BlitzText Windows is a native Windows desktop application designed to streamline speech-to-text recording, transcription, and optional AI-driven rewriting, with results copied or pasted directly into the active window.
Key Features:
Trigger voice recording and transcription with customizable hotkeys.
Rewrite transcriptions using configured AI providers, including OpenAI, OpenRouter, Anthropic, or local Ollama.
Supports both online services and local Whisper.cpp for transcription.
Offers fourteen editable prompt presets to tailor output for specific scenarios like messaging, technical writing, or meetings.
Features a WPF interface with tray controls, dark/light themes, and support for German and English UI languages.
Audience & Benefit:
Ideal for writers, professionals, and anyone seeking efficient text creation through voice input. Users benefit from increased productivity by converting speech to polished, context-aware text in real-time, without switching apps or workflows.
Install via winget with 'winget install --id EinsVier.BlitzText --exact' for the latest stable version.
README
BlitzText Windows
Press a hotkey, speak, and get polished text directly in the app you are using.
BlitzText is an open-source Windows dictation app. It records your voice, transcribes it, optionally improves or calms down the wording, and copies or pastes the result into your active window.
> A short real-workflow demo is planned to show hotkey → speech → transcription → polished text.
BlitzText transcribes and optionally rewrites the recording.
The result is copied or pasted into the window you were using.
Status and privacy
BlitzText Windows is an open-source preview for Windows 10 and 11. It is useful for daily testing, but it is not a polished commercial product. Review your provider configuration before using it with confidential material.
Provider behavior depends on your configuration:
OpenAI transcription and rewrite requests send audio or text to the OpenAI API using your own API key.
OpenRouter and Anthropic receive text only when selected for rewriting.
Ollama rewrite requests go to the configured local or network Ollama server.
Local Whisper transcription runs through your configured whisper.cpp executable and model file.
Feature details
WPF desktop app with tray controls, global workflow hotkeys, and an optional middle-mouse trigger.
German and English UI, automatic/German/English dictation languages, and light/dark/system themes.
OpenAI and local whisper.cpp transcription.
OpenAI, OpenRouter, Anthropic, and Ollama rewriting.
Improve and Calm workflows with an optional reusable emoji instruction.
Fourteen editable prompt presets for messages, tasks, meetings, technical text, and AI prompts.
Editable spoken and final text, local history, workflow reprocessing, and prompt inspection.
Target-aware AutoPaste that restores the previous clipboard and supports editors such as Notepad++.
This Windows app is an independent Windows-first implementation, not a Swift/macOS code port or an official Christoph Magnussen or BLACKBOAT release. No macOS source files or brand assets are copied into this repository.
Development
The .NET SDK is required for development.
Build
dotnet build
Run
dotnet run --project src\BlitzText.Windows
Publish
Create a local runnable build:
.\scripts\publish.ps1
The app will be written to:
publish\BlitzText.Windows\BlitzText.Windows.exe
For a build that does not require a separately installed .NET Desktop Runtime:
.\scripts\publish.ps1 -SelfContained
Package
Create a ZIP package with app files, install.ps1, uninstall.ps1, and README:
.\scripts\package.ps1
Create a ZIP package that does not require a separately installed .NET Desktop Runtime:
.\scripts\package.ps1 -SelfContained
The ZIP is written to:
publish\packages
The package script also refreshes:
publish\packages\BlitzText-Windows-latest.zip
Update Check
BlitzText does not silently replace itself in the background. The Info tab can check a small update manifest and open the configured download page when a newer version is available.
After extracting the ZIP, install for the current Windows user:
.\install.ps1
MSI Setup Project
The recommended automated MSI build uses WiX:
.\scripts\build-wix-msi.ps1
The MSI is written to:
publish\msi
The WiX MSI includes a dialog flow with notice text, install directory selection, installation confirmation, progress, and completion pages.
The older Visual Studio Installer Projects setup project is stored in:
setup\BlitzText.Setup.vdproj
It is kept as an alternative for Visual Studio users. Open the solution in Visual Studio after installing the Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects extension. Publish the app first with .\scripts\publish.ps1, then add the files from publish\BlitzText.Windows to the setup project's Application Folder.
After the setup project is configured, build the MSI from PowerShell:
.\scripts\build-msi.ps1
Install For Current User
Install BlitzText into %LOCALAPPDATA%\BlitzText\app, create a Start Menu shortcut, and add it to Windows startup:
Install or update without launching the app afterwards:
.\scripts\install-user.ps1 -NoLaunch
Install as self-contained build:
.\scripts\install-user.ps1 -SelfContained
Uninstall app files and shortcuts:
.\scripts\uninstall-user.ps1
Notes
Settings are stored as JSON under %APPDATA%\BlitzText\settings.json. This includes provider settings and the selected keyboard or mouse trigger. API keys are stored separately in Windows Credential Manager under BlitzText.OpenAI.ApiKey, BlitzText.OpenRouter.ApiKey, and BlitzText.Anthropic.ApiKey.
The Prompts tab stores custom names and workflow instructions in settings. Custom names are passed as context to OpenAI transcription when supported and to rewrite providers such as OpenAI or Ollama.
The Info tab can export and import provider settings, hotkeys, prompts, and workflow choices. API keys are intentionally not exported and remain in Windows Credential Manager.
Windows cannot reliably use the physical Fn key as an app hotkey because it is usually handled by the keyboard firmware. BlitzText therefore uses Windows-visible combinations such as Ctrl+Shift+F8 through Ctrl+Shift+F12.
Ollama is used for text rewriting only. Local speech-to-text is available as a separate LocalWhisper transcription provider. It calls a configured whisper.cpp executable with the configured model path and reads the generated transcript. The dictation language setting is passed to local Whisper as auto, de, or en.
License
BlitzText Windows is released under the MIT License. See LICENSE.
