MacWhisper license key: find a lost one, fix a disabled one, and move it to a new Mac
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
A MacWhisper license key comes by email from Gumroad when you buy Pro on macwhisper.com. If you lost it, search your mail for a message with a subject like You've bought MacWhisper, or sign in at gumroad.com/library. A key works only in the direct download. Whisper Transcription, the App Store edition, has no field for one.
I built YapToText, a dictation app for the Mac, 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 11, 2026.
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.
Find a lost key
- Search your inbox for an email from Gumroad. The key is in it.
- If you cannot find the email, sign in at gumroad.com/library and look at your purchases.
- If that fails, write to [email protected] with the email address you bought with and roughly when.
That is the order MacWhisper's help center gives.
Your license is disabled
The usual cause is too many activations. A personal license is meant for your own devices, with a soft limit of 3. If you see the error when activating and you are within that, write to [email protected].
MacWhisper's licensing article says it began enforcing the terms more strictly in December 2025, after licenses were being resold on marketplaces, and that a license showing abuse can be disabled automatically. A key bought from a reseller is the one most likely to stop working.
Move the license to a new Mac
- On the old Mac, open Settings, Pro.
- Choose Remove license.
- Install MacWhisper from macwhisper.com on the new Mac and enter the key.
Removing it first keeps you inside the device limit. Where MacWhisper keeps its files covers moving transcripts and models.
Which edition takes a key
From MacWhisper's help article on the two editions, read October 9 to 11, 2026.
| MacWhisper, direct download | Whisper Transcription, App Store | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | macwhisper.com, through Gumroad | Mac App Store and iOS App Store |
| How you pay | Once, for a lifetime license | A weekly, monthly or yearly subscription |
| License key | Yes | No field for one |
| Dictation into any app | Yes | No |
If you bought a key and installed the App Store edition, that is why you cannot find where to enter it. Download the app from macwhisper.com. The two editions compared has the rest.
What a license costs
Pro is a one-time €64 on macwhisper.com, with lifetime updates, as of October 5, 2026. Students, journalists and nonprofits can ask for 25 percent off before buying, and volume packs come in 5, 10, 20 or 50 licenses. The pricing page and the discounts page have the details. On an iPhone or iPad the app has no Pro unlock: its help center says all features there, local models included, are free.
An app with no key at all
YapToText, the free dictation app I built, has no license key, no account and no paid tier, so there is nothing to lose or move. Install it from the Mac App Store on any Apple silicon Mac you own. It does much less with files than MacWhisper Pro: one file to plain text, with no subtitles, speakers or batches. The MacWhisper alternative page sets the two side by side.
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
- Lost key. Gumroad's email, then gumroad.com/library, then support.
- License disabled. Too many devices. The soft limit is 3.
- New Mac. Settings, Pro, Remove license on the old one first.
- No place to enter it. You have the App Store edition. Use the direct download.
- Resold keys. The ones most likely to be blocked.
If MacWhisper changes its licensing, 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/50-ive-lost-my-license-key-now-what (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/39-licensing (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/40-macwhisper-whisper-transcription-difference (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://docs.macwhisper.com/article/22-assistant (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://www.macwhisper.com (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-11)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-11)
Questions
Where do I find my MacWhisper license key?
In the email Gumroad sent when you bought it, or in your purchases at gumroad.com/library. If neither works, email [email protected].
How many Macs can I use a MacWhisper license on?
A personal license is for your own devices, with a soft limit of 3, by MacWhisper's help center.
Why does MacWhisper say my license is disabled?
Usually it was activated on too many devices. Remove it from Macs you no longer use, or contact support if it happened unexpectedly.
How do I transfer MacWhisper to a new Mac?
On the old Mac open Settings, Pro and choose Remove license. Then install the direct download on the new Mac and enter the key.
Can I use a MacWhisper license key in the App Store version?
No. Whisper Transcription, the App Store edition, has no field for a license key and is sold by subscription.