Custom Vocabulary & Text Macros

Teach StarWhisper your personal terminology, company names, and shorthand phrases. Custom vocabulary corrects common misrecognitions, while text macros expand short triggers into longer text.

Custom Vocabulary

The custom vocabulary feature corrects words that Whisper frequently gets wrong. This is especially useful for proper nouns, brand names, technical terms, and non-English words.

How It Works

There are two types of entries (one per line):

  1. Fuzzy match — Just type the correct word. StarWhisper will catch similar-sounding variations.
  2. Exact replacement — Use arrow syntax: wrong → right. Only replaces the exact wrong word.

Examples

Entry What It Catches Result
StarWhisper "star whisper", "star wisper", "starwhisper" StarWhisper
Kubernetes "kubernetes", "cubernetes", "kuber netes" Kubernetes
HIPAA "hippa", "hipaa", "hip a" HIPAA
wisper → Whisper Only exact "wisper" Whisper
clod → Claude Only exact "clod" Claude

Matching Sensitivity

The matching sensitivity slider (50–95%) controls how aggressively fuzzy matching works:

Setting Behavior Best For
50–65% (Loose) Catches many variations, may have false matches Heavy accents, unusual terms
65–80% (Balanced) Good balance of corrections vs. accuracy Most users (default: 70%)
80–95% (Strict) Only catches very close matches Precise vocabulary with similar words

Start with the Default

Start with the default (70%) and adjust if you notice too many false corrections or too many missed words.

Text Macros

Text macros expand short trigger phrases into longer text. When StarWhisper detects a macro trigger in your transcription, it replaces it with the full expansion.

Format

Each macro goes on its own line: trigger → expansion

Examples

Trigger Expansion Use Case
sig Best regards, John Smith Email signature
addr 123 Main Street, Suite 400, New York, NY 10001 Address insertion
ty Thank you for your time and consideration. Common phrase
fup I wanted to follow up on our previous conversation regarding Follow-up starter
disc Please note that this communication is confidential and intended solely for the addressee. Legal disclaimer

Choose Unique Triggers

Macro triggers should be short, unique words that you wouldn't normally say in conversation. Avoid common words like "the" or "and" as triggers.

Setting Up

  1. Right-click the StarWhisper circle → Settings
  2. Go to the Vocabulary tab
  3. Enter custom vocabulary words in the top text area (one per line)
  4. Enter text macros in the bottom text area (one per line, using → for expansions)
  5. Adjust the matching sensitivity slider if needed
  6. Click Save
Vocabulary tab with custom words and macros

The Vocabulary tab in Settings — custom vocabulary above, text macros below

Cloud Sync

If you use StarWhisper on multiple computers, your vocabulary and macros can sync automatically via Cloud Sync.

How to Enable

  1. Sign in to your account (Settings → Plan tab)
  2. Enable Cloud Sync
  3. Your vocabulary and macros will sync across all devices where you're signed in

Sync All Settings

Cloud Sync also syncs your other settings, so all your devices stay configured the same way.