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GPU Acceleration

StarWhisper can use your NVIDIA GPU to dramatically speed up transcription. GPU acceleration uses CUDA 11.8 technology for maximum compatibility, processing audio up to 10x faster than CPU-only transcription.

Benefits

Aspect CPU Only With GPU
Small Model ~30 seconds for 1 min audio ~3 seconds for 1 min audio
Large Model ~60 seconds for 1 min audio ~6 seconds for 1 min audio
CPU Usage High (20-50%) Low (5-10%)
System Responsiveness May slow down Unaffected

Requirements

Component Minimum Recommended
GPU NVIDIA GTX 900 series NVIDIA GTX 1600 series or newer
VRAM 2 GB 4+ GB
CUDA CUDA 11.8 CUDA 12.0
Driver 460.89+ 535.0+

Compatible GPUs

Supported Series

  • GeForce GTX 900 series (960, 970, 980, 980 Ti)
  • GeForce GTX 10 series (1050 Ti through 1080 Ti)
  • GeForce RTX 20 series (2060 through 2080 Ti)
  • GeForce RTX 30 series (3050 through 3090 Ti)
  • GeForce RTX 40 series (4060 through 4090)
  • Quadro/Workstation GPUs (recent models)

RTX 3090 Users

Some RTX 3090 cards require CUDA 11.8 specifically. If you experience issues, try the CUDA 11.8 build variant available on the download page.

Not Compatible

  • AMD GPUs (no CUDA support)
  • Intel integrated graphics
  • Very old NVIDIA GPUs (pre-900 series)
  • Mobile/Laptop GPUs (some support, limited VRAM)

Setup Instructions

Automatic Detection

  1. StarWhisper automatically detects compatible GPUs on startup
  2. If GPU is detected, you'll see a prompt to download the GPU Pack
  3. Click Download GPU Pack
  4. Wait for download (~528 MB)
  5. Restart StarWhisper when prompted

Manual Enable

  1. Right-click the recording circle
  2. Select Settings
  3. Go to Transcription tab
  4. Enable GPU Acceleration
  5. If GPU Pack not installed, click Download
  6. Restart StarWhisper

Microsoft Store Version

The Microsoft Store version requires a separate GPU Pack download:

  1. Open Store version of StarWhisper
  2. Go to Settings → Transcription
  3. Enable GPU Acceleration
  4. Click the download link for GPU Pack
  5. After download, restart StarWhisper

Standalone vs Store

The standalone installer includes GPU support (~528 MB larger). Store version downloads GPU Pack separately (~528 MB).

Troubleshooting

GPU Not Detected

Issue Solution
No compatible GPU Use CPU-only transcription (works on all computers)
Driver outdated Update NVIDIA drivers from nvidia.com/drivers
GPU in hybrid laptop Ensure NVIDIA GPU is active (not using integrated Intel)
BIOS/UEFI setting Enable "Discrete Graphics" in BIOS settings

Download Fails

  • Check internet connection
  • Temporarily disable firewall/antivirus
  • Try different network (work networks may block)
  • Download manually from starwhisper.ai/downloads

Crashes or Errors

  • Disable GPU acceleration temporarily
  • Update NVIDIA drivers to latest version
  • Check VRAM isn't maxed by other apps
  • Restart StarWhisper and try again

Performance Tips

  • Close GPU-intensive apps (games, 3D software) during transcription
  • Monitor GPU usage in Task Manager → Performance tab
  • For laptops, use power mode "High performance"
  • Ensure laptop is plugged in for best GPU performance

Disabling GPU Acceleration

If you prefer CPU-only mode:

  1. Right-click the recording circle
  2. Select Settings
  3. Go to Transcription tab
  4. Disable GPU Acceleration
  5. Restart StarWhisper