VoiceGrab.bat - Enter key → Install Deps → Run
- Press
Right Ctrlto dictate! 🎉
git clone https://github.com/consulfedor/VoiceGrab.git
cd VoiceGrab| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Start/Stop Recording | Right Ctrl |
| Switch Mode | Click ◀ Mode ▶ on indicator |
| Settings | Right-click tray → Settings |
💡 Tip: Text is always in clipboard! Ctrl+V to paste anywhere.
- 🎤 One-Click Recording — Press
Right Ctrl(configurable) - ♾️ Unlimited Recording — Auto-segments every 3 min
- 📋 Auto-Paste — Text types directly into active window
- ⚡ Groq Whisper API — Fast, accurate, FREE tier
- 🧹 Filler Cleanup — Removes "um", "uh", "like"
- 👻 Hallucination Filter — Removes AI "ghost" phrases
- 🌐 Auto-Translate — Off / Replace / Append modes
- 🔤 DeepL Integration — Quality translation
- 🌍 Groq AI Translate — Fast AI translation
- 🖥️ System Tray — Runs in background
- 💡 Floating Indicator — Shows mode + recording status
- ⚙️ Dark Settings Panel — All options per mode
| Mode | Use Case |
|---|---|
| 🤖 AI Chat | ChatGPT prompts, AI conversations |
| 💻 Code | Programming, technical terms |
| 📋 Docs | Documentation, formal writing |
| 📝 Notes | Quick notes, ideas |
| 💬 Chat | Casual conversation |
- Language (57 options)
- Prompt (context hint for Whisper)
- Filler/Hallucination filters
- Auto-Translate (Off/Replace/Append)
- Translation engine (Groq/DeepL)
- Windows 10/11
- Python 3.10+ — Download
⚠️ Check "Add Python to PATH" during installation! - Microphone
- 🛡️ Config Protection — Prevents saving empty/NULL config
- 🛠️ NULL Eval Fix — Fixed startup error
- 🔧 Settings Fix — All fields save correctly
- 📝 Single Default Config —
config_default.json
Older versions
- 🏷️ Custom Mode Names
- 💡 Tab Tooltips
- ⚙️ Mode Priority System
- 🌐 Auto-Translate (Groq/DeepL)
- 🔤 Translator Tool
- 📁 Batch Transcription
- 📄 Document Converter
- 🌍 57 Languages support
Is it really free?
Yes! Groq offers a generous FREE tier:
- ~10 requests per minute
- ~25,000 audio seconds per day (~8 hours)
- No credit card required
Which languages are supported?
57 languages including: Russian, English, Ukrainian, Turkish, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese.
Does it work offline?
No, requires internet. Audio is processed in cloud and deleted immediately.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Python not found | Reinstall, check "Add to PATH" |
| No microphone | Check Windows sound settings |
| Rate limit | Wait 1 min, or use Turbo model |
- Core: Python 3.10+
- UI: PowerShell + WebView2 (HTML/CSS)
- APIs: Groq (Whisper), DeepL, Gemini (dev)
MIT License — free for personal and commercial use.
⭐ Star this repo if you find it useful!