Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Flunkey. Can't find what you are looking for? Contact us at flunkeymanager@gmail.com.
Flunkey is a secure, lightweight desktop voice assistant built for Windows using Tauri, React, and TypeScript. It enables local voice-driven productivity by combining voice dictation directly to your cursor (F8) and floating AI chat overlays (F9) using your own Groq API key.
Yes. Flunkey itself is completely free to download and use. It runs on a Bring-Your-Own-Key (BYOK) model, meaning you only pay for your own Groq API usage. Groq provides generous free tiers and very low pricing, making it practically free for normal usage.
Yes. Flunkey operates under a Bring Your Own Key model. To transcribe speech or chat with AI, you must obtain a Groq API key from groq.com and configure it in the app. Your API key is stored strictly locally on your machine.
No. While Flunkey stores all your settings, preferences, transcripts, and chat histories offline locally on your device, it requires an active internet connection to communicate directly with Groq's APIs for transcription and AI responses.
F8 activates voice-to-cursor dictation: hold F8, speak, and the transcription will be pasted directly into your active text cursor. F9 activates voice-to-AI chat: hold F9 to ask a question, and the streaming AI response will appear in a floating overlay window.
No. Your voice audio is recorded locally only while you hold the configured hotkey. It is sent directly to Groq's Whisper API using your API key for transcription. It is never sent to our servers, nor shared with any other third party.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking is a heavy, expensive commercial dictation software that runs locally on your PC. Flunkey is a free, modern, lightweight Tauri utility that uses cloud-based Whisper models via Groq for ultra-fast, high-accuracy transcription, and includes a floating AI assistant (F9) to support your creative workflows.
All configuration settings, your Groq API key, transcripts, and AI chat histories are stored strictly locally on your computer inside the Windows AppData directory. Flunkey does not run cloud databases, nor does it upload or sync your logs to remote servers.
You can sign up for a developer account at groq.com. Navigate to their console, generate an API key, copy it, and paste it into Flunkey's onboarding screen or settings page. Groq keys are stored locally and are never shared with us.
No. Flunkey is designed with a strict zero-telemetry policy. We do not gather analytics, track usage counts, compile crash reports, or collect device metadata. All network requests are made directly from your device to the Groq API.
Flunkey is built as a native Tauri application compiled for Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit systems). It leverages Tauri's low memory footprint, running at under 50MB of RAM.
Make sure you have granted the application accessibility/paste permissions in Windows if prompted. Additionally, ensure the cursor is actively focused inside a text area before holding the F8 hotkey. If issues persist, check your Groq API key validity in Settings.