Voice to text without an account or subscription

Parlo converts speech to text on iPhone and Mac without creating a Parlo account. Install on iPhone through the public TestFlight link or on Mac from a direct download, then start dictating. There is no sign-up form and no subscription. If you want history to sync between devices, it uses your own iCloud account, not one Parlo issues you.

By Eric Friedman. Last updated 2026-09-08.

Some voice dictation tools ask you to create an account, verify an email, or start a trial before you can use them at all. Parlo does not. This guide covers what "no account" actually means for Parlo and what a Parlo account would even be for. It also covers what installing without one looks like in practice.

Does Parlo require an account to use?

No. There is no Parlo account, no username, and no password. Install Parlo for iPhone through the public TestFlight link, or install Parlo for Mac from the notarized download on the beta page. Both apps work as soon as they are installed. Dictation, cleanup, and your local history all work the moment you grant the microphone permission they ask for. There is nothing to register and no profile page to fill in first.

What would a Parlo account even be for?

Some voice apps use an account to hold your transcripts on their own servers or meter usage against a plan. Others sync settings through their own infrastructure. Parlo does none of those things. Your dictations are stored on your device, so there is no server-side copy that needs a login to reach. Sync, when you turn it on, moves through your own private iCloud database rather than a Parlo-run one. There is nothing for a Parlo account to gate.

How do you install Parlo without signing up?

1. Open the beta page and choose your device.
2. On iPhone, open the public TestFlight link and install through TestFlight. On Mac, download the notarized .dmg and drag Parlo into Applications.
3. Open the app, grant the permissions it asks for, and start dictating.

None of these steps create an account with Parlo. TestFlight and the direct Mac download are both distribution methods, not sign-up flows. The first time you dictate, the app may ask to download Apple's on-device speech model, a one-time system download rather than a Parlo login step.

What does "free during the beta" mean?

The beta costs nothing. Neither app contains purchase or subscription code, so there is no plan to pick, no trial to start, and no card to enter. This is true for every feature in the current beta, including cleanup, the custom dictionary, and history.

Does sync need an account?

Sync needs your own iCloud identity, not a Parlo account. On iPhone, Sign in with Apple is optional and only used to establish sync identity. On Mac, sync keys off the system iCloud account you are already signed into. Nothing syncs unless the device has an iCloud identity. A device that is signed out of iCloud, or an iPhone where you skip Sign in with Apple, runs in a fully functional local-only mode. History sync is end-to-end encrypted through your private iCloud and on by default. You can turn it off in Settings at any time, or simply not sign in.

A separate Local only privacy mode also exists in Settings. Turning it on keeps every dictation on the device even if you are signed into iCloud for another reason. Signing in later for something else does not quietly turn sync back on.

Is my dictated text tied to an account anywhere?

No. There is no Parlo account and no server of ours that holds your content. Your local history is encrypted at rest under a key that stays on that device. It is not in iCloud Keychain and not in your backups. If sync is on, transcripts are encrypted on the device before they ever reach iCloud. The copy in your private CloudKit database is ciphertext that only your own devices can read. Data collected by the developer is none. Your content stays in your own iCloud, under your own Apple Account, not a Parlo one.

Can you delete everything without contacting anyone?

Yes. Settings can delete your synced dictations, dictionary, and preferences from iCloud and sign you out, without a support request or an account deletion form. Local notes on the device stay unless you delete them separately in the app. There is no account for Parlo to close on its end, since there was never one to open.

What if I lose access to my iCloud account?

The synced copy of your history is encrypted with a key kept in your iCloud Keychain, not on a Parlo server. If you lose every device and your iCloud Keychain together, that synced, encrypted history cannot be recovered. There is no Parlo account or Parlo server holding a copy of the key. This is the tradeoff of having no account at all: nobody, including Parlo, can reset a password or restore access on your behalf. Keeping at least one device signed in with iCloud Keychain avoids this outcome.

Does no account mean no support if something breaks?

No. Feedback goes by email to beta@parlokey.com, not through an account-based support ticket system. Reply with what happened, your device, and what you expected instead. You do not need to sign in anywhere to send a report or ask a question about the beta.

Is a no-account beta safe to rely on?

It is a beta, and rough edges are listed on the beta page. Dictation, cleanup, and local history work every day for our testers without any sign-up step. The lack of an account does not change how carefully your content is handled. If something does not behave the way this guide describes, reply to beta@parlokey.com with what happened and which device you were using.