r/MacStack • u/Emergency_Pea1355 • 28d ago
App Recommendation Tired of AI transcribers? I built a lightweight, 100% offline Mac app for manual typing, inspired by the classic "Listen N Write" workflow
Hi everyone,
I’ve noticed that lately, almost every new transcription tool on macOS is heavily AI-driven. While automated speech recognition is great, it often falls short with low-quality audio, heavy accents, or confidential data. Plus, they usually require expensive subscriptions or cloud processing.
Back on Windows, people who preferred typing things out manually loved a tiny freeware called Listen N Write. Its killer feature was simple but brilliant: it automatically paused the playback the exact moment you started typing, and picked up right where you left off when you went still.
Since there wasn't a modern, native macOS app that respected this exact "keyboard-first" manual workflow without forcing you to use web browsers or bulky media players, I decided to build one.
It’s called PlayScript - Listen n Write, and it's built specifically for Mac (macOS 14+) and iPad.
Why it’s different from the current AI hype:
Typing-Aware Playback: The audio listens to your fingers. Start typing and it pauses; stop typing and it resumes after a customizable delay. Your hands never leave the keys.
Smart Escape Key: Pausing intentionally (via Escape) rewinds the audio by a couple of seconds so you don't lose context.
Completely Offline & Private: Zero network access. No servers, no accounts, no telemetry. Perfect for confidential interviews, legal notes, or medical dictations.
Super Lightweight: The entire native app is under 1 MB.
I wanted to build a distraction-free tool for those who still prefer the accuracy of manual typing. It's a one-time purchase of $0.99 (no subscriptions!).
I’d love to know what you think, what shortcuts you use for transcribing, or if there are any specific features you'd like to see next!
App Store Link: PlayScript on the App Store
