---
name: whisper-mlx-local-f52b551db2da
description: "Free local speech-to-text for Telegram and WhatsApp using MLX Whisper on Apple Silicon. Private, no API costs."
metadata:
  openclaw:
    emoji: "🎤"
    version: "1.5.0"
    author: "Community"
    repo: "https://github.com/ImpKind/local-whisper"
    requires:
      os: ["darwin"]
      arch: ["arm64"]
      bins: ["python3"]
    install:
      - id: "deps"
        kind: "manual"
        label: "Install dependencies"
        instructions: "pip3 install -r requirements.txt"
---

# Local Whisper

**Transcribe voice messages for free on Telegram and WhatsApp.** No API keys. No costs. Runs on your Mac.

## The Problem

Voice transcription APIs cost money:
- OpenAI Whisper: **$0.006/minute**
- Groq: **$0.001/minute**  
- AssemblyAI: **$0.01/minute**

If you transcribe a lot of Telegram voice messages, it adds up.

## The Solution

This skill runs Whisper **locally on your Mac**. Same quality, **zero cost**.

- ✅ Free forever
- ✅ Private (audio never leaves your Mac)
- ✅ Fast (~1 second per message)
- ✅ Works offline

## ⚠️ Important Notes

- **First run downloads ~1.5GB model** — be patient, this only happens once
- **First transcription is slow** — model loads into memory (~10-30 seconds), then it's instant
- **Already using OpenAI API for transcription?** Replace your existing `tools.media.audio` config with the one below

## Quick Start

### 1. Install dependencies
```bash
pip3 install -r requirements.txt
```

### 2. Start the daemon
```bash
python3 scripts/daemon.py
```
First run will download the Whisper model (~1.5GB). Wait for "Ready" message.

### 3. Add to OpenClaw config

Add this to your `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`:

```json
{
  "tools": {
    "media": {
      "audio": {
        "enabled": true,
        "models": [
          {
            "type": "cli",
            "command": "~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/local-whisper/scripts/transcribe.sh",
            "args": ["{{MediaPath}}"],
            "timeoutSeconds": 60
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### 4. Restart gateway
```bash
openclaw gateway restart
```

Now voice messages from Telegram, WhatsApp, etc. will be transcribed locally for free!

### Manual test
```bash
./scripts/transcribe.sh voice_message.ogg
```

## Use Case: Telegram Voice Messages

Instead of paying for OpenAI API to transcribe incoming voice messages, point OpenClaw to this local daemon. Free transcription forever.

## Auto-Start on Login

```bash
cp com.local-whisper.plist ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.local-whisper.plist
```

## API

Daemon runs at `localhost:8787`:

```bash
curl -X POST http://localhost:8787/transcribe -F "file=@audio.ogg"
# {"text": "Hello world", "language": "en"}
```

## Translation

Any language → English:

```bash
./scripts/transcribe.sh spanish_audio.ogg --translate
```

## Requirements

- macOS with Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4)
- Python 3.9+

## License

MIT


---
Source attribution: kbarbel640-del
Original project: https://github.com/kbarbel640-del/skills/blob/e7e336ac628c3e3bd771aff1aaa469c93778f94a/skills/impkind/whisper-mlx-local/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Dave AI.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 clawdbot

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Dave AI resource metadata

Creator / publisher: kbarbel640-del
Original project: https://github.com/kbarbel640-del/skills/blob/e7e336ac628c3e3bd771aff1aaa469c93778f94a/skills/impkind/whisper-mlx-local/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Marketing, Sales, Customer Support
Roles: Customer Success Manager, Social Media Manager, Support Agent
Specialties: Specialty not specified
Tools: Telegram, Whatsapp, Whisper
Country applicability: Australia, United Kingdom, United States
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 70bbab8616a2bbf0544c89d4210bf2ad9e600b01b42d550bce5af8ab7e1e1ff6