Getting Started with QuickSay Beta
Install QuickSay, set up your free Groq API key, and start dictating in under 5 minutes.
Install QuickSay
Run the installer — it takes about 30 seconds. QuickSay is ~105 MB — no bloat, no background services.
Browser & Windows Warnings
Chrome may warn that QuickSay "isn't commonly downloaded." This is normal for new software — Chrome shows this for any app that hasn't been downloaded thousands of times yet. Click the ^ arrow next to the download, then select "Keep" to proceed.
Windows SmartScreen may also show a warning when you run the installer. Click "More info" then "Run anyway".
QuickSay is digitally signed with Microsoft Azure Trusted Signing and verified clean on VirusTotal. These warnings disappear as more people download the app.
System Requirements
- Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
- Internet connection required
- Any microphone (built-in, USB, or Bluetooth)
Get Your Free Groq API Key
QuickSay uses a Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) model. You connect your own free Groq account — this means your API usage is yours to control, and QuickSay never touches your data or billing.
Go to console.groq.com and create a free account. You can sign in with Google or use your email.
Once logged in, navigate to API Keys in the left sidebar.
Click "Create API Key" and give it a name (e.g., "QuickSay").
Copy the key. It starts with gsk_...
Keep this key safe — you'll paste it into QuickSay in the next step.
Free tier is generous. Groq's free tier gives you roughly 8 hours of daily transcription — more than enough for most users. You'll likely never need to pay for API usage.
Paste your key here to copy it for the next step:
Client-side only — nothing is sent anywhere.
Configure QuickSay
When you first launch QuickSay, the onboarding wizard walks you through setup. Paste your Groq API key when prompted — QuickSay validates it immediately.
The default trigger is Left Ctrl + Win — you can change this anytime in settings.
Hot Key Mode
Hold down your shortcut key to talk, release to stop. Like a walkie-talkie.
Sticky Key Mode
Press once to start, press again to stop. Like record/stop.
Not sure which to use? Start with Hot Key mode — most people find it more intuitive. You can switch anytime.
While you're in settings, explore Smart Modes (context-aware formatting for code, email, chat, etc.) and Custom Dictionary (teach QuickSay your terminology, names, and jargon).
Your First Dictation
Open any app — VS Code, Google Docs, Word, Slack, Teams, Notion, Outlook — anywhere you type. Click where you want text to appear, then hold your trigger shortcut and speak.
- Click into any text field
- Hold Left Ctrl + Win (or your custom shortcut)
- Speak naturally
- Release to stop — your text appears in under a second
What you say
"okay so uh create a function that takes a list of numbers and returns the average but make sure to handle the empty list case"
QuickSay output
Create a function that accepts a list of numbers and returns their average. Handle the empty list edge case.
Speak naturally. QuickSay handles "um", "uh", and incomplete sentences. Say "period", "comma", "new line", or "question mark" and Whisper understands them naturally.
Share Your Feedback
After you've used QuickSay for a day or two, we'd love to hear from you. What's working well? What's frustrating? What features would make it indispensable?
It takes about 5 minutes and helps us make QuickSay better for everyone.
Troubleshooting
Check your system tray (bottom-right of your taskbar — click the ^ arrow to see hidden icons). If QuickSay isn't there, try running it as administrator: right-click the QuickSay shortcut and select 'Run as administrator'. If it still doesn't appear, restart your computer and try again.
This is normal for newer software. In Chrome: click the ^ arrow next to the download and select 'Keep'. For Windows SmartScreen: click 'More info', then 'Run anyway'. QuickSay is digitally signed with Microsoft Azure Trusted Signing, but browsers and Windows base their warnings on download reputation — new software hasn't been downloaded enough times yet to bypass these automatically. The warnings will disappear over time.
Make sure there are no extra spaces before or after the key when you paste it. The key should start with gsk_ — if it doesn't, you may have copied the wrong value from the Groq dashboard. Double-check that your Groq account is verified (check your email for a confirmation link).
Open Windows Settings > Privacy > Microphone and make sure microphone access is enabled for desktop apps. Then check QuickSay's audio settings to confirm the correct microphone is selected — if you have multiple mics (laptop built-in, headset, etc.), the wrong one may be active.
QuickSay types wherever your cursor is currently active. Before dictating, click into the text field where you want the text to appear. If you're using multiple monitors, make sure the target app has focus. QuickSay doesn't track or switch windows — it simply pastes at the cursor position.
Check your internet connection — QuickSay needs a stable connection to reach Groq's servers. If your connection is fine, Groq may be experiencing momentary latency (rare, but it happens). Try again in a minute. Typical round-trip time is under 500 milliseconds.
Questions? Bugs? Ideas?
Reach out directly — I read every message personally.
— Adrian