Ito – AI‑Powered Voice to Text for Mac
Ito is an open‑source, privacy‑first dictation assistant that turns your spoken words into polished, context‑aware text in any macOS text field. By leveraging large‑language‑model AI, Ito goes beyond raw transcription – it understands intent, formats output, and adapts to your style.
Key Features
- Smart Dictation – Write emails, code snippets, PRDs, Slack messages, meeting agendas, or tweets with a single voice command.
- Works Everywhere – Activate with a global hotkey; Ito works in Slack, Notion, Google Docs, VS Code, Cursor, and any native text box.
- Speed Boost – Up to 6× faster than typing; generate a full email in ~3 seconds.
- Open‑Source & Customizable – Add custom vocabularies, tweak hotkeys, and even modify the underlying model.
- Cross‑App Integration – Future roadmap includes MCP connectors for deeper app automation.
- Free for Mac – Downloadable DMG, lightweight installer, no hidden fees.
Typical Use Cases
| Scenario | Voice Prompt | Result |
|---|---|---|
| "Ito, tell Sarah thanks and reschedule for next week." | Fully‑formatted email ready to send | |
| Coding | "Make a dark‑mode toggle in React." | Code snippet inserted into your editor |
| Product Docs | "Summarize call notes into a product brief." | Structured PRD draft |
| Chat | "Ask James if we can move the meeting to 3 pm." | Polished Slack message |
| Agenda | "Create agenda for design sync on Friday." | Bullet‑point agenda |
| Social | "Make a witty tweet about Solana uptime." | Ready‑to‑post tweet |
FAQ
Q: Which platforms are supported? A: Currently macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon). A Windows waitlist is available.
Q: Is there a cost? A: Ito is free to download and use. No subscription required.
Q: How does privacy work? A: All processing can run locally; no data is sent to external servers unless you enable cloud inference.
Q: Can I customize the hotkey? A: Yes – the settings panel lets you choose any key combination.
Q: Do I need an OpenAI API key? A: The default build ships with a free‑tier model, but you can swap in your own API key for higher quality.
Q: How do I contribute? A: The project is hosted on GitHub; fork, submit PRs, or open issues.
Getting Started
- Download the DMG from the website.
- Install and grant microphone access.
- Configure your vocab and hotkey in the preferences.
- Press the hotkey in any text field and start speaking.
With Ito, you can finally let your thoughts flow directly into the tools you use every day, turning voice into actionable, high‑quality content.
