I discovered offline transcription by accident.
I was on a flight to Denver, phone in Airplane Mode, when an idea hit about a project I'd been stuck on for weeks. I opened Brain Dump expecting an error message. Instead, text started appearing on screen as I spoke.
That's when I realized: this works everywhere. No connection needed.
Why offline capture matters
Your best ideas don't wait for wifi:
- On flights (the classic use case)
- In subway tunnels
- In basement conference rooms with no signal
- In rural areas with spotty coverage
- When you want complete privacy (nothing can be uploaded if there's no connection)
If your note-taking tool requires internet, you're at the mercy of connectivity. With on-device transcription, you're not.
How it works
Brain Dump uses Apple's on-device speech recognition. The transcription engine runs entirely on your iPhone's Neural Engine — the same chip that processes Face ID and photo recognition.
When you speak:
- Your voice is processed locally
- Text appears on screen in real-time
- The note saves to local storage
- When you reconnect, iCloud syncs it to your other devices
The transcription quality is identical whether you're online or offline. Same accuracy, same speed, zero difference.
The privacy benefit
When you're in Airplane Mode, your notes literally cannot leave your device. The physics of it makes privacy guaranteed.
This is useful when:
- Recording sensitive work thoughts
- Journaling about personal topics
- Capturing ideas you're not ready to share
- Testing whether an app actually transcribes on-device (if it works offline, it's truly local)
See the privacy guide for more details on how data flows.
Tips for better offline capture
Speak in short sentences with pauses The transcription engine segments your speech based on pauses. Short sentences with natural breaks give it clear boundaries to work with.
Bad: "I've been thinking about the project and how we could restructure the timeline to account for the API delays and maybe shift some features to next quarter if we can get buy-in from stakeholders."
Better: "Thinking about the project timeline. The API delays are pushing everything back. We should move some features to next quarter. Need to get stakeholder buy-in first."
Add technical terms to the custom dictionary before you fly If you know you'll be discussing specific products, names, or jargon, add them to the custom dictionary while you still have connection.
The dictionary syncs via iCloud and works offline once it's on your device.
Keep the phone 15-25cm from your mouth Airplane cabin noise (engines, air circulation) can interfere with transcription. Holding the phone at the right distance helps your voice cut through the background.
Too close: muffled and popping sounds Too far: cabin noise competes with your voice Just right: clean signal
Use wired EarPods for longer recordings If you're doing a long brain dump (10+ minutes), wired EarPods keep the mic position consistent and reduce background noise.
Wireless works too, but wired is more reliable in noisy environments.
What syncs when you reconnect
When you turn off Airplane Mode or reconnect to wifi:
- Your note files sync to iCloud — Usually within 30-60 seconds
- The files appear on your other devices — Mac, iPad, other iPhones
- Nothing is uploaded to external servers — Unless you explicitly enable AI polish features
You don't have to do anything. iCloud handles it automatically.
Real-world scenarios
Cross-country flight I recorded 8 notes during a 5-hour flight. Project ideas, article outlines, meeting prep. When I landed and turned cellular back on, all 8 notes synced to my Mac before I got off the plane.
Basement conference room Our office basement conference room has zero signal. I used to fumble with paper notes during meetings. Now I just speak into Brain Dump. Notes sync when I go back upstairs.
Rural cabin retreat Spent a weekend off-grid. Journaled every morning in Airplane Mode. When I drove back into cell coverage, a week of journal entries synced automatically.
How to test this yourself
Don't take my word for it. Test it:
- Put your phone in Airplane Mode
- Open Brain Dump
- Record a short note (30 seconds)
- Watch text appear as you speak
- Turn Airplane Mode off
- Check your Mac or iPad — the note should appear within a minute
If it works, you'll know offline transcription is real. And you'll never worry about connectivity again.
Troubleshooting
Text appears but doesn't sync later Make sure iCloud Drive is enabled for Brain Dump: Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → iCloud Drive → Brain Dump (should be toggled on)
Names and technical terms are wrong On-device recognition is optimized for common words. Add uncommon terms to your custom dictionary before going offline.
Transcription seems slower offline It shouldn't be. If anything, offline is faster because there's no network latency. If it's slow, close other apps that might be using CPU.
The confidence this gives you
I used to avoid voice notes in situations without wifi. Now I don't think about connectivity at all.
Flight delayed? Journal about it. Stuck in a basement? Capture meeting notes. Off-grid retreat? Morning pages every day.
The tool works everywhere. That's the whole point.
Related guides:
- Privacy and on-device transcription for how your data flows
- Voice dictation tips for better accuracy
- Custom dictionary for adding jargon before you go offline