muesli
Local macOS meeting transcription and dictation app using Apple Silicon.
Agent-native local meeting transcription and dictation for macOS as an open source alternative.
Muesli is a native macOS app combining local dictation and meeting transcription powered by Apple Silicon. It suits professionals seeking privacy-first voice tools with optional hosted backends.
What it is
It captures microphone and system audio simultaneously, utilizing VAD-driven chunking, speaker diarization, and local or hosted models. You can dictate text at your cursor, rewrite text with Quill, and manage calendar events.
Who it's for
It suits macOS professionals handling meetings and dictation who prioritize local privacy and Apple Silicon performance. It does not suit Windows or Linux users since it is strictly a native macOS application.
Key features
Apple Silicon Dictation
Achieves low latency dictation via local models running on the Apple Neural Engine.
Simultaneous Audio Capture
Captures your microphone and system audio simultaneously using a CoreAudio process tap.
VAD-Driven Chunking
Silero VAD detects natural speech boundaries to split audio at pauses without mid-sentence cuts.
Speaker Diarization
Identifies individual remote speakers in system audio using CoreML diarization models.
Quill Voice Writing
Highlight text and speak an instruction to rewrite it or generate text at your cursor.
Up and running in 3 steps
Our honest verdict
What's great
- Runs speech-to-text locally on Apple Silicon by default for privacy
- Includes native macOS Shortcuts and Siri integration actions
- Supports multiple ASR providers including Apple Speech and Parakeet
- Extracts meeting URLs from calendar events for join and transcribe actions
Where it falls short
- Requires Apple Silicon hardware to run local models effectively
- Hosted transcription and summaries require external API keys or subscriptions
- Limited strictly to macOS operating systems
- Live meeting transcription features have specific OS and download requirements
Pricing & license
Free under the MIT licence. Optional hosted providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, or OpenRouter require your own paid API keys or subscriptions.
Open remote AI-training roles
767 open remote AI-training roles, updated November 14, 2026; most pay $20–$175 an hour. Zekai lists them free; the application goes to the employer’s platform.
Alternatives
Use it, or have us set it up
FAQ
Does Muesli send my audio to the cloud by default?
No, dictation and meeting transcription run locally on Apple Silicon by default unless you explicitly opt into hosted providers.
Can I use hosted APIs for transcription or summaries?
Yes, you can use your own OpenAI, Anthropic, or OpenRouter API keys for hosted transcription and summaries.
How does Muesli handle calendar integration?
It integrates with your Mac calendar to detect upcoming meetings, display event notifications, and offer a Join and Transcribe action.
