VoiceInk Refine and AI Enhancement: clean up dictation locally, and when you need a provider
By Ryleigh Newman · Published
VoiceInk Refine is a text cleanup model that runs on your Mac. It is not a speech model: it tidies the transcript after your transcription model has finished. It needs an Apple silicon Mac with at least 16 GB of memory and no API key. It has one fixed job, so for custom prompts, context or answers you connect a different enhancement provider.
I built YapToText, a different dictation app for the Mac, so read what I say about VoiceInk with that in mind. Every fact about VoiceInk here is from its documentation, read on October 9, 2026. The pages are VoiceInk Refine, Mode Settings and Choosing Models.
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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Set up Refine
- Open AI Models, then Local, and download VoiceInk Refine.
- Edit a Mode and turn on AI Enhancement.
- Select VoiceInk Refine as the provider.
- Choose Paste or Custom Command as the output, and save.
You also need a working transcription model, configured separately. Once the Refine model is downloaded, the cleanup runs locally.
What Refine changes
- Punctuation and capitalization. Improved.
- Spoken formatting. Handled.
- Filler and repetition. Removed.
- Self-corrections. When you correct yourself out loud, it keeps the correction.
- Meaning and tone. Preserved. It is a cleanup, not a rewrite.
What Refine cannot do
Refine does not take custom prompts, and it does not use selected text, the clipboard or the screen as context. Those controls are unavailable when it is the provider. It also cannot give Respond output, where the answer shows in the recorder, and it cannot review Dictionary Auto Learn corrections. On short dictations, the Skip short transcriptions setting can skip it.
The other enhancement options
From VoiceInk's docs page Choosing Models, read October 9, 2026.
| You need | Option in the docs |
|---|---|
| Local dictation cleanup | VoiceInk Refine, on Apple silicon with at least 16 GB |
| Local custom prompts and context | A locally hosted model, through a local model server |
| Hosted cleanup, rewriting or Assistant answers | A cloud provider you connect with your own key |
| An existing command line workflow | Local CLI. Where the processing happens depends on the command |
| A compatible service of your own | Custom Models |
The VoiceInk privacy page covers what each option sends out, and the Modes page covers prompts and context.
The settings in a Mode
From VoiceInk's docs page Mode Settings.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| AI Provider | Chooses a connected enhancement provider |
| AI Model | Chooses the provider's model. Refine uses its fixed model |
| Prompt | Chooses a prompt, which you can edit or add from the Mode editor |
| Context Awareness | Lets the prompt use selected text, clipboard text and visible screen text |
The same step in YapToText
VoiceInk from its docs, read October 9, 2026. YapToText from its own settings.
| VoiceInk Refine | YapToText cleanup | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | Locally | Locally |
| Requirement | Apple silicon and at least 16 GB of memory | An Apple silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later |
| Download | Separate, from AI Models | Ships inside the App Store download |
| Your own instructions | No. A fixed task | Yes, in custom modes |
| Price | Part of the paid app, or a source build | Free |
YapToText's cleanup model is Phi-3.5 Mini, and it follows the mode you are in: Clean Up, Note, Email, Message or one you wrote. The modes help page covers it, and the page on dictation without AI covers turning the step off.
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
- What. A local text cleanup model, not a speech model.
- Needs. Apple silicon and at least 16 GB.
- Does. Punctuation, filler, repetition, self-corrections.
- Does not. Custom prompts, context, or answers.
- Otherwise. Connect a provider, or run a local model server.
If VoiceInk changes Refine, 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://tryvoiceink.com/docs/voiceink-refine (checked 2026-10-09)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/mode-settings (checked 2026-10-09)
- https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/recommended-models (checked 2026-10-09)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-10)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-10)
Questions
What is VoiceInk Refine?
A local text enhancement model that cleans up a transcript after transcription. It is not a speech model, and it needs no API key.
What does VoiceInk Refine need?
An Apple silicon Mac with at least 16 GB of memory, the downloaded Refine model, and a transcription model set up separately.
Can I use a custom prompt with VoiceInk Refine?
No. Its docs say Refine has a fixed cleanup task and does not use custom prompts or context.
Does VoiceInk AI enhancement work offline?
With Refine or a locally hosted model, yes. Hosted providers need a connection.
How do I turn on AI enhancement in VoiceInk?
Edit a Mode, turn on AI Enhancement, and choose a provider, model and prompt.