Iris Flow

Open-source macOS speech-to-text overlay
Hold Left-Ctrl, speak, and text lands in whatever app you are using.

TL;DR

Iris Flow is a local Mac app. Clone it, install once, paste your own API keys, then open it from Applications. No account. No hosted backend. Hold Left-Ctrl to dictate into Notes, browsers, Slack, editors — any app that takes text.

git clone https://github.com/joyboy5477/IrisFlow.git
cd IrisFlow/Irisflow
npm install
npm run install:mac

Then open Irisflow from Applications. You do not run npm again after that.

Devices

You need Node.js 18+ and Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install) to build.

Works in

Iris Flow types into the app that is focused. Typical use:

• Notes, TextEdit, Mail, Messages
• Chrome, Safari, Arc, and other browsers
• Slack, Discord, Linear, Notion
• VS Code, Cursor, Xcode, Terminal

If you can type in it, you can dictate into it.

Features

• Dictation — AI mode off. Speak, release, the transcript is pasted at the cursor.
• AI mode — Select text anywhere, hold Left-Ctrl, speak a request. The answer is copied (⌘V to paste).
• Your models — Cerebras (default), OpenAI, or Claude, using keys you paste in the app.
• Documents — Upload PDFs and notes. With a Google AI key, Iris Flow can search them in AI mode.
• Local data — Chats, files, and keys stay on this Mac. Keys are encrypted with macOS Keychain.

Install

Once. After this, launch Irisflow from Spotlight, the Dock, or Applications.

1. Install Node.js 18+ (LTS).

2. Install Command Line Tools if swiftc is missing:

   xcode-select --install
   

3. Clone and build:

   git clone https://github.com/joyboy5477/IrisFlow.git
   cd IrisFlow/Irisflow
   npm install
   npm run install:mac
   

4. Finder → Applications → right-click Irisflow → Open → Open (unsigned build; a normal double-click may be blocked the first time).

5. Allow Microphone.

6. System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility → enable Irisflow. Quit and reopen the app.

7. In Iris Flow, open Keys and paste a Deepgram key.

How to use

1. Open Iris Flow (the gold bar stays on the edge of the screen).
2. Click into any text field.
3. Hold Left-Ctrl, speak, release.
4. Dictation: the words appear at the cursor. AI mode: copy the answer with ⌘V.

Keys (all yours, stored only on this Mac):

Iris Flow runs entirely on your Mac. You only paste API keys for speech and AI.

License

MIT