Guides

Welcome to Dial8. This guide will help you get up and running with voice-powered productivity on your Mac.

Installation

Download Dial8 from our website and open the DMG file. Drag the Dial8 app to your Applications folder. When you first launch the app, macOS will ask for permission to access your microphone - this is required for speech-to-text functionality.

System Requirements

• -Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, or newer)
• -macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
• -Microphone access for speech-to-text
• -Accessibility permissions for text insertion

First Launch

After installation, Dial8 will appear in your menu bar. Click the icon to access settings and controls. The app runs entirely on your device - no internet connection is required after the initial download.

Convert your voice to text in real-time using on-device AI. No internet required, no data sent anywhere.

How It Works

Dial8 uses Whisper, an open-source speech recognition model, running entirely on your Mac's Apple Silicon. When you speak, your voice is processed locally and converted to text that's inserted wherever your cursor is.

Recognition Models

Choose from multiple Whisper models based on your needs:

• -Tiny: Fastest, lower accuracy. Best for quick notes.
• -Base: Good balance of speed and accuracy.
• -Small: Higher accuracy, slightly slower.
• -Medium: Best accuracy, requires more processing time.

Input Modes

Dial8 supports two input modes:

• -Push-to-Talk: Hold a key while speaking. Text is inserted when you release.
• -Auto Mode: Automatically detects when you start and stop speaking.

Have any text on your screen read aloud at up to 4x speed using natural-sounding voices.

How to Use

Select any text in any application, then press your configured hotkey. Dial8 will read the selected text aloud using macOS's native speech synthesis. Press the hotkey again to stop playback.

Speed Control

Adjust playback speed from 0.5x to 4x in the settings. Higher speeds are great for quickly reviewing documentation, emails, or code comments.

Voice Selection

Dial8 uses the voices installed on your Mac. You can download additional voices in System Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content > System Voice.

Dial8 is designed to be used without touching your mouse. Here are the default keyboard shortcuts.

Default Shortcuts

Customization

All shortcuts can be customized in Settings. Choose key combinations that don't conflict with your other applications.

Customize Dial8 to match your workflow and preferences.

Speech Recognition

• -Model: Choose the Whisper model for speech recognition.
• -Language: Select your primary language or use auto-detect.
• -Input Mode: Toggle between push-to-talk and auto mode.

Text to Speech

• -Voice: Select from installed system voices.
• -Speed: Set default playback speed (0.5x - 4x).
• -Volume: Adjust speech volume independently of system volume.

General

• -Launch at Login: Start Dial8 automatically when you log in.
• -Menu Bar Icon: Show or hide the menu bar icon.
• -Notifications: Configure notification preferences.

Common issues and how to resolve them.

Microphone Not Working

If Dial8 can't access your microphone:

• -Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone
• -Ensure Dial8 is listed and enabled
• -If not listed, restart the app and grant permission when prompted

Text Not Inserting

If transcribed text isn't appearing in your applications:

• -Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
• -Ensure Dial8 is listed and enabled
• -Some applications may require additional permissions

Slow Recognition

If speech recognition is slow:

• -Try using a smaller Whisper model (Tiny or Base)
• -Close other resource-intensive applications
• -Ensure your Mac isn't in Low Power Mode

Need More Help?

If you're still experiencing issues, reach out to us on Discord or open an issue on GitHub.