Local · macOS · No cloud

Transcribe files, voice notes,
and dictate on your own machine.

SaidVault keeps every recording on your device. Drop a file, paste a URL, record a quick note, capture system audio from meetings or video, or hold a shortcut anywhere on macOS to dictate. Edit transcripts, assign speakers, and export to PDF, TXT, Markdown, SRT, or VTT.

Download for macOS See it in action
Free trial · No card required · macOS 13+ · Apple Silicon
saidvault
interview-sarah-mclean.mp3
45:12· 1,247 words· 2 speakers· Small · English
Search transcript ⌘F
00:00:12
Host

Hello and welcome to the show. I'm joined today by Sarah Mclean, founder of Northwind Studios. Sarah, thanks so much for making the time.

00:01:45
Sarah

Thanks for having me. I'm really excited to talk about what we've been building over the past two years.

00:02:30
Host

Let's start at the beginning. Northwind started as a side project, right? Walk me through the moment you decided to commit to it full-time.

Four ways to capture

One app for every kind of recording.

SaidVault is built around four first-class workflows. Pick the one that fits the moment.

Transcribe files

Drag and drop audio or video, or paste a media URL. SaidVault handles MP3, MP4, M4A, WAV, MOV, WEBM, OGG, and AVI. Pick a model, choose a language or auto-detect, and review the result inside the app.

⌘N to start

Record voice notes

Record directly inside the app. Voice notes live in their own library — rename them, reopen them, and export to TXT, Markdown, or PDF. A lighter workflow than file transcription, ideal for quick memos.

⌘R to record

Dictate anywhere

Hold a global shortcut from any app on macOS, speak, release. The transcript lands on your clipboard — paste it into Slack, mail, your editor, anywhere. A floating HUD shows the flow.

Control+V default · configurable

Capture system audio

Record and transcribe what is playing on your Mac: Zoom, Teams, Webex, webinars, browser video, or a training session you need in text. Keep the audio local and turn it into a searchable transcript.

meetings · webinars · video
Local-first

Nothing leaves your machine.

Transcription runs locally using Whisper and Parakeet models that live on your device. Audio is never uploaded to a remote service, never streamed to a server, never logged in a cloud account. The recording, the transcript, and the metadata are yours.

  • Audio processed on-device — no upload required for transcription.
  • No account required. No usage tracking on your recordings.
  • Works offline — once a model is downloaded, you don't need internet again.
  • Suitable for sensitive interviews, calls, evidence, and personal notes.
Recording
on device
Whisper / Parakeet
local engines
Transcript
stays here
━━ no internet required ━━
Everything you need

Built for real transcripts, not just demos.

Capture, edit, label, and export — without leaving the app or sending a byte to the cloud.

File transcription

Drag in audio or video. Pick a model, choose language or auto-detect, get clean text.

MP3MP4M4AWAVMOVWEBMOGGAVI

URL transcription

Paste a direct media URL. SaidVault fetches the file and transcribes it like any local recording.

Voice notes

Record inside the app. Notes have their own library — rename, reopen, export.

Global dictation

Hold a shortcut anywhere on macOS, speak, release. Transcript copied to clipboard.

Control+Vconfigurable

System audio capture

Capture what your Mac is playing and turn it into text. Useful for Zoom, Teams, Webex, webinars, browser video, training, and research playback you need searchable.

Inline editing

Edit segments, fix names, clean up filler. Click any timestamp to seek the playhead.

Speaker labeling

Create named speakers and assign them to segments. Labels carry through to exports.

PDF, TXT, Markdown, SRT, VTT export

Export to the format your workflow needs. PDFs include header, metadata, and source detail.

Search history

Find a phrase across every transcript and voice note you've ever processed.

Multilingual UI

Use SaidVault in your language. Interface, toasts, and export metadata all translated.

ENPLDENLFRES
Documentation

Built for transcripts that hold up.

For interviews, evidence prep, and formal records, exports include reference date and time, file size, source SHA-256 hash, model used, language used, duration, and word count. Every export carries a clean, structured header so the document tells its own story.

A note on framing: SaidVault helps you prepare and document transcripts carefully. It's a serious tool for serious work — but it doesn't replace forensic certification or legal review.
interview-sarah-mclean.mp3
Reference2026-04-23 14:21
Duration00:45:12
File size87.4 MB
Words1,247
ModelSmall
LanguageEnglish
SHA-256a3f1c8…b27e
00:00:12 — Host Hello and welcome to the show. I'm joined today by Sarah Mclean, founder of Northwind Studios.
A closer look

Designed to disappear so the transcript can lead.

Calm chrome, generous reading column, editorial type for the words themselves. Everything else gets out of the way.

saidvault
Drop audio or video
or browse files
Stays on your computer · nothing uploaded
Quick dictation HUD
Hold the shortcut anywhere on macOS to capture.
Listening…
Transcribing…
Copied to clipboard
Speaker labels
Assign speakers, carry through to exports.
H
Host 12 segments
S
Sarah 23 segments
Add speaker
Built for serious work

For people who can't afford to send recordings out.

Journalists

Transcribe interviews and source recordings without ever putting them on someone else's server.

Lawyers & legal staff

Prepare records and case documentation with structured exports, including SHA-256 and timing.

Researchers

Process qualitative interviews, fieldwork, and oral history sessions on your own machine.

Investigators

Document calls and conversations with metadata that travels with the transcript.

Founders & operators

Use global dictation all day for messages, notes, and writing. No cloud round-trip.

Creators

Turn podcasts, video sources, and field recordings into clean text with timecode.

Guides

Practical workflows for real recordings.

Evergreen notes for people looking for private transcription, legal documentation, and practical local workflows using Whisper and Parakeet on Mac.

Court & evidence

How to transcribe an audio recording for court on Mac

Create a timestamped PDF transcript with speaker labels, reference date/time, file size, SHA-256, and a clean description.

Read the guide Privacy

How to transcribe audio and video without uploading it

A local-first workflow for sensitive interviews, calls, research recordings, personal notes, and video files using on-device models.

Read the guide Meetings

How to transcribe Zoom or meeting recordings without uploading them

Keep meeting recordings local, then export clean text, subtitles, or documentation-ready PDFs.

Read the guide System audio

How to transcribe Zoom, Teams, Webex, or YouTube audio on Mac

Use system audio capture when you do not already have the file and still want the transcript to stay local.

Read the guide
Browse all guides
Questions

Things people ask first.

Does transcription run locally?
Yes. SaidVault runs local transcription models on your device, including Whisper and Parakeet on Apple Silicon. Audio is processed locally; the recording, the transcript, and the metadata never leave your machine during transcription. Once a model is downloaded, you can work fully offline.
What file formats are supported?
MP3, MP4, M4A, WAV, MOV, WEBM, OGG, and AVI for both audio and video. You can also paste a direct media URL and SaidVault will fetch and transcribe it.
Can I export to PDF, TXT, Markdown, or subtitles?
Yes — TXT, Markdown, PDF, SRT, and VTT. PDF exports include a header with reference date, file size, source SHA-256 hash, model used, language, duration, and word count.
Can I assign speakers?
Yes. You create named speakers and assign them to transcript segments manually. Labels carry through to exports. Automatic speaker detection (diarization) isn't part of SaidVault today.
Does it support dictation?
Yes. Hold a global shortcut (default Control+V, configurable) anywhere on macOS to start a push-to-talk capture. The transcript lands on your clipboard ready to paste. A floating HUD shows Listening, Transcribing, and Copied states.
What languages does the interface support?
The interface is available in English, Polish, German, Dutch, French, and Spanish. That is separate from transcription language support. For transcription itself, Whisper supports a much broader multilingual set, Parakeet 0.6B v3 covers 25 European languages, and Parakeet 1.1B is English-only.
How many languages can SaidVault transcribe?
It depends on the model. Whisper supports a broad multilingual range and is the right choice when you need the widest language coverage. Parakeet 0.6B v3 supports 25 European languages, and Parakeet 1.1B is English-only.
Can it turn audio into text or video into text?
Yes. SaidVault is built for both audio-to-text and video-to-text workflows. Drop MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4, MOV, WEBM, OGG, or AVI, and the app transcribes the speech locally on your Mac.
Can I transcribe Zoom, Teams, Webex, or YouTube audio?
Yes. If you already have the exported recording, drop the file into SaidVault. If the meeting, webinar, or video is playing live on your Mac, use system audio capture to record and transcribe the playback locally.
Can I use SaidVault for meeting transcription?
Yes. It works well for Zoom, Teams, Webex, interviews, internal meetings, webinars, and training sessions. You can transcribe the saved recording or capture live system audio first, then review, search, and export the transcript.
Which transcription model should I choose?
Use Whisper when you want the broadest language support and the most familiar general-purpose transcription path. Use Parakeet 0.6B v3 when you want a fast multilingual Apple Silicon option across its supported European languages. Use Parakeet 1.1B for English-only work.
Can I search the whole transcript?
Yes. SaidVault includes transcript search so you can jump to names, phrases, or moments inside longer recordings. History search also helps you find older transcripts and notes later.
Can I edit timestamps or fix the transcript after transcription?
Yes. You can edit transcript text, adjust timestamps, and shift timing when needed. That is especially useful for interviews, meeting records, subtitles, and documentation where the first pass needs cleanup.
Does SaidVault have a subscription?
No. SaidVault uses a one-time purchase model. You download the app free, test it locally, and buy a licence only if you want to remove the transcription length cap.
Is this a private transcription app for sensitive recordings?
Yes. SaidVault is designed as a local transcription app for people who do not want to send interviews, calls, field recordings, or personal notes through an extra cloud service just to get text back.
Is Windows coming?
macOS is the active platform. A Windows port is planned after the macOS v1 release. We're keeping cross-platform-sensitive parts of the code (recorder, shortcuts) explicit so the port stays clean.
Where is my data stored?
Transcripts and voice notes live in a local SaidVault library on your Mac. You control where exports save. There is no SaidVault cloud account.
Try it, then buy it

Free to download. One-time purchase to unlock length.

Download SaidVault and use it free for as long as you like — no card, no sign-up, no time limit. The only thing capped in the free version is the length of each transcription.

Download free, no card needed

Every feature is available in the free download — all export formats, every model, all languages, voice notes, dictation, the lot. The single restriction is how long each transcription can run:

Files & URLs
First 2 minutes transcribed
Voice notes & dictation
First 30 seconds
Download for macOS macOS 13+ · Apple Silicon · ~39 MB
Unlock the cap

One licence. One price. Yours forever.

Decided SaidVault works for you? Buy a licence to remove the length cap. Pay once — no subscription, no account, no recurring fee.

$29.99 one-time · VAT may apply at checkout
  • Unlimited length on files, URLs, voice notes, and dictation
  • 1 device per licence — deactivate any time to move it to another Mac
  • Free updates within the v1.x line
  • Email support from the developer
  • Same local-first guarantee — your audio still never leaves your Mac
Buy licence — $29.99
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