Voice typing is about to change how you work. Whether you're writing emails, drafting documents, or coding, speaking your thoughts is often faster and more natural than typing. Let's get you set up.
What You'll Need
Before we begin, make sure you have:
- A Windows 10 or 11 computer (64-bit)
- A decent microphone (built-in works, but a USB mic is better)
- About 15 minutes for initial setup
Microphone Matters
The quality of your transcription depends heavily on your microphone. A $30 USB microphone will dramatically improve accuracy compared to most laptop built-in mics.
Step 1: Download and Install
Head to our download page to get the latest version. The installer is straightforward—just run it and follow the prompts.
During installation, you'll be asked to choose a language model. For most users, we recommend:
- Small model (1GB): Good for basic dictation, runs on any hardware
- Medium model (3GB): Better accuracy, recommended for most users
- Large model (6GB): Best accuracy, requires 16GB+ RAM
Step 2: First-Time Setup
When you launch QuasarSpeak for the first time, you'll see the setup wizard. Here's what to expect:
- Microphone test — Speak a few sentences to calibrate
- Language selection — Choose your primary dictation language
- Hotkey configuration — Set up your push-to-talk key (we recommend
Caps Lock)
QuasarSpeak works entirely offline. Your voice never leaves your computer, and we never collect any audio data.
Step 3: Your First Dictation
Now for the fun part. Open any text field—a Word document, an email, even a code editor—and hold your hotkey while speaking.
Try saying:
"Hello comma this is my first time using voice typing period"
You should see: Hello, this is my first time using voice typing.
Punctuation Commands
QuasarSpeak understands natural punctuation commands:
| Say This | Get This |
|---|---|
| period | . |
| comma | , |
| question mark | ? |
| exclamation point | ! |
| new line | ↵ |
| new paragraph | ↵↵ |
Tips for Better Accuracy
After testing with thousands of users, here are our top tips:
- Speak at a natural pace — Don't slow down artificially; speak as you would to a colleague
- Enunciate clearly — You don't need to shout, but clear speech helps
- Minimize background noise — Close windows, turn off fans if possible
- Give context — Starting a sentence with context helps: "Email to John about the meeting..."
What's Next?
Once you're comfortable with basic dictation, explore these features:
- Voice Commands — Control your computer with your voice
- Overlay Mode — Always-on dictation for power users
- Batch Transcription — Convert audio files to text
Welcome to voice-first computing. Your keyboard will never be the same.