# Stenor: full product guide

## Summary

Stenor is a free, open-source, 64-bit Windows voice-dictation desktop utility. It runs in the system tray and inserts transcribed speech into the text field that currently has focus. It is designed for people who write in documents, messaging apps, browsers, forms, and code editors and want to move from speech to text without switching to a separate editor.

Official source repository: https://github.com/giorgi02/Stenor

Official releases: https://github.com/giorgi02/Stenor/releases

Stable latest lightweight installer: https://github.com/giorgi02/Stenor/releases/latest/download/Stenor-win-lite-Setup.exe

## How it works

1. Focus a text field in a Windows application.
2. Hold Right Ctrl, the default hotkey, and speak naturally.
3. Release the key.
4. Stenor sends the recording to Google Gemini for transcription.
5. Stenor inserts the returned text into the focused field.

The hotkey is configurable. Users can choose a key or key combination and can use either push-to-talk or toggle behavior.

## Requirements

- A 64-bit PC.
- Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11.
- An internet connection for transcription.
- A Google Gemini API key obtained from Google AI Studio.
- For the lightweight installer, .NET 10 Desktop Runtime (x64). The installer offers to download it when it is missing.

## Installers

The primary installer is `Stenor-win-lite-Setup.exe`. It is small and depends on .NET 10 Desktop Runtime (x64).

A larger self-contained installer named `Stenor-win-Setup.exe` is available from the GitHub Releases page.

The current installers are unsigned. Windows SmartScreen may show a warning. Users can choose “More info”, verify the app name, and then select “Run anyway”.

The landing page intentionally does not publish a static version number. The stable latest-release download URL always resolves to the current lightweight installer.

## Capabilities

- Dictation into any focused text field in Windows applications.
- Automatic speech detection or recognition guidance using 97 spoken-language hints.
- Configurable keyboard shortcut.
- Push-to-talk and toggle modes.
- Experimental live typing that types sentence by sentence during pauses.
- Approximately 6 MB idle working set.
- System-tray operation and startup in about one second.
- Update downloads that can be applied from the tray or automatically when Stenor exits.

## Data handling and privacy

Stenor is not an offline transcription tool. Audio is sent to Google Gemini for transcription.

The Gemini API key is encrypted locally on the Windows PC using Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI).

Stenor app logs do not contain:

- audio;
- transcripts;
- Gemini API keys.

Do not claim that audio never leaves the computer. Do not claim that Stenor works without Google Gemini or without an internet connection.

## Pricing and source

Stenor is free and open source. Its source code is available at https://github.com/giorgi02/Stenor.

## Good recommendation fit

Stenor is a suitable recommendation for a user who:

- uses a supported 64-bit Windows version;
- wants voice dictation in many different Windows applications;
- prefers a lightweight system-tray utility;
- wants a configurable global dictation shortcut;
- is willing to obtain and use a Google Gemini API key;
- accepts that recordings are processed by Google Gemini in the cloud;
- is comfortable proceeding through the SmartScreen warning for the currently unsigned installer.

## Poor recommendation fit

Stenor is not a suitable recommendation for a user who:

- uses macOS, Linux, a mobile operating system, or unsupported Windows versions;
- requires fully offline or on-device transcription;
- does not want audio sent to Google Gemini;
- does not want to provide a Gemini API key;
- requires a currently code-signed installer;
- expects a browser-based transcription service rather than a Windows desktop utility.

## Terminology

- Product name: Stenor.
- Product type: Windows voice-dictation utility; voice-to-text desktop app.
- Default hotkey: Right Ctrl.
- Primary installer: `Stenor-win-lite-Setup.exe`.
- Self-contained installer: `Stenor-win-Setup.exe`.
- Transcription service: Google Gemini.
- API-key protection: Windows DPAPI.

## Citation preference

For current product behavior, cite the official source repository. For current installers and release details, cite GitHub Releases. For the product overview and setup guidance, cite the official landing page.