MacWhisper on iPhone, iPad, Windows and Android: what exists and what to use instead
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
MacWhisper has an iOS app. It transcribes audio files, voice memos and recordings you make in the app, either in the cloud or on the phone with a downloaded model, which needs an iPhone 15 or newer. Its help center describes a Mac app and an iOS app, and no Windows, Android or Linux version. The App Store edition also runs on iPad.
I built YapToText, a different Mac app for dictation and file transcription, so read what I say about MacWhisper with that in mind. Every fact about MacWhisper here comes from its own help center, read on October 10, 2026. The article is MacWhisper for iOS.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
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Where it runs
From MacWhisper's help center, read October 10, 2026.
| Platform | Available | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mac | Yes | The full app, from macwhisper.com or as Whisper Transcription on the App Store |
| iPhone | Yes | File and recording transcription. Local models need an iPhone 15 or newer |
| iPad | Yes | The App Store listing for Whisper Transcription includes iPad, and asks for iOS 18 or later |
| Windows | Not in its help center | See the alternatives below |
| Android | Not in its help center | |
| Linux | Not in its help center |
What the iPhone app does
- Share to transcribe. Send audio files and voice memos from apps such as WhatsApp and Voice Memos through the share extension.
- Record. Record in the app and transcribe afterward.
- Cloud transcription. Through the Assistant service. The article says it runs on Groq with a 25 MB file size limit, and that a move to another provider for larger files is planned.
- Local transcription. A model you download to the phone, for offline use and private audio. iPhone 15 or newer.
- AI extras. Summaries, and a chat about a transcript.
- Formats. mp3, wav, m4a, mp4 and mov.
- Languages. The article lists 100, with auto detect.
It is a transcription app on the phone, not a dictation keyboard. The article describes no way to dictate into other iPhone apps.
Older iPhones
Local models currently need an iPhone 15 or newer. The article says the requirement will drop to iPhone 13 in a later update, once the developers are sure older phones have the memory and speed for it. Until then, an older iPhone uses cloud transcription.
On Windows or Linux
MacWhisper is built for Apple devices. Two open source options run Whisper on a PC:
- Buzz. A free, MIT licensed app for Windows, Linux and Mac that transcribes files to text or subtitles. The Buzz page has the details.
- whisper.cpp. The command line engine, also MIT licensed. The local Whisper guide shows the Mac commands, and the same project builds on Windows and Linux.
The open source transcription page compares them.
On a Mac, for free
YapToText is Mac only too: Apple silicon, macOS 14 or later, with no iPhone, Windows or Android app. It transcribes a file you drop on it and dictates into any app with one key, free, with the models running on the Mac. The MacWhisper alternative page compares the two, and the voice memos guide covers getting iPhone recordings onto the Mac to transcribe.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
The short version
- iPhone and iPad. Yes, for files and recordings.
- On-device models. iPhone 15 or newer.
- Cloud. A 25 MB file limit for now.
- Windows, Android, Linux. Not in its help center.
- On a PC. Buzz or whisper.cpp.
If MacWhisper ships on another platform, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. Every one gets read.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
Related
Sources
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/33-macwhisper-for-ios (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/40-macwhisper-whisper-transcription-difference (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/whisper-transcription/id1668083311 (checked 2026-10-10)
Questions
Is there a MacWhisper app for iPhone?
Yes. It transcribes shared audio files, voice memos and in-app recordings, in the cloud or on the phone.
Does MacWhisper work offline on iPhone?
Yes, with a downloaded on-device model, which its help article says needs an iPhone 15 or newer.
Is there a MacWhisper for Windows?
Its help center describes Mac and iOS apps only. Buzz and whisper.cpp are open source ways to run Whisper on Windows.
Does MacWhisper work on iPad?
The App Store edition, Whisper Transcription, lists iPad among its devices. It transcribes files and recordings there.
Can I dictate into other apps with MacWhisper on iPhone?
The help article describes file and recording transcription on iOS, not a dictation keyboard.