The most private dictation tools turn your speech into text on your own computer or phone, so no vendor hears a client’s or patient’s details. The main options for drafting by voice:
- Dragon Professional v16: the long-standing desktop dictation product on Windows, with custom vocabularies and commands.
- Built-in dictation: Windows 11 Voice Access, and Apple’s dictation where it runs on the device.
- Handy: a free, open-source app that runs Whisper on Windows, Mac and Linux and types into any app.
- Private Transcribe: record a memo on iPhone or Android and get the text on the phone, with no upload.
Clinicians who want notes generated straight into an EHR usually end up with cloud products instead. That’s workable, as long as the vendor signs a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and you choose it knowingly. Cloud dictation such as Windows voice typing and Wispr Flow sends audio to servers, so leave it out of confidential work.
This guide is about dictation: speaking text you would otherwise type. Transcribing recorded client interviews and meetings is a different job, covered in best offline transcription tools for lawyers.
What changes between private and cloud dictation? #
With cloud dictation, your audio goes to the vendor’s servers, which send text back. For a lawyer, that’s client information held by a third party, and the duty to protect it includes vetting that vendor. For a doctor or therapist, it’s protected health information (PHI), and a vendor that handles PHI for you needs a BAA. HIPAA-compliant transcription services explains when that applies and what to ask.
With on-device dictation, the speech model runs on your computer or phone. There’s no vendor in the middle for that step, and your device security becomes the main safeguard. Neither route is automatically “compliant,” and both can be used responsibly.
Private dictation tools compared #
| Tool | Platform | Where speech is processed | Cost | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Professional v16 | Windows 10/11 | Desktop app | Paid; check Nuance | Heavy dictation with custom vocabulary and commands |
| Apple dictation | iPhone, iPad, Mac | On the device where Keyboard Settings says so | Free | Quick notes and emails |
| Windows Voice Access | Windows 11 | On the device | Free | Hands-free dictation and PC control |
| Handy | Windows, Mac, Linux | On the device | Free, open source | Fast, accurate dictation into any app |
| Private Transcribe | iPhone, Android | On the phone | Free with ads; Pro $7.99 one-time | Memos and recaps away from the desk |
| Cloud tools with a BAA | Web, mobile | Vendor’s servers, under a BAA | Subscription | EHR-integrated clinical notes |
| Windows voice typing, Wispr Flow | Windows; desktop and mobile | Cloud | Free; subscription | Not for confidential material |
Microsoft states that Windows voice typing uses Azure online speech recognition. Wispr Flow states that “transcription always happens in the cloud.”
Dragon Professional v16 #
Dragon is still the reference point for professional dictation. Dragon Professional v16 runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10. It handles live dictation and transcription of recorded audio, and it supports custom vocabularies and commands that insert whole passages. That’s why it’s common in law firms and practices where people dictate all day.
Watch for: it’s paid, Windows only and takes time to learn. Some Dragon editions, such as the Anywhere mobile products, are cloud-based, so confirm which edition you’re buying.
Built-in dictation: Voice Access and Apple #
Windows Voice Access comes with Windows 11 (version 22H2 and later) and works without an internet connection. It handles dictation plus full voice control of the PC.
Apple dictation is processed on the device for many languages on recent hardware. Apple says the device shows in Keyboard Settings whether it is. When it isn’t, audio goes to Apple’s servers. Check that setting before dictating anything confidential.
Handy: free dictation with Whisper accuracy #
Handy is a free, open-source app for Windows, Mac and Linux. Hold a shortcut and speak, and it transcribes locally with Whisper or Parakeet models and pastes the text into whatever app you’re using: a document, an email, a practice management system. It’s fully offline and costs nothing, but there are no macros or custom commands.
Private Transcribe: private dictation on your phone #
Much professional dictation happens between appointments: a file note after a client meeting, a recap after a patient visit, a to-do list on the way back from court. Private Transcribe runs Whisper on iPhone and Android. It has no account and no transcription server, and it works in airplane mode. It works like a voice recorder rather than a keyboard: you speak, stop, and the text appears a few seconds later, ready to copy or share into your document system or EHR.
- Custom vocabulary helps with party names, drug names and terms of art.
- Keep recordings off deletes each recording once it’s transcribed, keeping only the text.
- The Timestamps view lets you replay a doubtful word before the text goes anywhere.
Watch for: it gives you your words as text, not a formatted legal document or clinical note. It doesn’t show text while you’re speaking, doesn’t label speakers, and doesn’t connect to an EHR. The free version shows ads, which never see your recordings. The one-time Pro purchase ($7.99 in the US) removes them.
For lawyers: what to prioritize #
- Dragon or Handy for long-form drafting at a desk.
- On-device phone dictation for file notes and memos away from the office.
- A written note of which tools you use and why, in line with your state bar’s guidance on technology and AI tools.
For doctors and therapists: what to prioritize #
- If you want notes generated and filed into an EHR, use a vendor that signs a BAA, and read its retention and AI training terms.
- For dictating drafts and recaps without a vendor, use on-device tools, and treat the device as holding PHI: passcode, encryption, careful backups.
- Review every dictated drug name, dose and number. Speech recognition mishears these more than ordinary words.
Therapists have extra considerations around session notes and recording clients, covered in HIPAA compliant dictation software for therapists. Mac users can find more dictation apps in private dictation software for Mac without internet.
How to get accurate dictation in a busy office #
- Use a headset or a dedicated mic. Laptop mics pick up keyboards and conversations.
- Build your vocabulary list early, with names, drugs, statutes and recurring phrases.
- Speak in complete sentences and say punctuation where the tool supports it.
- Proofread before it leaves your hands. A misheard “not,” dose or date matters more in your work than in most.
Frequently asked questions #
What’s the most private dictation software for Windows? #
Windows Voice Access and Handy both process speech on the device and are free. Dragon Professional v16 is the paid option with the deepest customization. Avoid Win + H voice typing for confidential material, since it uses Microsoft’s online speech service.
Do doctors need special medical dictation software? #
Not always, but it helps. Medical dictation products offer clinical vocabularies and EHR integration, and they’re usually cloud services under a BAA. General on-device dictation works for drafts and recaps, but you’ll need to check clinical terms more carefully.
Is Apple dictation safe for confidential work? #
When Keyboard Settings shows that dictation is processed on the device, the audio stays on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. When it doesn’t, audio goes to Apple’s servers. Apple says it isn’t stored unless you opt in to Improve Siri and Dictation. Check the setting for each language you dictate in.
Are free dictation tools good enough for professional use? #
For many people, yes. Voice Access, Handy and on-device Apple dictation are accurate enough for everyday drafting. Paid tools earn their cost through custom commands, templates and integrations, not through basic accuracy.