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, or hold a shortcut anywhere on macOS to dictate. Edit transcripts, assign speakers, and export to PDF, TXT, or SRT.

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.

Three ways to capture

One app for every kind of recording.

SaidVault is built around three 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 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.

⌘⇧V default · configurable
Local-first

Nothing leaves your machine.

Transcription runs locally using a Whisper model that lives 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
local model
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.

⌘⇧Vconfigurable

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, SRT 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.

Questions

Things people ask first.

Does transcription run locally?
Yes. SaidVault uses a Whisper model that runs on your device. 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 or TXT?
Yes — TXT, PDF, and SRT. 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 ⌘⇧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?
English, Polish, German, Dutch, French, and Spanish. The interface labels, toasts, and export metadata are all translated. Whisper itself supports many more languages for the audio side.
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 · ~80 MB
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Get clean transcripts without giving up your audio.

One-time purchase. No account, no subscription. Your audio stays on your machine.

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macOS 13 or later · Apple Silicon · Windows planned