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v0.8.0

KoljaB/RealtimeSTTv0.8.0Mar 23, 2026by github-actions[bot]

AI Summary

This release brings significant speed improvements to Whisper models (up to 2x faster) and ensures audio recordings are saved even if transcription fails. It includes a DB upgrade that is not backwards compatible, requiring users to delete their DB if they downgrade.

Key Highlights

  • Significant speed improvements for Whisper models (up to 2x faster)
  • Audio recordings are now saved even if transcription fails
  • DB upgrade which is not backwards compatible
  • Improved history performance

Breaking Changes

  • DB upgrade which is not backwards compatible - requires deleting the DB if downgrading

New Features

  • Speed improvements for Whisper models
  • Save recordings before transcription
  • Raycast extension documentation
  • Swedish language translation

Full Release Notes

Handy v0.8.0 is out! It should bring speed improvements for the Whisper models (>2x as fast on my Mac!). Slowly the app is becoming more and more stable and as we inch to a 1.0 release there will be a few features starting to take priority. There may be some stability regressions in this release as we upgraded a lot under the hood. Likely the next few minor releases will have bugfixes.

Beyond the Whisper improvements, audio recordings should now be saved even if the transcription fails. This way you can try to transcribe with another model. Warning: This update contains a DB upgrade which is not backwards compatible. If you move back to an older version of Handy after trying this release, it will crash. You will need to delete your DB. If you need your history preserved, I can help you through migrating it back.

In the coming more major releases you should expect:
* more bug fixes
* streaming support
* handy being an API server (so other applications can use handy to transcribe audio)
* being able to transcribe local files
* eventually local post processing with a fine-tuned model

Please be patient as we work to bring these features in!

A hugeeee thanks to all the contributors in this release and especially @VirenMohindra for helping to review PR's and smooth out CI/CD.

## What's Changed
* ci: run full build and quality checks on push to main by @VirenMohindra in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1091
* fix(ci): grant contents: write in main-build.yml by @VirenMohindra in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1092
* whisper-rs 0.16.0 and ort.rc12 by @cjpais in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1041
* fix(ci): use sign-binaries: true in main-build.yml by @VirenMohindra in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1094
* docs: add Raycast extension to Integrations section by @mattiacolombomc in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1064
* Update Raycast integration description by @mattiacolombomc in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1100
* improve history performance by @cjpais in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1107
* fix: sha256 verification to prevent corrupt partial download loop by @VirenMohindra in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1095
* Remove outdated CHANGELOG.md by @isc in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1110
* Save recordings before transcription by @ferologics in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1024
* Adding Swedish language translation by @mohammad-albarham in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1113
* fix: show friendly error when no audio input device is available by @MarceloPrado in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1115
* [BUGFIX] Fix model speed/accuracy indicator alignment by @AlexanderYastrebov in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1116

## New Contributors
* @mattiacolombomc made their first contribution in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1064
* @isc made their first contribution in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1110
* @mohammad-albarham made their first contribution in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1113
* @MarceloPrado made their first contribution in https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/pull/1115

**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/cjpais/Handy/compare/v0.7.12...v0.8.0