Voice typing without an internet connection
Download a speech model once and LocalType keeps transcribing with the connection switched off. No signal, no data, no problem.
The short answer
Voice typing usually needs a connection because the transcription happens on a server. LocalType does the transcription on your phone, so once the model is there, the connection is no longer part of the process.
What you need first
One step needs internet. After that, nothing does.
Download a model
Pick a speech model in LocalType and download it. This is the one step that needs a connection.
It stays on your phone
The model is stored in the app’s own storage and stays there until you replace it with another one.
Turn the connection off
Airplane mode, no signal, no Wi-Fi — voice typing carries on working.
When this actually matters
Cloud voice typing tends to fail quietly in these situations: it either waits, times out, or drops what you said. Local transcription does not have that failure mode.
- On a plane, where there is no usable connection for the whole flight
- On the underground, or anywhere the signal keeps dropping in and out
- Travelling abroad without roaming data
- In basements, thick buildings, remote areas and other reception dead spots
- On a phone with a small or expensive data plan
- Or simply because you would rather keep the processing on your own device
Is offline slower?
It depends on your phone and on which model you picked, not on your connection. A smaller model returns text faster and uses less memory; a larger one handles accents and background noise better. That trade-off is yours to make, and LocalType can suggest a starting point based on your device.
Compare the speech modelsOffline questions
Does LocalType work completely offline?
Transcription does, once you have downloaded a speech model. Downloading that model is the one step that needs a connection.
How big is a speech model?
Between 60 MB and 539 MB, depending on which of the three you choose. The middle one, at 190 MB, suits most phones.
Can I swap a model for a smaller one?
Yes. Downloading another model replaces the one you have, which needs a connection at that moment. LocalType keeps one model at a time, so swapping does not cost you extra storage.
Does the keyboard itself work offline?
Yes. Typing has never needed a connection, and neither does voice typing once the model is installed.
Do I need to be online the first time I use it each day?
No. The model lives on your device. Once it is there, LocalType does not check in with anything.
LocalType is in testing
Join the beta and help work out which phones, languages and situations still need attention.
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