Yak

What Is Yak

Yak is a desktop voice interface that converts your speech into text and commands across any application on your Mac. Unlike basic speech-to-text tools, Yak uses multimodal AI to automatically polish your voice input — removing filler words, fixing self-corrections, and formatting numbers and symbols correctly. You speak naturally, and Yak handles the cleanup. It also adapts its output style based on which app you're using, switching between casual iMessage tone and formal email formatting without you lifting a finger.

Key Capabilities

AI Auto-Edit for Clean Output

Yak doesn't just transcribe — it refines. When you speak with natural pauses, hesitations, and corrections, Yak's AI automatically removes filler words like "um" and "uh," fixes self-corrections on the fly, and properly formats numbers, symbols, and special characters. You get polished text ready to send, without manual editing.

Adaptive Styles Per Application

The tool detects which app is active and adjusts its output accordingly. Casual messaging in iMessage stays casual. Email in Mail.app gets proper formatting. Documents in Notion follow document conventions. You can also create custom styles and fine-tune which style each application uses.

AI Command Mode for Transformations

Select any text in any app, then speak a command to transform it. Make it shorter, longer, change the tone, translate to another language, or rewrite entirely. This works as your personal AI editor that lives inside every application you use.

Personal Dictionary

Yak learns the names, terms, and expressions that matter to you. It auto-learns from your usage, or you can add entries manually. This vocabulary carries across all apps and contexts, reducing recognition errors for domain-specific terms.

Privacy-First Architecture

Your voice data is never stored, trained on, or reviewed. Audio is processed through Vertex AI and immediately discarded — zero retention. All recordings stay local on your device. Yak is compliant with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA standards.

Who Is It For

Yak targets Mac users who spend significant time typing and want to speed up their workflow through voice. The homepage specifically appeals to developers doing "vibe coding," but the tool works for anyone who writes emails, messages, documents, or code. It's particularly useful for:

• Developers who want to dictate code and technical content without stopping to type
• Professionals who write lengthy emails or documents daily
• Users who find typing painful or want to reduce keyboard dependency
• Multilingual speakers who need voice input in 100+ languages

Pricing Overview

Yak offers two tiers. The Free plan costs $0 forever and includes 100 cloud AI requests per week, standard processing, custom dictionary, BYOK mode, 100+ languages, proxy relay access, and support for up to 3 devices with a 5-minute maximum per recording. Yak Pro is $12 per month when billed annually ($144/year) or $15 per month for monthly billing. Pro includes unlimited cloud AI, priority processing, and priority support. A 30-day Pro trial is available with no credit card required.

Getting Started

Yak requires macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer and works on both Apple Silicon (M1-M4) and Intel Macs. Download the installer from the website, install the app, and press Space to start recording. The browser demo lets you try basic voice-to-email functionality before downloading. Windows and Linux versions are in development.

Performance Claims

The homepage claims speaking is 4x faster than typing — 220 words per minute with Yak versus 45 words per minute on a keyboard. This translates to roughly one day saved per week for heavy users, though your actual results will depend on your speaking speed, accent, and workflow.