Who this is for
You draft essays, scripts, or long notes and think faster out loud than you type. You want the spoken draft to keep its structure, and you want it to end up where you already keep your other files.
How it works
- Dictate a draft from the iPhone keyboard or the Mac hotkey, speaking new paragraph or quote where you mean them.
- Parlo cleans the text on-device and applies the formatting commands you spoke, then adds the draft to your feed.
- On Mac, export the note as Markdown by hand or automatically into a folder you choose, such as an Obsidian vault.
Both apps install free from the beta page.
What makes it different
- Spoken formatting, not just words. New line, new paragraph, parentheses and end parentheses, and quote and end quote all apply through a deterministic pass. This works even when the language model is unavailable.
- Markdown export on Mac. Export All and an auto-export toggle write each note into a folder as it is created or edited. The filename stays the same on re-export.
- Edits without losing the original. Rework a draft by hand or with an on-device transform, and revert once to the words you first dictated.
- A searchable feed. Keyword matches come first, then meaning-based matches, so you can find a draft even if you do not remember the exact words you used.
Common objections, answered
Is it accurate enough compared with cloud dictation?
Parlo transcribes with Apple's on-device speech engine, the same engine behind the newest system dictation, then cleans the text with an on-device language model. It removes filler sounds and false starts and applies spoken commands like new paragraph and quote, so a spoken draft keeps its structure. A custom dictionary keeps the keyboard's autocorrect from changing character names and terms when you type them. It is English-first and a beta, so expect rough edges.
Why not just use Apple's built-in dictation?
Apple dictation types what you say. Parlo also cleans it up, applies spoken formatting commands, and keeps a searchable history of every dictated draft. On Mac, it can export straight into a Markdown folder. History syncs through your private iCloud, end-to-end encrypted, and you can turn that off.
The keyboard asks for Full Access. What does that grant?
Full Access lets a keyboard extension share data with its companion app. Parlo uses it to pass your dictated text from the app back to the keyboard through a shared container. The keyboard itself cannot record audio, since iOS does not allow it. The keyboard never links the sync stack and never talks to iCloud.
Where does my audio go?
Nowhere. Audio is captured, transcribed on your device, and discarded. Parlo never stores a recording of a dictated draft. The first run may download Apple's on-device speech model, and beta builds fetch prompt text once a day, carrying no user data. Your transcripts stay on the device, encrypted at rest. If history sync is on, they sync through your private iCloud, end-to-end encrypted, so Apple and Parlo cannot read your work in progress.
Is a beta safe to rely on?
It is a beta. Dictation, cleanup, and the feed work every day for our testers. Rough spots are listed on the beta page. Your drafts are encrypted on the device and, if sync is on, in your private iCloud, so a bad build does not expose unfinished work. Parlo for Mac tells you when a new build is out. Download it again from the beta page; automatic updates need beta enrollment through /mac. Send feedback by replying to beta@parlokey.com.
What does it cost?
Nothing during the beta. There is no account to create and no subscription. Install on iPhone from the public TestFlight link and on Mac from the download on the beta page. Sync uses your own iCloud.
Frequently asked questions
Can Parlo export my notes to Obsidian?
Yes, on Mac. Export All writes every note as Markdown into a folder you choose, such as an Obsidian vault. An auto-export toggle keeps new notes in sync.
Is Markdown export available on iPhone?
No. Markdown export is Mac only. On iPhone your drafts stay in the searchable feed, and you can copy or share the text.
Can I dictate formatting like new paragraphs and quotes?
Yes. Say new line, new paragraph, parentheses and end parentheses, or quote and end quote, and Parlo applies them even when the language model is unavailable.
Is Parlo free during the beta?
Yes. Both apps are free during the public beta, with no Parlo account required to install either one.
Can I edit a dictated draft after the fact?
Yes. The Shorter and Fix transforms tighten a spoken draft's wording on-device, and a saved edit keeps the original dictated words for one-level revert.