📖 Official Documentation

VoicePad AI — Help Center

Everything you need to know about VoicePad v2.1.0 — Windows, Android, and iOS. 100% offline voice dictation that works everywhere you do.

v2.1.0
🖥️ Windows
🤖 Android
🍎 iOS
Updated March 2026
Windows
Windows App
Full desktop app with AI tools, VoicePad Orb, SubPad meeting transcription
● Available Now
Android
Android App
Full feature app with VoicePad Orb, WiFi+USB sync to Windows
Google Play
iOS
iOS App
Same Whisper AI, same UI, 100% offline. TestFlight available now
TestFlight
macOS
macOS App
Same Whisper AI as Windows. PyQt6 desktop app. Direct download — no App Store
● Beta
Live Demo

Watch VoicePad in action.

Four platforms. Four demos. Under 60 seconds each. Pick your platform and watch.

VoicePad on YouTube
VoicePad — Windows
🎙
Meeting notes ready_
~60s
👉
New to VoicePad? Start with Quick Start — you'll be dictating in under 60 seconds. For sync setup, go to Cross-Platform Sync.

Need Help?

Can't find what you're looking for? Email alex@voicepad.tech — Alex reads and responds to every message personally.

Getting Started

🚀 Quick Start Guide

Start dictating in 60 seconds. No account. No internet. No setup.

Three Steps to Dictation

Open VoicePad. Launch from your desktop or Start menu on Windows, or tap the app icon on Android/iOS. It starts instantly — the AI model is pre-loaded.
Tap the mic orb. The big glowing button in the center. Or press Ctrl+Space from anywhere on Windows — you don't even need to switch to VoicePad.
Speak naturally. Normal pace, normal voice. Text appears in real-time as you speak. When done, tap the orb again (or press Ctrl+Space). Your text is automatically copied to clipboard — just paste anywhere.
💡
The superpower: On Windows, press Ctrl+Space while you're in Word, Gmail, Slack, or any app. Speak. Stop. Your text appears exactly where your cursor was — you never leave your workflow.

Quick Tips

TipWhy
Speak your languageSet the language in Settings first — VoicePad forces your selected language for best accuracy
Say punctuation"period", "comma", "question mark", "new paragraph" — all work
Pause between sentencesBrief pauses help the AI segment your speech correctly
Use VoicePad OrbEnable in Settings → dictate into any app without switching back to VoicePad
Getting Started

🧭 Onboarding — First Launch Setup

The first time you open VoicePad on any platform, an onboarding wizard walks you through setup. It only runs once — you can restart it anytime from Settings → Restart Setup (Windows) or Settings → Reset Onboarding (Mobile).

Windows Onboarding Windows

Welcome screen — Enter your name. It personalises the app header: ALEX'S VOICEPAD AI
Choose your language — Select the language you'll dictate in (English or German). This is the most important setting — it tells Whisper what to expect
Choose your theme — Midnight Dark, Light, or Arctic Frost. Changes instantly, can be changed again later in Settings → Appearance
Choose your model — Tiny (fast) or Base (recommended). Tiny and Base are pre-installed — no download needed. Small and Medium are available after setup
Set your hotkey — Default is Ctrl+Space. Click Capture and press any key combination to change it
Done — VoicePad opens with both sidebars visible so you can see everything at once. Close them anytime with ☰ and ⚙️

Android Onboarding Android

Welcome — "Willkommen bei VoicePad AI" / "Welcome to VoicePad AI" — tap Skip or continue
Choose language — English or German. Sets both the UI language and the Whisper transcription language
Choose theme — Midnight Dark, Light, or Arctic Frost
Grant microphone permission — required for recording. Tap Allow when prompted
Choose model — Base is pre-installed and recommended. Tiny is available for older phones
Ready — the main screen loads. Tap the orange orb to start your first dictation

iOS Onboarding iOS

Welcome — same shared Compose wizard as Android (identical UI)
Choose language — English or German
Choose theme — Midnight Dark, Light, or Arctic Frost
Grant microphone permission — iOS will prompt for microphone access. Tap Allow
Ready — tap the orb and speak
💡
Ran through onboarding too fast? On Windows: Settings → scroll to footer → Restart Setup. On Mobile: Settings → scroll to bottom → Reset Onboarding. The wizard runs again from the beginning.
Basics

🖥️ Main Screen Guide

Everything visible when you open VoicePad — on all platforms.

The Mic Orb All Platforms

The large glowing button at the center of the screen. Your main control — click/tap to start and stop recording.

StateAppearanceAction
IdleSoft amber glowTap to start recording
RecordingPulsing red ringsTap to stop and transcribe
Processing0–100% progress arcWait — text is being transcribed

Transcript Area All Platforms

Where your transcribed text appears in real-time as you speak. On Windows, Pro users can edit text directly — click to place your cursor and make corrections before using AI tools or copying. Free users can select and copy text.

✏️ Text Editor & Save Note Windows Pro

💎
Pro feature. Free users can read and copy dictation output from the transcript area, but cannot type, paste, or edit inside it. Upgrading to Pro unlocks the full text editor — type notes, edit imported content, paste freely, and save to history. Upgrade to Pro →
Transcript AreaFreePro
View dictation output
Select + copy text out
Type and edit inside
Paste content inside
Edit imported text
Save Note to history

Pro users get a fully functional text editor in the transcript area. Type notes by hand, import a PDF and edit the extracted text, or mix dictated and typed content freely. When done, click Save Note in the footer bar to save to history.

💡
Typed notes are saved with a green T badge in the history sidebar — instantly distinguishable from dictated recordings (no badge) and mobile-synced entries (M badge).
History badges at a glance

No badge  →  Normal dictation
🟢 M  →  Synced from mobile
🟢 T  →  Typed or edited note (Pro)

AI Tools Bar Windows

Five buttons above the transcript area (when text is present). Processes text with your local Ollama AI. See the AI Tools section for full details.

History Sidebar All Platforms

Slides in from the left. Every dictation is saved automatically with full text, timestamp, word count, and duration. Searchable in real-time.

Settings Sidebar All Platforms

Slides in from the right (or tap ⚙️ in footer). Configure language, model, themes, sync, and more.

Footer Bar All Platforms

IconWhat It Does
☰ HistoryOpen/close the history sidebar
⏻ Close AppClose VoicePad (Windows: sends to system tray)
⚙ SettingsOpen/close the settings sidebar
Basics

🎤 Recording Guide

Everything about capturing your voice and turning it into text.

Starting a Recording

MethodHowPlatform
Tap Mic OrbClick/tap the glowing orbAll
Ctrl+SpaceGlobal hotkey — works from any appWindows
Voice CommandSay "Dictation start"Windows + Android
VoicePad OrbTap the floating bubble overlayWindows + Android

Stopping a Recording

MethodHowResult
Tap Mic OrbTap the red pulsing orbTranscribes and saves
Ctrl+SpacePress the hotkey againTranscribes and saves
EscapePress Escape keyCancels — no save
⚠️
Escape cancels completely. No text is saved. Use this if you started recording by accident.

What Happens During Recording

  1. Real-time streaming — Text appears as you speak (every 2–10 seconds)
  2. Hallucination filter — Silence-triggered garbage phrases are automatically blocked before they reach your screen
  3. When you stop — Final transcription refines the text
  4. Auto-copy — Text goes to clipboard (if enabled in Settings)
  5. Auto-inject — Text is typed at your cursor position in the active app (Windows)
  6. Auto-save — Recording is saved to history automatically

Resume Dictation All Platforms

Continue a previous recording — new text is appended after the original.

Open History (tap ☰)
Find your previous recording
On Windows: right-click → Resume. On mobile: long press → Resume
Start talking — new text appends with a timestamp separator

Best Practices

  • Speak at your normal pace — no need to slow down
  • Complete sentences transcribe better than fragments
  • Quiet environments give noticeably better results
  • Say punctuation out loud: "period", "comma", "question mark", "new paragraph"
  • Match the Language setting to what you'll speak — this is the #1 accuracy factor
New Feature

🟠 VoicePad Orb — Dictate Into Any App

New in v2.1.0. The VoicePad Orb lets you dictate into any app without ever switching to VoicePad. It's the fastest dictation workflow on any platform.

A small floating mic button that lives on top of every other app on your screen. Tap it, speak, tap again — text goes directly to your clipboard, ready to paste anywhere.

Windows VoicePad Orb Windows

An always-on-top draggable widget that floats over your desktop.

Enable in Settings → Dictation → VoicePad Orb
Minimize VoicePad — the orb stays visible on top of all apps
Open any app — Word, email, browser, ChatGPT, anything
Tap the orb → speak → tap again
Watch the 0–100% progress arc. When full, text is in your clipboard
Paste with Ctrl+V — done. No app switching, no context loss
StateOrb Appearance
IdleAmber circle with mic icon
RecordingRed with pulsing ripple rings
Processing0–100% arc — theme-aware color (Dark=violet, Light=gold)
💡
The orb is draggable — position it anywhere on screen. Its position is saved across restarts.

Android VoicePad Orb Android

A floating bubble overlay that works in any Android app using system overlay permissions.

Enable in Settings → VoicePad Orb
Grant the "Display over other apps" permission when prompted
The bubble appears on top of every app on your phone
Tap to start → speak → tap to stop → text auto-copied to clipboard
Paste anywhere — WhatsApp, Gmail, ChatGPT, any text field
💡
Long-press the bubble to open the full VoicePad app. Drag it to any corner of the screen — its position is saved.
New Feature

⚡ VoicePad Direct — Type Directly Where You Click

New in v2.1.0. VoicePad Direct is the Orb with superpowers. Instead of dictating to clipboard and pasting, your words type directly into any app — in real-time, exactly where you click.

Press the Orb. Click in Gmail, Word, or any text field within 8 seconds. Speak. Text flows directly where your cursor is — no clipboard, no paste, no context switch. The click is your intention.

Windows VoicePad Direct Windows

Always-on-top Orb with direct typing into any editable text field.

Enable in Settings → Dictation → VoicePad Orb → VoicePad Direct
Minimize VoicePad — the Orb stays on top of all apps
Tap the Orb — recording starts, 8-second click window opens
Click where you want text to appear — email body, document, text field
Speak — text types directly at your cursor in real-time as Whisper processes each chunk
Tap the Orb to stop — your dictation is already typed in place

macOS VoicePad Direct macOS

Same experience as Windows. System-wide Orb with direct typing via macOS Accessibility API.

Enable in Settings → Float Orb → VoicePad Direct
Grant Accessibility permission when prompted (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility)
Open any app — Mail, Pages, Safari, anything
Tap the Orb — 8-second click window opens
Click where you want text, then speak
Tap the Orb to stop — text already in place

Android VoicePad Direct Android

Floating bubble overlay with direct typing into any editable text field via Android Accessibility Service.

Enable in Settings → VoicePad Orb → VoicePad Direct
Grant Accessibility Service permission when prompted
Open any app — WhatsApp, Gmail, any messaging or text app
Tap the floating bubble — 8-second click window opens
Tap the text field where you want to write, then speak
Tap the bubble to stop — text flows directly into the field
💡
The click is your intention. VoicePad Direct uses your click to know exactly where text should appear. No click within 8 seconds? VoicePad automatically falls back to clipboard mode — your text is still copied, ready to paste.

Smart Fallback

If you don't click within 8 seconds of pressing the Orb, VoicePad Direct automatically switches to standard clipboard mode. Text is copied as usual — nothing is lost.

Compatible Targets

TargetWorks
Gmail (Chrome / Edge / Safari)✅ Yes
Microsoft Word✅ Yes
Microsoft Outlook✅ Yes
Notepad / TextEdit✅ Yes
VS Code / Cursor✅ Yes
Apple Mail / Pages✅ Yes (macOS)
WhatsApp / Signal / Telegram✅ Yes
Any standard editable text field✅ Yes
PDF viewer (read-only)❌ No — falls back to clipboard
Image area / menus / non-editable zones❌ No — falls back to clipboard
⚠️
Permissions required. VoicePad Direct needs Accessibility permission on macOS and Android to type into other apps. Without it, VoicePad Direct falls back to clipboard mode automatically. Your permission is used ONLY to insert your dictated text — VoicePad never reads other apps' content.
VoicePad Direct vs Wispr Flow: Wispr Flow charges $15/month for live text injection and sends your audio to cloud servers. VoicePad Direct does the same thing — 100% offline, on your device, for a one-time purchase. No subscription. No cloud.
Basics

📋 History Guide

Every dictation is automatically saved and instantly searchable. Never lost, never auto-deleted.

Opening History

Tap the icon in the footer bar. The history sidebar slides in from the left. On Windows, you can also drag the right edge of the sidebar to resize it wider or narrower.

What's Saved

Every transcription is automatically saved with full text content, timestamp (DD.MM.YYYY format), word count, and recording duration. Sorted newest first.

History Card Anatomy

┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  07.03.2026                   0:15   [M] │  ← Date · Duration · M badge (if mobile)
│  So, right now, let's play a little bit  │
│  with the orb. Until now, it looks good. │
│  Let's see what we can do about it.      │  ← First ~3-5 lines of transcript
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘

The 🟢 M badge appears on recordings that were synced from your Android or iOS device — so you can immediately see which dictations came from your phone.

History cards with a teal/emerald border are SubPad meeting recordings — they contain speaker-labeled transcripts and have an Export option in the context menu.

Search

Type in the search bar at the top of the sidebar. Searches the full text content of every transcription — not just titles. Case-insensitive. Results filter in real-time with a 400ms debounce. Find anything you've ever dictated.

As you type, matched words light up in theme-aware highlight colors — matches are visible instantly.

Actions

ActionWindowsMobile
Open / ReadClick cardTap card
Resume dictationRight-click → ResumeLong press → Resume
Copy textRight-click → CopyLong press → Copy
DeleteRight-click → DeleteSwipe left to delete
Export (SubPad only)Right-click → Export

Resume Dictation — In Detail

Resume lets you continue a previous recording. New audio is appended after the original text with a timestamp separator.

Open History (tap ☰)
Find the recording you want to continue
Windows: right-click the card → Resume. Mobile: long press → Resume
The card highlights in purple — you're now in resume mode
Start speaking — new text appends after a separator: --- resumed 14:32 07/03 ---
Stop recording — the original card is updated with the combined text
💡
To cancel resume mode without recording, click the Exit Resume button that appears in the toolbar, or just close the history sidebar.

The resume separator format is: --- resumed HH:MM DD/MM --- (24-hour time, day/month). This makes it easy to see exactly when each continuation was recorded.

Lifetime Stats Bar Windows

0:00 · 0 words  |  Total: 117:13:19 · 523,476 words

The stats bar at the bottom of the transcript area shows two things. Left side: the current session duration and word count. Right side (in purple): your lifetime totals — every hour recorded and every word transcribed since you installed VoicePad. This counter never resets — it's your personal productivity monument.

Export History All Platforms

Export all your recordings as a single file — no item limit.

  • Windows: Settings → Sessions → Export History → saves as .txt
  • Mobile: History sidebar → Export All button (bottom of sidebar)

Clear All History

Windows: History sidebar → Clear History button (bottom of sidebar, asks for confirmation). Mobile: History sidebar → Clear All button (bottom of sidebar, shows count and asks for confirmation). This is permanent — no undo.

Where Files Are Stored

PlatformLocation
Windows%APPDATA%\HorMal\VoicePad\history.json
AndroidInternal app storage (SQLDelight database)
iOSApp sandbox — accessible via Files app
Basics

⚙️ Settings Guide

Tap ⚙️ in the footer to open settings. All settings are saved instantly — no confirm button.

Speech Model (Whisper) All Platforms

ModelSizeSpeedAccuracyBest For
Tiny~75 MB⚡⚡⚡ Instant★★☆☆Quick notes, older phones
Base~142 MB⚡⚡ Fast★★★☆Daily use — recommended
Small~466 MB⚡ Medium★★★★Better accuracy, modern hardware
Medium~1.5 GB🐢 Slow★★★★★Professional transcription (Windows)

Language All Platforms

⚠️
Critical setting. VoicePad ALWAYS forces the selected language — it does NOT auto-detect. Speak German but Language is set to English? Whisper produces garbage. Always match this to the language you're about to speak.

Supported dictation languages: 🇬🇧 English · 🇩🇪 German (and 50+ others via Whisper). UI language: English and German only.

Auto-Copy / Auto-Inject Windows

Auto-Copy (default: ON) — transcription is automatically sent to clipboard after recording stops. Auto-Inject (default: ON) — text is typed at your cursor position in the active app. Disable if you want to review text in VoicePad before pasting.

Smart Grammar Windows

Automatic language-specific grammar corrections:

  • German noun capitalization (e.g. "auto" → "Auto")
  • ß corrections (strasse → Straße)
  • English contractions (I am → I'm)

AI Model (Ollama) Windows

The local LLM powering the 5 AI tools. Runs 100% offline on your PC — no internet, no API key, no cost.

ModelSizeSpeedBest For
qwen2.5:0.5b~400 MBFastestQuick cleanup, daily use
qwen2.5:1.5b~1 GBBalancedBetter quality output
qwen2.5:3b~2 GBSlowerBest quality results

Mic Sensitivity All Platforms

Adjusts the energy threshold for the audio gate — how loud you need to speak before transcription starts. Default is calibrated for normal indoor speaking. Increase if you're in a noisy environment; decrease if soft speech is being clipped.

Mobile Sync All Platforms

Configure WiFi and USB sync with other VoicePad devices. See the Sync section for full setup instructions.

Speech Output (Text-to-Speech) Windows

VoicePad can read your transcriptions back to you using Windows text-to-speech. Settings → Speech Output lets you:

  • Enable or disable speech output entirely
  • Choose a Windows TTS voice from all installed voices
  • Adjust speaking rate (slower or faster)
  • Adjust output volume independently from system volume
  • Set trigger: auto-read after every dictation, on demand only, or off
💡
Use Speech Output for proofreading by ear — listen to your text while your eyes scan for errors. Catches mistakes your eyes skip over.

Custom Dictionary Windows

Teach Whisper words it consistently mishears. Settings → Tools → Custom Dictionary lets you add, edit, and remove custom correction rules.

  • Current stable dictionary: ~850 entries (tech brands, German cities, names, technical terms)
  • Add maximum 20–30 entries at a time and test before adding more — too many entries causes Whisper hallucinations
  • Stored at: AppData\Roaming\VoicePad\custom_dictionary.json

🔤 Font & Typography Windows

Customize VoicePad's interface font from Settings → Font. Choose from 8 hand-picked fonts — each with a personality name that describes how it feels to use:

NameFontBest For
Daily DriverSegoe UIDefault — clean and professional
Code & TechConsolasDevelopers, technical writing
The NovelistGeorgiaLong-form writing, warm feel
Old School CoolCourier NewTypewriter aesthetic
Clean SlateArialMaximum readability
Sharp & ModernTrebuchet MSPresentations, modern look
The ClassicTimes New RomanFormal documents
Easy ReaderVerdanaWide spacing, easy on eyes

Use the font size slider (9–18pt) to set your preferred size. Changes apply instantly across the entire app — transcript area, sidebar, history, settings — everything. No restart needed.

Sound Effects Windows Android

Toggle audio feedback on actions: recording start/stop beep, theme switch click, copy confirmation. On Windows, find it in Settings → Recording. On Android, find it in Settings between Storage and Sync sections.

Feedback All Platforms

Settings → Feedback — opens an email to alex@voicepad.tech (Windows) or feedback@voicepad.tech (Mobile). Every message is personally read. Include your version number and reproduction steps for bugs.

Restart Setup Windows

Found at the bottom of the Settings sidebar footer. Runs the onboarding wizard again — useful if you want to change language, theme, or model selection from the initial setup.

Feature

🤖 AI Tools Windows

⚠️
Ollama Requires Ollama. AI tools need Ollama running locally on your Windows PC. Install free from ollama.com. Then run ollama pull qwen2.5:0.5b in a terminal. No internet needed after setup.
🧹
Clean
Remove filler words
Improve
AI rewrite for clarity
🤖
AI Prompt
Voice-powered AI chat
📄
Summary
Condense key points
🌐
Translate
Convert to any language

🧹 Clean Ctrl+Shift+L

Removes dictation noise: filler words (um, uh, like), false starts, repeated words, basic punctuation fixes. Does not rewrite your words or change meaning.

Raw input

"So um I want to uh schedule a meeting for next Thursday if that's like if that works"

After Clean

"I want to schedule a meeting for next Thursday if that works."

✨ Improve Ctrl+Shift+I

Does everything Clean does, plus intelligently rewrites for better flow, professional vocabulary, and clarity. Keeps your intent, elevates the writing. Best for emails and reports.

🤖 AI Prompt Ctrl+Shift+F

Sends your transcribed text to your local Ollama model as a prompt and displays the AI's response. Turns VoicePad into a voice-powered AI assistant. Dictate a question or instruction out loud — get an intelligent answer.

📄 Summary Ctrl+Shift+U

Condenses long transcribed text into a short structured summary with key points and action items. Best for meeting notes and long voice memos.

🌐 Translate

Translates your text to another language using the local Ollama model. Dictate in German → translate to English for international emails, or vice versa.

💾 Save Improved Text Windows

After running any AI tool (Clean, Improve, Summary, Translate), right-click on the AI output text area → "Save Improved Text". The result is saved to your history as a new entry — separate from the original dictation.

📎 AI Tools Work on Imported Content Windows

AI tools don't only process dictations. Use the Import button (📎) in the footer to load a PDF, DOCX, or audio file — then run Clean, Improve, Summary, or Translate on that content. All offline, no cloud.

Parallel processing: For texts over 400 words, VoicePad splits your text into chunks and processes them simultaneously with up to 3 parallel workers — handling 10,000+ words at professional speed. Results are appended below your original so you can compare. Processing can be cancelled at any time.

🗣️ Voice-Triggered AI Commands Windows

🆕
New in v2.1.0. Speak a command word at the very start of your dictation and VoicePad automatically executes the AI transformation — no buttons, no clicking. Command + content in one single breath.

Example: say "make it formal, I need to reschedule our Thursday meeting" — VoicePad transcribes your speech and rewrites it in a formal professional tone automatically. The command is spoken, not typed.

💡
Commands are detected at the start of your speech. Speak the command first, then immediately continue with your actual content. More voice-triggered commands are in development and will ship in future updates.
Coming Soon

🎙️ SubPad — Meeting Transcription Coming Soon

SubPad is VoicePad's upcoming meeting transcription mode. It will listen continuously, identify different speakers automatically, and build a structured dialogue transcript in real-time — all 100% offline on your PC.

🔜
SubPad is in development and not yet available in v2.1.0. Founding members will get access as soon as it ships — no extra charge, it's included in your license.

How It Works

Press Ctrl+Shift+S to enter SubPad mode — the UI switches to meeting layout
Choose audio source: Microphone (in-person meeting) or System Audio (online call — captures speaker audio from your PC). Click the title to toggle between them.
Press Ctrl+Shift+R to start recording — SubPad listens continuously
Text appears in real-time with speaker labels: Speaker 1:, Speaker 2:, etc.
Press Ctrl+Shift+R to stop — the full transcript is saved to history with an emerald border
Right-click the history card → Export to save as SRT, TXT, VTT, or JSON

Export Formats

FormatBest For
TXTPlain text with speaker labels and timestamps — for notes and documents
SRTSubtitle format — import into video editors (Premiere, DaVinci, etc.)
VTTWeb subtitles format — for web video players
JSONStructured data — for developers and automation

Auto-Export

Enable auto-export in Settings → SubPad → Auto-export. Every SubPad session automatically saves to Documents\VoicePad\SubPad\ with a timestamped filename. Set your preferred default format (TXT, SRT, VTT, or JSON).

Stats During Recording

While SubPad is recording, the stats bar shows live: 0:00 • 3 Speakers • 9 Segments • 87 words — updating in real-time so you always know what's been captured.

💡
SubPad sessions are saved to history with a distinctive emerald border so you can quickly spot meeting transcripts vs. regular dictations. They support export while regular dictations don't.
Feature

🎙️ Voice Commands

Control VoicePad hands-free — no keyboard, no tapping.

Windows Voice Commands Windows

Uses VOSK (offline speech recognition, 40MB model bundled). Enable in Settings → Hotkeys → Voice Commands.

💡
Voice commands listen in the background even when VoicePad is minimized. They never conflict with your dictation — VOSK pauses while Whisper is recording.
Say ThisWhat Happens
"Dictation start"🎤 Starts recording
"Dictation stop"⏹️ Stops and transcribes
"Dictation dark"🌙 Switches to Dark theme
"Dictation light"☀️ Switches to Light theme
"Dictation exit"❌ Closes app (when idle only)

Android Voice Commands Android

Uses the same VOSK-based approach. The German commands use the English VOSK model — "diktat" is phonetically near-identical to "dictation" and is reliably recognized.

LanguageSay ThisAction
🇬🇧 English"Dictation start"Start recording
🇬🇧 English"Dictation stop"Stop recording
🇩🇪 German"Diktat Start"Start recording
🇩🇪 German"Diktat Stop"Stop recording
💡
Voice commands are language-gated — they only activate when the app language matches the command language. If your app is set to German, only "Diktat Start/Stop" will work.
Feature

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts Windows

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│          VOICEPAD SHORTCUTS                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ GLOBAL (works in any app)                   │
│   Ctrl+Space      Start / Stop recording    │
│   Escape          Cancel recording (no save)│
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ AI TOOLS (when transcript has text)         │
│   Ctrl+Shift+L    Clean (remove fillers)    │
│   Ctrl+Shift+I    Improve (AI rewrite)      │
│   Ctrl+Shift+U    Summarize                 │
│   Ctrl+Shift+F    Convert to AI Prompt      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ SUBPAD (meeting transcription)              │
│   Ctrl+Shift+S    Toggle SubPad mode        │
│   Ctrl+Shift+R    SubPad start / stop       │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ WINDOW                                      │
│   F11             Toggle fullscreen         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
💡
Remember just one: Ctrl+Space works globally from any Windows app. Everything else is optional.

Custom Hotkey

Don't like Ctrl+Space? Change it in Settings → Hotkeys → Record. Capture any key combination. Good alternatives: Alt+R, F9, Ctrl+Shift+D. Avoid Windows reserved shortcuts like Ctrl+C/V/Z, Win+D.

Feature

🎨 Themes All Platforms

Three visual themes available on all platforms. Change instantly in Settings → Appearance — no restart needed.

ThemeLookBest For
🌙 Midnight (Dark)Deep navy, violet sidebar, amber micNight use, low-light, OLED screens
☀️ LightClean white with indigo accentsDaytime, bright environments
❄️ Arctic FrostIcy blue with violet accents, glass effectStylish, minimal — the premium look

Change via Voice Command Windows

Say "Dictation dark" or "Dictation light" hands-free — no need to touch the app.

New Feature

🏠 Environment Mode New in v2.1.0

New in v2.1.0. Optimize Whisper for your recording environment. Switch between Indoor and Outdoor mode to get better accuracy in different noise conditions.

Find it in Settings → Recording → Environment. Default is Indoor — existing users see no change.

Setting🏠 Indoor (Default)🌳 Outdoor
Best forOffice, home, quiet roomStreet, traffic, wind, crowd
VAD filterStandardAggressive noise gate
Beam size1 (fastest)3 (more accurate in noise)
No-speech thresholdNormalHigher (ignores background noise)
Mobile & iOS

Android Android App Guide

VoicePad on Android — same Whisper AI, 100% offline, syncs to your Windows PC.

Getting Started

Download from Google Play — search "VoicePad AI HörMal"
Grant microphone permission when prompted — required for recording
Complete onboarding — choose language, theme, and model
Tap the orange orb and start speaking

Key Features

  • 100% offline — Whisper AI runs entirely on your phone
  • Real-time streaming transcription (text appears as you speak)
  • VoicePad Orb — dictate into any app without switching to VoicePad
  • Voice commands: "Dictation start" / "Dictation stop" (EN), "Diktat Start" / "Diktat Stop" (DE)
  • Clean Tool — removes filler words from your transcription
  • Full history with real-time search
  • Search highlights matched words in history — results light up in theme-aware colors as you type
  • Swipe left to delete history items
  • Pull down to refresh history list
  • Long press history item → Copy or Resume
  • WiFi sync + USB sync to VoicePad Windows
  • Export all history — no item limit
  • Clear all history with confirmation
  • Haptic feedback on record start/stop, copy, and theme switch
  • Sound effects toggle (Settings → between Storage and Sync)
  • 3 themes: Midnight Dark, Light, Arctic Frost
  • App language: English and German
  • Storage dashboard showing disk usage by category

Available Models

ModelSizeBest ForBundled
Base~142 MBDaily use — recommendedYes — pre-installed
Tiny~75 MBOlder phones, fast notesDownload in Settings
Small~466 MBBest accuracyDownload in Settings

Hallucination Filter

VoicePad Android includes a multi-layer AI hallucination filter — when you record silence or ambient room noise, Whisper would normally output garbage phrases. VoicePad blocks these before they ever reach your screen.

💡
The filter is data-driven from real-device silence tests. It covers 55+ exact English phrases, 36+ prefix patterns, and a parallel German blacklist — all updating automatically with app updates.

Free vs Pro on Android

The free tier gives you full dictation with Tiny and Base Whisper models, Dark theme, and up to 20 history entries with 100 WiFi sync sessions per month. Pro unlocks everything — upgrade once in Settings → Upgrade to Pro (€9.99, one-time via Google Play). See the Free vs Pro section for the full comparison.

Pull-to-Refresh History

After a WiFi sync completes, pull down on the history sidebar to refresh and see newly imported entries from Windows immediately.

New Platform

iOS iOS App Guide New

🍎
Now available on TestFlight. The iOS app is built with Kotlin Multiplatform — same shared codebase as Android, same UI, same Whisper AI engine. WiFi sync works with Windows and macOS. Join the beta to get early access.

Getting Access

Install TestFlight from the App Store
Open the VoicePad TestFlight invite link (contact alex@voicepad.tech to join)
Install VoicePad from TestFlight
Grant microphone permission when prompted

Key Features (iOS)

  • 100% offline — Whisper AI via whisper.cpp runs entirely on your iPhone
  • Same shared UI as Android — identical layout, themes, and settings
  • Real-time streaming transcription
  • Full history with search
  • 3 themes: Dark, Light, Arctic Frost
  • Language: English and German
  • Onboarding wizard (same as Android)

iOS vs Android

FeatureAndroidiOS
Whisper AI offline
Real-time streaming
History + search
3 themes
VoicePad Orb❌ Not available v2.1.0
WiFi sync to Windows
USB sync to WindowsComing soon
Voice commandsComing soon
💡
iOS sync and advanced features are in active development. Because 80% of the code is shared with Android, parity will arrive quickly. Founding members get all updates automatically.
New Platform

macOS macOS App — Beta

🆕
The macOS app is a direct port of VoicePad Windows — same PyQt6 codebase, same Whisper AI, same offline-first approach. Currently in active development and available as a direct download (not via the Mac App Store due to sandbox restrictions).
FeatureWindowsmacOS
Whisper AI offline
AI Tools (Ollama)
VoicePad Orb
WiFi Sync
USB SyncIn development
SubPadComing soonComing soon
💡
macOS distribution is via direct .dmg download with Apple notarization. Contact alex@voicepad.tech to join the macOS beta.
Cross-Platform Sync

🔄 Cross-Platform Sync — Overview

VoicePad is the only offline dictation app that syncs across Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS. Dictate on your phone, find it on your PC. All sync happens on your local network — zero cloud, zero servers.

🤖
Android
Google Play
WiFi • USB
🖥️
Windows
The Hub
WiFi
🍎
iOS
TestFlight
WiFi
💻
macOS
Direct Download
DataSyncs?
Transcription text✅ Yes
Timestamps✅ Yes
Word counts✅ Yes
Device ID✅ Yes
Personal dictionary🔜 Coming soon
Settings🔜 Coming soon
Voice data / audio❌ Never (stays on device)

Sync Direction Matrix

From → To Windows Android iOS macOS
Windows ✅ WiFi Sync ✅ WiFi Sync
Android ✅ WiFi Sync ✅ WiFi Sync
iOS ✅ WiFi Sync ✅ WiFi Sync
macOS ✅ WiFi Sync ✅ WiFi Sync
Import From → To Android iOS
Mac ✅ Import ✅ Import
Windows ✅ Import ✅ Import

Desktop apps (Windows/macOS) sync with mobile apps (Android/iOS). Direct desktop-to-desktop or mobile-to-mobile sync is not supported.

🔒
All sync happens only on your local WiFi network — no data ever goes through external servers. Your transcriptions stay private by design.
Cross-Platform Sync

📡 WiFi Sync — Mobile ↔ Desktop

Automatic wireless sync over your local network. Dictate on any device, see it on any other within 30 seconds.

Supported Combinations

  • ✅ Android ↔ Windows
  • ✅ iPhone ↔ Windows
  • ✅ iPhone ↔ macOS
  • ✅ Android ↔ macOS
  • ❌ Android ↔ iOS — not supported
  • ❌ macOS ↔ Windows — not supported
📡
Uses mDNS (Bonjour-style) auto-discovery — no IP addresses to type, no pairing codes. If both devices are on the same WiFi, they find each other automatically.

Setup — Windows

Open VoicePad Windows → Settings → Mobile Sync
Toggle WiFi Sync ON
Allow VoicePad through Windows Firewall if prompted (port 7777)

Setup — Android

Open VoicePad Android → Settings → Sync
Toggle WiFi Sync ON
Wait 10–30 seconds — devices discover each other automatically
⚠️
Both devices must be on the same WiFi network. Mobile data, guest networks, or different SSIDs will not work. If sync fails, check that Windows Firewall allows VoicePad on port 7777.

How It Works

WiFi Sync is bidirectional. Android and iOS automatically push new dictations to Windows and macOS. Windows and macOS can push dictations back to mobile via the "Import from Windows App" button in Settings → Sync on Android or iOS. New recordings appear in history within 10–30 seconds. A live sync status shows in the sidebar: "Syncing... → Synced ✓"

Windows → Android: Import from Windows App Android

WiFi Sync is bidirectional. Android pushes new dictations to Windows automatically. To pull dictations from Windows back to Android:

Make sure WiFi Sync is ON and Windows VoicePad is running
Open VoicePad Android → Settings → Sync
Tap "Import from Windows App"
VoicePad fetches all Windows dictations not yet on your phone
New entries appear in your history automatically
💡
Useful after reinstalling the Android app or switching phones. All your Windows dictations come back in one tap.

How to sync — Android ↔ macOS Android

Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
On macOS — open VoicePad → click Mobile Sync → click Start Server.
On Android — open VoicePad → tap Settings → tap WiFi Sync → tap Sync Now.
History merges automatically on both devices.

How to import from Desktop All Platforms

Export your history from Windows or macOS and import it on mobile:

On Windows/macOS — open VoicePad → click History → click Export All. Save the .json file.
Transfer the file to your Android or iOS device via USB, email, or shared folder.
On Android — open VoicePad → tap History → tap Import → select the file.
On iOS — open VoicePad → tap History → tap Import → select the file from Files app.

Import Supported Combinations

  • ✅ Mac → Android
  • ✅ Mac → iOS
  • ✅ Windows → Android
  • ✅ Windows → iOS
Cross-Platform Sync

🔌 USB Sync — Android → Windows

One-way sync from Android to Windows via USB cable. Works without WiFi — useful when you're on mobile data or in a location without shared WiFi.

🔌
USB Sync is one-way only — Android to Windows. It does not sync back to Android. iOS USB sync is not available in v2.1.0. Use WiFi Sync for bidirectional sync across all platforms.

How to Use

Connect your Android phone to your Windows PC with a USB cable
On your phone: select File Transfer (MTP) mode when prompted
In VoicePad Android → Settings → Sync → USB Export
VoicePad copies your unsynced recordings to Downloads/VoicePad/mobile_export.json
In VoicePad Windows → Settings → Mobile Sync → Import USB
Windows reads the file and adds recordings to your history
💡
USB Sync only exports recordings that haven't been synced via WiFi yet — no duplicates.
Coming Soon

🧠 Learning System — Thumbs Up / Down Coming Soon

The Learning System will allow VoicePad to learn from your corrections and improve accuracy over time — all locally on your device.

🔜
The feedback system is in development and not yet active in v2.1.0. It will ship as an automatic update — no reinstall needed. Founding members get it first.

How It Will Work

After each transcription completes, a 👍 👎 feedback bar will appear below the transcript:

ButtonMeaningWhat Happens
👍 Good"This is correct"Confirms the transcription is right — VoicePad reinforces the pattern. Every 10th thumbs-up shows a special 🐘 elephant message.
👎 Fix"There's a mistake"Opens editing mode — correct the text, and VoicePad learns the correction for next time

What VoicePad Learns

  • Brand names (iPhone, WhatsApp, Spotify, PostgreSQL)
  • Technical terms (Kubernetes, GraphQL, PyInstaller)
  • Your name and contacts' names
  • Industry-specific jargon
  • Foreign words you use often in your language
🔒
All learning happens locally on your device. Your corrections are stored in the custom dictionary at AppData\Roaming\VoicePad\custom_dictionary.json. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.
Pricing

💎 Free vs Pro

ℹ️
VoicePad is free to download and use. The Pro upgrade is a one-time purchase — no subscription, no monthly fees, ever.
FeatureFreePro (up to 4 devices)
Dictation (unlimited)
Whisper models (Tiny, Base)
History (last 20 entries)Unlimited ✅
Dark theme
Light + Arctic Frost themes
Small + Medium Whisper models
VoicePad Orb (Windows+Android)
WiFi Sync (100 sessions/month)Unlimited ✅
AI Tools (Ollama)
Transcript area editing (type/paste)
Save typed notes to history
All future updates
Active devices per license14 devices ✅

14-day free trial on Android — all Pro features unlocked during trial. After the trial ends, the free tier activates automatically. No credit card needed to start. Upgrade via Google Play → Settings → Upgrade to Pro. One-time purchase: €9.99. Unlocks everything permanently across all platforms — one license covers Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS. Up to 4 devices active simultaneously.

💡
🏆 Founding Member? You have lifetime Pro access — free, forever, on all your devices. One founding member license covers up to 4 active devices across Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS. No purchase needed.
Help

🔑 License & Device Management

What is a Pro Token?

  • A secure key proving your Pro license on any device
  • Generated when you activate your license
  • Expires every 7 days — auto-renews silently in background
  • Never share your Pro Token with anyone
  • Lost it? Open VoicePad → Settings → License → Copy Token again

How to Copy Your Pro Token All Platforms

PlatformStepsConfirmation
WindowsSettings → License section → Copy Pro Token"Copied ✓"
AndroidSettings → License section → Copy Pro TokenSnackbar confirms
iOSSettings → License section → Copy Pro TokenCopied to clipboard
macOSSettings → License section → Copy Pro Token"Copied ✓"

How Many Devices?

  • License covers up to 4 devices simultaneously
  • Works across Windows, Android, iOS, macOS
  • Example: 1 Windows + 1 Android + 1 iPhone + 1 Mac = 4 devices ✅
  • Founding members: same 4-device limit, lifetime access
  • 5th device attempt → "Device limit reached" error
  • Solution: deactivate one at voicepad.tech/account

Managing Devices at voicepad.tech/account

  1. Open VoicePad on any active device
  2. Go to Settings → License → Copy Pro Token
  3. Open voicepad.tech/account in browser
  4. Paste Pro Token → click "Load My Devices"
  5. See all active devices: platform, country, activated date, last seen
  6. Click "Deactivate" on device you want to remove
  7. Confirm → slot is now free
  8. Activate new device with your email
⚠️
Deactivation is immediate. Device loses Pro access instantly. To restore: open VoicePad → Settings → License → enter email → Activate.

What Happens After Deactivation?

  • Device reverts to Free tier immediately
  • Dictation history is NOT deleted
  • Restore Pro anytime: Settings → License → Activate with your email

Offline Grace Period

  • Pro cached locally — works fully offline
  • If no internet: Pro stays active for 3 extra days after token expires
  • After 3 days offline: reverts to Free until it can revalidate
  • Brief internet connection refreshes Pro status automatically

Lost Your License Key?

Purchase SourceSolution
🏆 Founding memberNo key needed — activate with email only
voicepad.tech (direct)Check purchase email — subject: "Your VoicePad Pro License Key 🏆"
Google PlayNo key needed — linked to Google account
App StoreNo key needed — use Restore Purchases
Still stuck?Email support@voicepad.tech

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use same license on my partner's phone?

Yes, within your 4-device limit.

New phone?

Deactivate old at voicepad.tech/account → activate new with your email.

Token stopped working?

Tokens expire every 7 days. Open VoicePad with internet to auto-renew. Or Settings → License → Activate to get a fresh token.

I see a device I don't recognize?

Deactivate it immediately at voicepad.tech/account and email support@voicepad.tech.

📧
Questions about your license? Email support@voicepad.tech — every message is personally read.
Help

🔧 Troubleshooting

VoicePad doesn't hear me All Platforms

  • Windows: Settings → Privacy → Microphone → ensure VoicePad is allowed
  • Android: Phone Settings → Apps → VoicePad → Permissions → Microphone → Allow
  • iOS: iPhone Settings → VoicePad → Microphone → ON
  • Test that your microphone works in another app first

Hotkey does nothing Windows

  • Check VoicePad is running — look for the icon in the system tray (bottom-right)
  • Another app may have claimed the same hotkey — change it in Settings → Hotkeys
  • Try clicking the orange orb directly to confirm recording works
  • Try running VoicePad as administrator (right-click → Run as administrator)

Wrong language / garbage output All Platforms

⚠️
This is the #1 most common issue. The Language setting in VoicePad must match the language you're speaking. VoicePad does not auto-detect — it forces the language you selected. Go to Settings → Language and verify.

Transcription quality is poor All Platforms

  • Check Language setting matches what you're speaking
  • Use a better microphone — a USB headset dramatically outperforms a built-in laptop mic
  • Reduce background noise
  • Switch to a larger model (Small is noticeably better than Base)
  • Try Indoor/Outdoor mode to match your environment

AI tools don't respond Windows

  • Ollama must be installed and running — install from ollama.com
  • Download the model: run ollama pull qwen2.5:0.5b in a terminal
  • Check Ollama is running: open browser and go to http://localhost:11434 — should show "Ollama is running"
  • If stuck: Settings → AI Model → check the Ollama URL shows http://localhost:11434

WiFi Sync not connecting

  • Both devices must be on the exact same WiFi network — not guest vs. main, not 2.4GHz vs. 5GHz
  • Open VoicePad Android first, wait 10 seconds, then check Windows
  • Create a Windows Firewall inbound rule allowing VoicePad on port 7777
  • Restart both apps

VoicePad Orb not appearing Windows

  • Enable in Settings → Dictation → VoicePad Orb (toggle must be ON)
  • The orb may be off-screen — restart VoicePad to reset its position

VoicePad Orb not working Android

  • Check the "Display over other apps" permission is granted: Phone Settings → Apps → VoicePad → Special permissions → Display over other apps → ON
  • Some phone manufacturers (Xiaomi, Huawei) have additional restrictions — check battery optimization settings

iOS-specific issues iOS

Recording stops when screen locks

On iOS, background audio requires the app to use AVAudioSession with the correct category. In the current TestFlight version, recording stops if the screen locks. Workaround: keep screen on while recording (Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never while in VoicePad).

History not saving after recording

If dictations disappear after closing the app: this is a known bug in early TestFlight builds. Fix is in progress. Workaround: copy text immediately after dictation before leaving the app.

Microphone permission denied

  • Go to iPhone Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone → VoicePad → toggle ON
  • If VoicePad does not appear in the list: delete and reinstall from TestFlight

App crashes on launch

If VoicePad crashes on the first launch after install: force-close the app and reopen it. The Whisper model loads on first launch which can take 5–10 seconds.

App closes to tray instead of quitting Windows

This is intentional — keeps the global hotkey (Ctrl+Space) active while VoicePad is minimized. To fully exit: right-click the VoicePad icon in the system tray → Exit.

WiFi Import shows 0 entries All Platforms

  • Check that the source device actually has history entries to send
  • On Android: pull-to-refresh the history sidebar after sync completes
  • Verify both devices completed the sync — the progress indicator should reach 100%
  • If entries exist but don't appear: restart the receiving app and check again

Font not applying Windows

  • Go to Settings → Font → select a different font, then re-select your desired font
  • The font change takes effect immediately in the transcript area
  • If the font still doesn't apply: restart VoicePad
  • Some fonts may not render correctly if not installed on your system — stick to the 8 built-in options

iOS app stops recording when screen locks iOS

  • This is a current limitation in the TestFlight version
  • Workaround: go to iPhone Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → set to "Never" while using VoicePad
  • Keep the screen on during dictation sessions
  • A fix for background audio is planned for a future update
📧
Still stuck? Email alex@voicepad.tech with your platform, VoicePad version (Settings → About), and what you tried. Every message is personally read by Alex.
Help

🔒 Privacy & Security

🔒
The short version: VoicePad is 100% offline. Your voice never leaves your device. No cloud, no analytics, no accounts, no tracking. That's the whole privacy policy.

How VoicePad Processes Your Voice

🎤 Your voice
    ↓
💻 Your Device (Whisper AI — runs locally)
    ↓
📝 Text
    ↓
☁️ Cloud: NOTHING — zero bytes transmitted

What VoicePad Stores Locally

DataWherePurpose
Transcriptions%APPDATA%\HorMal\VoicePad\ (Win) / App storage (Mobile)Your history
SettingsSame folderYour preferences
Whisper modelApp folder / assetsSpeech recognition

What VoicePad Never Stores

DataWhy Not
Voice recordingsDeleted after transcription — only text is saved
Usage analyticsWe don't collect any
Personal informationNo accounts required — we don't know who you are
Location dataNever requested

Your Rights

  • Access your data: Settings → Sessions → Open Data Folder
  • Export your data: Settings → Export History
  • Delete your data: Delete files in the data folder, or use Settings → Clear History
  • No account needed: Use VoicePad completely anonymously

License & Activation

TypePriceDetails
🎖️ Founding MemberFreeFirst 1,000 users — lifetime access, all features
💎 Lifetime€50 one-timePermanent, all future updates

Trial: 14 days free on first install. No credit card required. Purchase at voicepad.tech.