Getting Started with EchoWrite

Welcome to EchoWrite — the native Windows voice-to-text tool powered by OpenAI Whisper. This guide will get you up and running in under five minutes.

System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10 (version 1903+) or Windows 11
  • RAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB recommended for local models)
  • Disk: 500 MB free space (more if using local models)
  • Internet: Required for API mode; optional for local mode
  • Microphone: Any standard input device works

Installation

  1. Download the latest EchoWriteInstaller.msi from the homepage.
  2. Run the installer — Windows may show a SmartScreen prompt since the app uses global keyboard hooks. Click More info → Run anyway.
  3. EchoWrite will install and launch automatically.

Antivirus note: Some security software may flag EchoWrite due to its use of global keyboard hooks and text simulation. This is a false positive. You may need to add EchoWrite to your antivirus whitelist. See the Troubleshooting article for details.

First Launch

On first launch, EchoWrite will guide you through a short setup:

  1. Choose your mode — API mode (OpenAI key required) or Local mode (offline, no key needed).
  2. Enter your API key (API mode only) — Your key is encrypted and stored locally. We never have access to it.
  3. Set your hotkey — The default is Ctrl+Space. You can change this at any time in Settings.
  4. Test your microphone — Use the built-in test to confirm EchoWrite can hear you.

That's it. EchoWrite runs silently in the system tray and is ready to use anywhere on your system.

© EchoWrite 2026 - BOCO