Get Started

Welcome to Flunkey

Flunkey is a free, open-source, local-first voice-activated AI assistant for Windows (v1.0.0, MIT). This guide takes you from zero to your first dictation in about five minutes.

Prerequisites

Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, with a working microphone
WebView2 runtime (preinstalled on most up-to-date Windows systems)
Optional: cloud-provider keys for cloud models. Local Whisper can transcribe speech and Ollama can run local AI models without a cloud key. See API Keys & Providers.
Basic comfort with holding a hotkey while you talk — that is the whole UX

Flunkey routes cloud requests to the provider you assign to each task; local Whisper and Ollama keep those tasks on-device or on your configured Ollama server. There is no Flunkey AI proxy. The core triangle: F8 dictates at your cursor, F9 answers in a side overlay, F10 rewrites what you selected.

No accounts, no servers

Flunkey has no accounts, no first-party AI proxy, and no analytics. If you choose cloud providers, keys are stored in Windows Credential Manager and requests go directly to those providers. Local models do not need cloud provider keys.

Setup

1
Step 1 · Install
Pick your path on the Installation page: Microsoft Store (recommended, auto-updates), the GitHub release installer (direct .exe, expect a SmartScreen bypass), or a source build. Microsoft Store manages installation and updates.
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Step 2 · Choose models
Use local Whisper for on-device transcription and Ollama for local AI tasks, or add and test keys for any cloud providers you want to use. Cloud keys are stored in Credential Manager, never in app data files.
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Step 3 · Test the pill
Click any text field, hold F8, say “testing one two three”, and release. The pill lights up, sounds confirm start/stop, and text pastes at your cursor.
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Step 4 · Try F9 and F10
Hold F9 and ask a question to see the side overlay. Select some text, hold F10, and say “make this formal” to see in-place replacement.

Settings storage locations

Credentials : Windows Credential Manager → Flunkey service
History     : %LOCALAPPDATA%\com.flunkey.desktop
Wipe data   : Settings → Wipe all data

Your first dictation

Open your email client, hold F8, and speak the reply the way you would say it out loud — pauses, filler words, and mid-sentence corrections included. Flunkey removes the filler, fixes punctuation, and pastes the polished result. Try correcting yourself on purpose (“Tuesday… actually Wednesday”) and watch the final text keep only what you meant.

Hands-free mode

Double-tap F8 to record without holding. Confirm or cancel directly in the pill — useful for long drafts.

Next steps

Dictating with F8 — vocabulary, per-app paste, hands-free
Asking AI with F9 — overlay, markdown, continuous mode
Transforming with F10 — tone, fixes, translation
Troubleshooting — mic, keys, paste issues

Stuck? Email flunkeymanager@gmail.com or DM @flunkeymanager on Instagram.

Installation & Setup