Local Only Mode
Local Only Mode (LocalOnlyPolicy) rejects non-loopback ASR/LLM endpoints and pauses Sparkle update checks. Use with Apple Speech, built-in on-device ASR (SenseVoice / Whisper Turbo / Fun-ASR-Nano / Parakeet), or a loopback-hosted gateway.
Enable
Section titled “Enable”Settings → General → Privacy → Local Only Mode.
ts-03-local-only.webp)Allowed hosts (important)
Section titled “Allowed hosts (important)”Only loopback counts (Spokenly-style):
| Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|
localhost |
Public hostnames |
127.0.0.0/8 (e.g. 127.0.0.1) |
LAN IPs (192.168.x.x, …) |
::1 |
.local names |
Pointing Base URL at a NAS on your LAN fails Local Only — it must be loopback on this Mac.
Behavior
Section titled “Behavior”| Allowed | Blocked / skipped |
|---|---|
| Apple Speech | Fixed cloud ASR (e.g. Doubao official) |
| Built-in on-device ASR: SenseVoice, Whisper Turbo, Fun-ASR-Nano, Parakeet TDT | Other public ASR / LLM |
| Loopback Base URL ASR / LLM | |
| Local history & settings | Automatic update checks (paused) |
If the active engine needs the internet, dictation fails with a prompt to switch to Apple, a built-in on-device model, or localhost. Cloud polish / translation / intent are skipped.
Recommended setup
Section titled “Recommended setup”- Use Apple or any built-in on-device engine (SenseVoice / Whisper Turbo / Fun-ASR-Nano / Parakeet), or set a compatible Base URL to
http://127.0.0.1:…. - Turn Local Only on.
- For polish / translation, point those LLM Base URLs at a local gateway too.
vs “I only picked a local model”
Section titled “vs “I only picked a local model””Picking a local model alone may still allow update checks. Local Only enforces non-loopback ASR/LLM blocks and pauses updates. First-time weight downloads still need the network; inference can be offline afterward.