{"id":28411437,"url":"https://github.com/piechartsarelies/whispernotes","last_synced_at":"2026-05-02T01:33:57.196Z","repository":{"id":295882922,"uuid":"990923497","full_name":"pieChartsAreLies/WhisperNotes","owner":"pieChartsAreLies","description":"A powerful, privacy-focused voice-to-text application that runs entirely on your computer (macOS and Windows supported). 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WhisperNotes serves two distinct purposes: instant transcription for everyday tasks and thoughtful voice journaling with AI-enhanced organization.\n\n## What is WhisperNotes?\n\nWhisperNotes combines two powerful tools in one seamless application:\n\n### 1. Instant Voice-to-Text Transcription\n\nCapture your spoken words instantly with a simple keyboard shortcut. Perfect for when you need to:\n\n- Dictate information quickly (credit card numbers, addresses, passwords)\n- Take notes while your hands are busy\n- Draft emails or messages without typing\n- Capture ideas on the fly\n\n### 2. Voice Journaling System\n\nTransform your spoken thoughts into organized, searchable journal entries with AI assistance. WhisperNotes:\n\n- Creates markdown-formatted journal entries from your voice recordings\n- Automatically generates concise summaries of your entries\n- Stores both the audio recording and transcription for future reference\n- Integrates seamlessly with Obsidian vaults (though works with any markdown system)\n- Preserves your privacy by processing everything locally\n\n## Features\n\n- 🎙️ Global hotkeys for instant access (`Cmd+Shift+R` for transcription, `Cmd+Shift+J` for journaling)\n- ✍️ Local speech processing using OpenAI's Whisper (no internet required)\n- 🤖 AI-powered summaries and formatting via Ollama (customizable prompts)\n- 📝 Automatic cursor placement for transcribed text\n- 📊 Comprehensive logging with timestamps\n- 🗂️ Organized storage of journal entries with audio recordings\n- 🔍 Searchable journal entries compatible with Obsidian and other markdown systems\n- 🎯 Visual recording indicator\n- 🖥️ Unobtrusive system tray (menu bar) interface\n- 🔒 Complete privacy - all processing happens on your device\n\n## Installation\n\n### Prerequisites\n\n- Python 3.8 or higher\n- Git (optional, for cloning the repository)\n\n### macOS Installation\n\n1. **Install Python** if you haven't already:\n   ```bash\n   # Using Homebrew (recommended)\n   brew install python\n   ```\n\n2. **Clone this repository** or download the source code:\n   ```bash\n   git clone https://github.com/stinkysloth/WhisperNotes.git\n   cd WhisperNotes\n   ```\n\n3. **Install additional audio dependencies** (required for PyAudio):\n   ```bash\n   brew install portaudio\n   ```\n\n4. **Create a virtual environment** (recommended):\n   ```bash\n   python -m venv venv\n   source venv/bin/activate\n   ```\n\n5. **Install the required dependencies**:\n   ```bash\n   pip install -r requirements.txt\n   ```\n\n6. **Install Ollama** (for AI-powered journaling features):\n   ```bash\n   # Install Ollama\n   curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh\n   \n   # Pull the Llama model (or another model of your choice)\n   ollama pull llama3\n   ```\n\n### Windows Installation\n\n1. **Install Python** from the [official website](https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/)\n\n2. **Clone this repository** or download the source code:\n   ```cmd\n   git clone https://github.com/stinkysloth/WhisperNotes.git\n   cd WhisperNotes\n   ```\n\n3. **Create a virtual environment** (recommended):\n   ```cmd\n   python -m venv venv\n   venv\\Scripts\\activate\n   ```\n\n4. **Install the required dependencies**:\n   ```cmd\n   pip install -r requirements.txt\n   ```\n   Note: On Windows, PyAudio might require additional steps. If you encounter issues, try:\n   ```cmd\n   pip install pipwin\n   pipwin install pyaudio\n   ```\n\n5. **Install Ollama** (for AI-powered journaling features):\n   - Download from [Ollama's website](https://ollama.com/download/windows)\n   - Install and run Ollama\n   - Pull the Llama model:\n     ```cmd\n     ollama pull llama3\n     ```\n\n## Usage\n\n### Running the Application\n\n**macOS**:\n```bash\n# If using a virtual environment\nsource venv/bin/activate\npython whisper_notes.py\n```\n\n**Windows**:\n```cmd\n# If using a virtual environment\nvenv\\Scripts\\activate\npython whisper_notes.py\n```\n\n### Setting Up Permissions\n\n#### macOS\n1. **Grant Accessibility Permissions**:\n   - When prompted, go to System Preferences \u003e Security \u0026 Privacy \u003e Privacy \u003e Accessibility\n   - Click the lock icon and enter your password\n   - Add the application to the list of allowed applications\n   - Add your Terminal or iTerm app to the list\n   - If you're using VS Code's terminal, add VS Code to the list\n\n#### Windows\n1. **No special permissions required** in most cases, but you may need to:\n   - Run the application as Administrator the first time\n   - Allow Python through the Windows Firewall if prompted\n\n### Using the Features\n\n#### For Instant Transcription\n- Place your cursor where you want the text to appear\n- Press the recording hotkey (default: `Cmd+Shift+R` on macOS, `Ctrl+Shift+R` on Windows) to start recording\n- Speak clearly into your microphone\n- Press the same hotkey again to stop recording\n- The transcribed text will appear at your cursor position\n\n#### For Voice Journaling\n- Press the journal hotkey (default: `Cmd+Shift+J` on macOS, `Ctrl+Shift+J` on Windows) to start a journal entry recording\n- Speak your thoughts, ideas, or reflections\n- Press the same hotkey again to stop recording\n   - WhisperNotes will:\n     - Save the audio recording\n     - Transcribe your speech\n     - Generate a summary using Ollama\n     - Format the text for readability\n     - Save everything to your journal directory\n\n5. **Customizing Settings**:\n   - Click on the WhisperNotes icon in the menu bar\n   - Select \"Output Settings\" to configure:\n     - Transcription output file location\n     - Journal directory location\n     - Summary prompt customization\n     - Format prompt customization\n   - Click the + button and add your Terminal or iTerm app\n   - If you're using VS Code's terminal, you'll need to add VS Code to the list\n\n## Privacy \u0026 Security\n\nWhisperNotes is designed with privacy as a core principle:\n\n- **Fully Local Processing**: All speech recognition is performed on your device using Whisper\n- **No Cloud Dependencies**: No audio or transcriptions are sent to external servers\n- **Local AI**: Ollama runs locally on your machine for AI-powered features\n- **Your Data Stays Yours**: All recordings and transcriptions are stored only on your computer\n\n## Common Use Cases\n\n### Instant Transcription\n- Dictating addresses, phone numbers, or other information you need to type\n- Taking quick notes during meetings or calls\n- Drafting emails or messages hands-free\n- Capturing ideas while multitasking\n\n### Voice Journaling\n- Daily reflections and personal journaling\n- Meeting notes with automatic summaries\n- Brainstorming sessions with organized output\n- Research notes with searchable transcriptions\n- Personal development tracking\n- Idea capture for creative projects\n\n## Why WhisperNotes?\n\nUnlike cloud-based alternatives, WhisperNotes offers:\n\n- **Complete Privacy**: No data ever leaves your computer\n- **No Subscription Fees**: One-time setup, no recurring costs\n- **Customizable Experience**: Adjust settings to match your workflow\n- **Markdown Integration**: Works seamlessly with Obsidian and other knowledge management systems\n- **Dual Functionality**: Both quick transcription and thoughtful journaling in one tool\n\n## Journal Structure\n\nWhen using the journaling feature:\n- Entries are saved to `~/Documents/Personal/Audio Journal/Journal.md` (customizable)\n- Each entry includes a timestamp, summary, and link to the full transcription\n- Audio recordings are saved in the `recordings` subfolder\n- Detailed entries are stored in the `entries` subfolder\n\n## Logging\n\n- Regular transcriptions are automatically saved to the configured output file (default: `~/Documents/WhisperNotesTranscriptions.md`) with timestamps.\n- Journal entries are saved to `~/Documents/Personal/Audio Journal/Journal.md` with timestamps, summaries, and links to detailed entries.\n\n## Customization\n\nYou can customize the following in the `CONFIG` dictionary in `whisper_notes.py`:\n\n- Hotkey combination\n- Whisper model size (`tiny`, `base`, `small`, `medium`, `large`)\n- Audio recording settings\n- Log file location\n\n## Troubleshooting\n\n- **App doesn't type text**: Make sure you've granted Accessibility permissions to your terminal app.\n- **No audio input detected**: Check your microphone settings in System Preferences \u003e Sound \u003e Input.\n- **Installation issues**: Try creating a virtual environment first:\n  ```bash\n  python -m venv venv\n  source venv/bin/activate\n  pip install -r requirements.txt\n  ```\n\n## Requirements\n\n- macOS 10.15 or later\n- Python 3.8+\n- Microphone access\n- Internet connection (only for first-time model download)\n- Ollama running locally (for journal entry summarization)\n\n## License\n\nMIT\n","project_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Fpiechartsarelies%2Fwhispernotes","html_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/projects/github.com%2Fpiechartsarelies%2Fwhispernotes","lists_url":"https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/projects/github.com%2Fpiechartsarelies%2Fwhispernotes/lists"}