Parlo

Parlo is a macOS app that turns your voice into a complete input method for your computer. It combines three core functions: system-wide dictation, automatic meeting notes, and voice commands — all running entirely on your Mac with no internet required. You can hold the fn key, speak naturally, and release to insert clean text into any app. When a meeting starts, Parlo notices and offers to record the call locally, then writes a transcript and structured notes. And in alpha mode, it can execute voice commands like opening apps, setting reminders, or moving files, with a confirmation step before any destructive action.

What sets Parlo apart is its privacy-first architecture. Everything — speech recognition, language processing, and transcription — happens on your Mac using local models. Your audio never leaves the machine, and you can even use it with Wi-Fi off. The interface is minimal: a pill by the notch, a menu bar icon, and a meetings library. For meeting notes, you can opt in to send transcripts to OpenAI or Anthropic using your own API key for stronger summaries, but the audio stays local. Parlo also cleans up your dictation by removing fillers, inserting punctuation, and applying self-corrections automatically.

Parlo is ideal for anyone who spends a lot of time typing or in meetings on a Mac. Professionals who take multiple calls a day will appreciate the automatic meeting capture and note generation. Writers and creators who prefer speaking to typing can dictate anywhere. And power users who want to control their Mac hands-free will find the voice commands useful — even in early alpha. Parlo replaces several separate apps with one unified, privacy-respecting tool, priced at $8/month or $80 lifetime for early adopters.