In short
In the settings under “Advanced” → “AI provider”, switch to “Own API key”, then add your provider and key in the “Models” tab. Zack Typing sends recordings and chip requests straight from your PC to that provider. Your provider bills you, and no Zack credits are used.
- Speech recognition
- OpenAI, OpenRouter, Groq, Mistral or a compatible server
- Text editing
- Also DeepSeek, xAI, Ollama or LM Studio
- Billing
- By your provider, no Zack credits
- Zack account
- Not needed
Step by step
- Open the settings, choose “Advanced”, expand “AI provider” and select “Own API key”. Confirm with “Switch”.
- Open the new “Models” tab. Under “Custom providers”, pick your provider in “Add provider”, for example Groq, and click “Add”.
- Enter your “API key” and click “Check”. “Working” means the provider accepted the key.
- Under “Speech recognition”, choose this provider and a model. Under “Text editing”, choose a provider and model for the chips.
- Place your cursor in any app and dictate with Ctrl+Space as usual.
Which providers can you use?
| Provider | Speech recognition | Text editing |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI, OpenRouter, Groq, Mistral | Yes | Yes |
| DeepSeek, xAI | No | Yes |
| Ollama, LM Studio (on your PC) | No | Yes |
| Custom (compatible server) | Yes | Yes |
If no model list appears, choose “Custom model ID…” and type the model name from your provider’s documentation.
What is the key used for?
“Speech recognition” turns your dictations and audio files into text. “Text editing” runs chips such as “Improve” and “Shorten” and names your dictations. Without a text model, dictation still works, and the chips show “No text model”.
Not every model accepts your custom instructions or dictionary terms. If they are left out, the dictation shows “Own instructions not applied” or “Dictionary not passed on”.
Can you use a server on your own PC?
Yes. Add “Custom” and enter the server’s “Base URL”, for example http://localhost:11434/v1. Local addresses need no API key; all other addresses must start with https.
Ollama and LM Studio run text models on your PC and work for “Text editing”. For speech recognition without any provider, Zack Typing has its own offline models.
Own API key or Zack credits?
| Zack Software | Own API key | |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-in | Zack account | Not needed |
| Billing | Zack credits | Your provider’s prices |
| Setup | None | Provider, model and key |
| Audio files | Free: up to 2 minutes | Up to 40 minutes and 64 MB |
| Requests go to | Zack’s service | Your provider, straight from your PC |
Related questions
Is dictating with my own key free?
Zack Typing uses no credits, but your provider charges at its prices. A failed attempt can still be charged by your provider.
Can I switch back to Zack credits?
Yes. Select “Zack Software” under “Advanced” → “AI provider”. Your providers and keys stay saved for later.
Where is my API key stored?
On your PC. “Delete provider” removes a provider together with its saved key, and “Reset all data” removes all keys.
What does “Your provider rejected the API key” mean?
The key is wrong, expired or belongs to another provider. Create a new key in your provider account, store it and click “Check” again.