System Requirements
Voibe runs entirely on your Mac — no cloud, no internet required for dictation. That means we rely on Apple Silicon's Neural Engine to run the transcription model locally and fast.
Here's exactly what Voibe needs, and how to check your Mac.
Short answer
- ✓ Apple Silicon Mac — M1, M2, M3, or M4 (any variant: base, Pro, Max, Ultra)
- ✓ macOS 13 Ventura or later
- ✓ A working microphone — the built-in Mac mic is fine
- ✗ Intel Macs are not supported. Neither are older macOS versions.
Why Apple Silicon only?
Voibe runs the transcription model directly on your Mac, not in the cloud. That model is large and needs to run fast — ideally in real time — so the text appears the moment you stop speaking.
The Apple Silicon Neural Engine is purpose-built for exactly this kind of workload. It's what lets Voibe transcribe accurately without sending a single byte of your audio over the internet.
Intel Macs don't have a Neural Engine. We could fall back to the CPU, but the result would be slower, hotter, and significantly less accurate — not a product we'd want to ship. The on-device speed and privacy Voibe is known for depend on the Apple Silicon architecture.
How to check your Mac
It takes about five seconds.
- 1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
- 2. Choose About This Mac.
- 3. Look for a row labelled Chip (Apple Silicon) or Processor (Intel).
The Chip row tells you whether you have Apple Silicon.
| What you see | Your Mac | Works with Voibe? |
|---|---|---|
| Chip: Apple M1 / M2 / M3 / M4 (any variant) | Apple Silicon | Yes |
| Processor: Intel Core i5 / i7 / i9 / Xeon | Intel | No |
You'll also see your macOS version on the same screen (for example "macOS 14 Sonoma"). Voibe needs macOS 13 Ventura or later.
What if I have an Intel Mac?
We're not planning to support Intel Macs. Every Mac Apple sells today is Apple Silicon — and the architectural difference is what makes Voibe's on-device approach possible.
If you're on an Intel Mac and can't upgrade, most cloud-based dictation apps will work for you, but you'll trade the privacy and speed advantages that Voibe is built around.
Which macOS versions are supported?
Voibe officially supports macOS 13 Ventura and newer. We test on the latest macOS release and the one before it.
If you're running an older macOS, update via System Settings → General → Software Update. Any Apple Silicon Mac can run the latest macOS.
Still stuck? Email hi@getvoibe.com and we'll help you out.