Offline dictation software for Windows: 5 apps that work without internet
Short answer: Of the apps compared here, five keep working on Windows with the internet switched off. Three are paid: atomAI Scribe (€19 once), Weesper Neon Flow (from €5 a month or €99 once) and Dragon Professional 16 (about $700). Two are free: Windows Voice Access (Windows 11) and Handy (open source). Windows voice typing (Win + H), Wispr Flow and Aqua Voice send your audio to servers and need a connection.
Disclosure: We make atomAI Scribe and rank it first. Facts about the other apps come from their makers' own websites (links at the end), checked on 12 October 2026; Dragon's price is the retail price, because its maker no longer lists one. Prices change, so check before you buy.
What “offline” means here
Almost every offline dictation app needs internet once: to download the speech model, and usually to activate the app. After that, your voice is turned into text on your own PC, and nothing you say is sent anywhere. That is what “works offline” means on this page.
The ranking at a glance
| # | App | Price | Still needs internet for | Languages | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | atomAI Scribe | €19 once | Setup (one model download, about 640 MB), sign-in, a brief online check about once a month | 23 | Windows 10, 11 |
| 2 | Weesper Neon Flow | €99 once, or €5/month · €45/year | Downloading the app and its models, activation, occasional activation checks, billing | 50+ | Windows, Mac |
| 3 | Dragon Professional 16 | About $700 once | Activation | Not stated on its product page | Windows |
Ranked by price, lowest first.
Free offline tools, and the catch
| Tool | What you get | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Voice Access | Free, built into Windows 11 (22H2 or later). Needs internet only for the first setup, to download the language files. | Windows 11 only, 7 languages, built to control the PC as well as to dictate. |
| Handy | Free and open source, on Windows, Mac and Linux. Needs internet only to download the app and a speech model. | You choose and set up the speech models yourself; help comes from the project's community, not from a support team. |
These popular apps need internet
| App | Why |
|---|---|
| Windows voice typing (Win + H) | Microsoft: “Voice typing uses online speech recognition, which is powered by Azure Speech services.” |
| Wispr Flow | Wispr: “Transcription always happens in the cloud to provide the best speed and accuracy.” |
| Aqua Voice | Aqua: “Aqua needs an internet connection to work.” |
| Dictate in Microsoft Word | Microsoft: it needs a Microsoft 365 subscription and a “reliable internet connection” |
On Copilot+ PCs, the newer “fluid dictation” tidies up grammar, punctuation and filler words with language models that run on the device, in English. Microsoft's page still lists an internet connection among the requirements for voice typing.
The 5 apps in short
atomAI Scribe. Types into the Windows programs you write in. Audio is never uploaded and never stored. Punctuation and spoken commands included, filler-word removal can be switched on; 23 languages; no word limits; no graphics card needed. €19 once, 14-day money-back guarantee. Windows only. See Scribe →
Weesper Neon Flow. Local dictation on Mac and Windows with 50+ languages. €99 once, or a subscription from €5 a month. 15-day trial.
Dragon Professional 16. Desktop software with custom voice commands and macros. About $700 at retailers.
Windows Voice Access. Free on Windows 11 (22H2 or later). Built to control the whole PC by voice as well as to dictate. English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Chinese.
Handy. Free and open source. You pick a model: Parakeet V3 runs on the processor, Whisper models use a graphics card when one is available. Some setup needed; help comes from the project's community.
Why offline dictation matters
- On the move: trains, planes, hotel Wi-Fi.
- Confidential work: client, patient or company text never leaves your PC.
- No outages: a server problem somewhere else doesn't stop you working.
FAQ
Does Windows voice typing (Win + H) work offline?
No. Microsoft says it uses online speech recognition powered by Azure Speech services and that you need to be connected to the internet. Windows Voice Access (Windows 11) runs on the device.
Does atomAI Scribe need internet at all?
Only to set it up (one model download), to sign in, and for a brief online check about once a month that your account still owns it. Dictating itself works offline.
What is the best free offline dictation app for Windows?
Windows Voice Access if you have Windows 11 and one of its seven languages. Handy if you are comfortable with open-source setup.
Is offline dictation as accurate as cloud dictation?
It depends on the model and on your voice. Test your top two apps with your own words.
Sources (checked 12 October 2026)
atomai.pro/scribe · weesperneonflow.ai/en/pricing · Nuance: Dragon Professional · Nuance: Dragon Professional 16 release notes · shopsavvy.com (Dragon retail price) · Microsoft: Set up voice access · github.com/cjpais/Handy · Microsoft: Use voice typing to talk instead of type on your PC · Microsoft: Dictate your documents in Word · wisprflow.ai/privacy · aquavoice.com/vs/paraspeech
Weesper Neon Flow, Dragon, Windows, Wispr Flow, Aqua Voice and other product names are trademarks of their owners. atomAI is not affiliated with them.
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