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Yes—Ubuntu’s Myna speech-to-text preview can dictate offline after you install a recognition model. The model runs on your computer, and Canonical says transcription needs no internet connection once the model has been downloaded. Canonical also says audio is not uploaded or stored.
The answer about languages is less specific: Myna can use engines such as Parakeet, Whisper and FunASR, but the current preview announcement does not publish a complete, authoritative language list. The languages available, recognition quality and hardware needs depend on the exact model you select. Check the model documentation or the language choices shown by your installed Myna version before depending on it for a particular language, dialect or accent.
What “offline” means in Ubuntu Myna
Myna’s offline capability begins after setup. You need an internet connection to install the preview and download at least one speech-recognition model. Once that model is stored locally, transcription can continue without a network connection.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesDuring dictation, speech is processed on the Ubuntu computer rather than sent to a cloud service. Canonical’s 12 October 2026 preview announcement states that speech recognition runs entirely on the machine, that no internet connection is required after model download, and that audio is not uploaded or stored. Earlier project material describes explicit microphone activation, in-memory audio processing and discarded audio.
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This does not mean every part of Myna’s lifecycle is offline. Package installation, updates and any later model downloads still require connectivity. If you remove the only installed model, change to a model that has not been downloaded, or reinstall the system, you will need to go online again for those files.
- Online prerequisite: install Myna and download the recognition model while connected.
- Offline operation: start dictation and transcribe with the locally installed model.
- Privacy scope: Canonical describes local inference and says audio is not uploaded or stored.
- Ongoing maintenance: package and model updates are separate from day-to-day offline transcription.
Which Ubuntu systems are covered by the current preview?
The October 2026 announcement describes Myna as an optional technology preview, not a feature guaranteed on every Ubuntu installation. It lists these combinations:
| Component | Preview scope stated by Canonical | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu releases | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Ubuntu 26.10 | Preview requirements can change as packages are revised. |
| CPU architecture | amd64 and amd64v3 | Confirm that your system matches one of the listed architectures. |
| Desktop and display stack | GNOME running on Wayland | Do not assume equivalent support on another desktop environment or an X11 session. |
These details describe the configuration named in the announcement; they are not a promise that every Ubuntu flavor, architecture or display session is supported. If your computer uses a different desktop or display stack, treat compatibility as unconfirmed until the current Myna documentation says otherwise.
Myna is also not installed by default as part of Ubuntu 26.04 Desktop. The Ubuntu “AI on Ubuntu” wiki says a fresh 26.04 Desktop installation contains no built-in AI tooling. The preview is an optional installation that you add yourself.
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What languages does Ubuntu voice dictation support?
The most accurate answer is “the languages supported by the selected recognition model.” Myna is an integration layer rather than one single speech model. Canonical names Parakeet, Whisper and FunASR as engines that Myna can use, and each engine or model variant can have different language coverage, accuracy and hardware requirements.
The current launch announcement does not provide an exhaustive language-by-language table. The project introduction says that language coverage is driven by the underlying model and that performance varies substantially by language. Therefore, it would be misleading to publish a fixed list of languages as though every Myna installation supported them equally.
Why the model matters
Two computers running Myna can offer different language choices if they have different models installed. A model may support a language in principle but deliver weaker results for a particular accent, technical vocabulary or speaking style. Model size also affects memory use, speed and the hardware required for acceptable latency.
How to verify a language before relying on it
- Install Myna and open its configuration utility,
myna-config, while the computer is online. - Inspect the recognition engines and model variants available for your installation.
- Check the language selection exposed for the exact model you intend to download. Use the model’s current documentation for a definitive language and variant list.
- Run a short test using your normal accent and vocabulary before using dictation for long documents or accessibility-critical work.
- Keep a locally downloaded model for each language you need so switching languages does not require an internet connection.
A Myna integration specification describes configurable dictation-language selection and a proposed default to the desktop display language when a supported model exists. That specification is design material, not a definitive catalogue of languages currently packaged in the preview. Automatic language detection is outside the initial scope, so do not expect Myna to switch languages reliably by itself during a session.
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How the available engines differ
Canonical identifies three engine families in the preview. The available sources do not provide a current, measured ranking, so the useful comparison is what to investigate rather than which engine is “best.”
| Engine named by Canonical | Established information | Questions to answer for your use |
|---|---|---|
| Parakeet | Available as one of Myna’s recognition engines. | Does the offered model include your language and accent, and can your CPU or GPU run it comfortably? |
| Whisper | Available as one of Myna’s recognition engines. | Which packaged variant is offered, what is its memory demand, and how accurate is it for your vocabulary? |
| FunASR | Available as one of Myna’s recognition engines. | Does the selected model cover your language variant and provide acceptable latency on your hardware? |
Use four decision axes when choosing among models:
- Language and variant: verify the exact language, regional variant and script offered by the model package.
- Recognition quality: test names, specialist terms, punctuation and accents that occur in your real work.
- Model size and resources: larger models can require more memory and processing capacity; smaller ones may respond faster but make more errors.
- Latency and acceleration: compare how quickly speech appears on your computer. A supported NVIDIA GPU may enable a GPU-accelerated engine; additional accelerator support was described as planned, not as a current guarantee.
How to install and use offline dictation
The exact package commands and settings can change during a technology preview. Canonical’s October directions use the canonical-desktop-team/myna PPA and the myna-config utility. Follow the current commands in that announcement for your Ubuntu release rather than copying an installation command intended for another version.
- Confirm the platform. Check that you are on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, 26.04 LTS or 26.10, with amd64 or amd64v3 architecture, GNOME and Wayland as listed for the preview.
- Install the preview while online. Add the
canonical-desktop-team/mynaPPA and install the Myna packages using Canonical’s current instructions. - Open configuration. Run
myna-configand review the engines, model choices, microphone and keyboard shortcut exposed by your installed version. - Download a model. Select a model that explicitly covers the language you need and let the download finish before disconnecting from the internet. This is the critical step for later offline use.
- Set the language and model. Choose the language supported by that model. Do not assume the desktop display language is available unless Myna shows a matching model.
- Prepare the microphone. Use a working built-in microphone or an optional USB microphone. The reviewed Canonical material does not require a particular external microphone or endorse a specific device.
- Focus a text field. Click inside the application where you want words inserted, such as a document editor, email composer or terminal prompt that accepts text.
- Start dictation. Press the configured shortcut, speak normally, and watch for recognized text to be inserted into the active application.
- Stop dictation. Use the configured stop or toggle action. Myna’s stated role is to insert recognized speech into the focused text field, not to execute desktop commands.
- Test without connectivity. Disconnect from the network and repeat a short dictation. If it works, the selected model is available locally; reconnect later only when you need updates or another model.
Troubleshooting offline dictation
It works online but fails offline
The usual explanation is that the model was not completely downloaded or that Myna is configured to use a different model than the one stored locally. Reconnect, open myna-config, verify the selected model and allow its installation to finish. Then test again with networking disabled.
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Your language is not listed
Language availability is model-dependent. Check every engine and model variant offered by your installation rather than assuming that the engine’s general reputation guarantees support. If no offered model lists your language, Myna’s current preview cannot be relied on for it.
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Recognition is inaccurate
Test another available model, if your hardware can run it, and compare results using your actual accent and vocabulary. Check microphone placement and input level. A model can support a language while still performing poorly for a specific accent or specialist terminology; Canonical does not publish one accuracy figure that applies to all languages.
Words are not inserted
Make sure the intended application has focus before pressing the shortcut, and confirm that the microphone is available to the session. Myna is designed to type recognized speech into the active text field; it is not a general voice-control layer.
The computer becomes slow
Speech models trade off size, speed, accuracy and hardware demand. Try a smaller model or an engine that your CPU handles better. If your system has a supported NVIDIA GPU, the preview may offer an accelerated engine, but availability depends on the exact model and configuration.
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What Myna does—and does not do
Myna is a local dictation tool. Its documented workflow is explicit microphone activation, speech recognition and insertion of text into the focused application. It is not presented as a voice assistant, a command interface for controlling the desktop, a translation service or an automatic language-detection system. Those capabilities were outside the initial project scope.
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That distinction matters for privacy and expectations. Offline dictation can keep audio on the computer, but it will not open applications, answer general questions or operate menus by voice unless a separate tool provides those functions.
Hardware, microphone and cost considerations
The reviewed Canonical material does not state a purchase price for Myna or require a particular microphone. A usable built-in microphone is sufficient in principle; a generic USB microphone is an optional alternative if your computer lacks one or produces poor input.
Hardware requirements vary with the selected engine and model. Canonical specifically calls out trade-offs in model size, speed, accuracy and hardware demand. A supported NVIDIA GPU may enable acceleration, while other accelerator support was described as planned. Because no universal benchmark is published, test the model on your own computer and workload instead of relying on a single performance claim.
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Ubuntu’s Myna technology preview does support offline voice dictation, but only after you install the preview and download a recognition model. The model runs locally and Canonical says audio is not uploaded or stored. There is no single official language list for Myna: Parakeet, Whisper and FunASR models can differ in language coverage, accuracy and hardware needs. Select and test the exact model shown by your installation, and treat support outside Ubuntu’s listed GNOME-on-Wayland amd64 configurations as unconfirmed.
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