> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stenox.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# OpenAI Whisper

> Official OpenAI Whisper API for cloud transcription

"og:title": "Stenox Docs"

<Warning>
  This is a **TRANSCRIPTION** provider. It converts your speech to text.
  For AI enhancement like grammar correction, see [AI Enhancement Providers](/providers/overview#ai-enhancement-providers).
</Warning>

## Overview

OpenAI Whisper API is the official cloud transcription service from OpenAI. It provides high-quality speech-to-text using the same Whisper model architecture that powers WhisperKit, but processed on OpenAI's servers.

**Key Benefits:**

* High accuracy across 100+ languages
* Automatic language detection
* Official OpenAI support and reliability
* Works on any Mac (no Apple Silicon required)

## Setup Instructions

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create OpenAI Account">
    Visit [platform.openai.com](https://platform.openai.com) and sign up or log in
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Payment Method">
    Go to **Settings** → **Billing** → Add a payment method

    <Note>
      OpenAI requires a payment method. Whisper API costs \~\$0.006 per minute of audio.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate API Key">
    Go to **API Keys** → **Create new secret key** → Copy the key immediately

    <Warning>
      API keys are shown only once. Store it securely before continuing.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add to Stenox">
    Open Stenox Settings → **Providers** tab → **OpenAI** → Paste your API key
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select as Transcription Provider">
    In your Profile settings, set **Transcription Provider** to **OpenAI Whisper**
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Pricing

OpenAI Whisper API is pay-per-use:

| Audio Duration | Cost      |
| -------------- | --------- |
| 1 minute       | \~\$0.006 |
| 10 minutes     | \~\$0.06  |
| 1 hour         | \~\$0.36  |
| 10 hours       | \~\$3.60  |

<Tip>
  For cost-effective cloud transcription, consider **Groq Whisper** (free tier) or **DeepGram** (\$200 free credits).
</Tip>

## Language Support

OpenAI Whisper supports 100+ languages:

* **European:** English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Russian
* **Asian:** Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian
* **Middle Eastern:** Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, Persian
* **And many more...**

Configure your preferred language in Profile settings, or use auto-detection.

## When to Use OpenAI Whisper

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="OpenAI Ecosystem" icon="layer-group">
    Already using OpenAI for other services (GPT-4, DALL-E, etc.)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multi-language" icon="globe">
    Need high-quality transcription across multiple languages
  </Card>

  <Card title="Intel Mac" icon="desktop">
    Running on Intel Mac where WhisperKit is slower
  </Card>

  <Card title="Official Support" icon="headset">
    Want the reliability of official OpenAI infrastructure
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## When to Consider Alternatives

* **Budget-conscious:** Groq Whisper offers free tier
* **Maximum privacy:** WhisperKit runs locally
* **Maximum accuracy:** DeepGram Nova-3 often outperforms

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Invalid API key error" icon="key">
    * Verify you copied the complete key
    * Check the key is active in OpenAI dashboard
    * Ensure billing is set up (required even for new accounts)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Rate limit exceeded" icon="clock">
    * OpenAI has usage limits based on account tier
    * Wait a few minutes or upgrade your account tier
    * Consider using Groq Whisper as a fallback
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Incorrect language" icon="language">
    * Set specific language in Profile settings instead of auto-detect
    * Ensure you're speaking clearly in the expected language
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Add AI Enhancement" icon="sparkles" href="/providers/llm/openai">
    Use OpenAI GPT-4o for text enhancement.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create Profiles" icon="sliders" href="/profiles/creating-profiles">
    Set up OpenAI for specific use cases.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>