Key Takeaways
- Built with Tauri v2, released under the MIT license β no proprietary backend software required to run the app itself
- UI: a frameless, always-on-top orb rather than a conventional window or browser tab
- Hybrid model backend: cloud realtime voice (Google Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime) or a self-hosted local daemon you configure yourself
- Notes and search results are saved as plain Markdown files on the local filesystem, not a proprietary database
- Configuration, data, and API keys are stored on the user's own machine
- Available for Windows (WebView2), macOS (WKWebView), and Linux (WebKitGTK 4.1)
- Official site: askvoxa.dev
π In One Sentence
Voxa is an open-source, MIT-licensed desktop voice assistant built with Tauri v2 that appears as a floating, always-on-top orb, supports realtime voice conversation through either a cloud provider (Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime) or a self-hosted local daemon, and saves notes as plain Markdown files on the user's own machine.
π¬ In Plain Terms
Instead of opening a browser tab or an app window, you get a small floating circle that sits on top of your other windows. Tap it and start talking; it can use a cloud AI voice service or, if you set one up yourself, a voice model running on your own computer, and it writes down notes as plain text files you can open in any editor.
πNote: Voxa is not exclusively an on-device tool. The cloud backend (Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime) is the simpler path and depends on that provider's API and an internet connection; a fully local setup requires you to run and point Voxa at your own self-hosted daemon. See "Is Voxa Actually Local?" below before assuming this is a no-cloud, no-setup local app.
What Is Voxa?
Voxa is an open-source desktop voice assistant, published at askvoxa.dev and built with Tauri v2, a framework for building lightweight cross-platform desktop apps with a web-based UI wrapped in a native shell. Voxa is released under the MIT license.
- Core interaction model: a frameless, always-on-top orb that floats above your other windows β you tap it to start a realtime voice conversation, rather than opening a separate chat window or browser tab
- Model backend is configurable, not fixed to one provider: cloud realtime voice models (Google Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime) or a self-hosted local daemon
- Built with Tauri v2, which renders the UI using the operating system's own web engine (WebView2 on Windows, WKWebView on macOS, WebKitGTK 4.1 on Linux) instead of bundling a separate browser engine like Electron does
- Notes and information the assistant looks up or is asked to save are written as plain Markdown files on the local filesystem
- No proprietary backend server run by Voxa itself β the app's own configuration, data, and API keys stay on your machine; any cloud calls go directly to the model provider you configure (Google or OpenAI), not to a Voxa-operated server
What Are Voxa's Core Features?
Voxa's three defining features are the always-on-top voice orb, Markdown-based note storage, and its open-source Tauri v2 foundation. Each shapes how the app behaves compared with a browser-based or subscription voice assistant.
Is Voxa Actually Local?
Voxa is a hybrid app, not an exclusively on-device one β be clear about this distinction before choosing it as a "local AI" tool. It supports two separate backend paths for the realtime voice model, and only one of them keeps model inference on your own hardware.
- Cloud realtime voice models β Voxa can route the realtime voice conversation through Google Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime. This path requires an internet connection and your own API access/credentials with that provider; the voice model itself runs on that provider's servers, not on your device.
- Self-hosted local daemon β Voxa can instead be pointed at a local daemon you configure and run yourself, keeping voice-model inference on your own machine or network rather than sending audio to a cloud provider. This is the path that makes Voxa function as a local AI tool, but it is opt-in setup work on your part, not the default, zero-configuration behavior.
πNote: What stays local regardless of which backend you choose: the app's own configuration, your notes (saved as plain Markdown files), and your API keys β these are stored on your machine, not on a Voxa-operated server. What does not stay local by default: the realtime voice model itself, unless you have configured the self-hosted local-daemon path.
Voxa on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Windows
- What to expect:
- Voxa renders its UI using WebView2, the Chromium-based web engine Microsoft ships with modern Windows. A current WebView2 runtime is required for the app's orb interface and voice UI to display correctly.
macOS
- What to expect:
- Voxa uses WKWebView, Apple's built-in web-rendering engine, for its UI. Because Tauri relies on the OS-provided engine rather than bundling its own, behavior tracks whatever WKWebView version ships with your macOS release.
Linux
- What to expect:
- Voxa uses WebKitGTK 4.1 for its UI on Linux. This is a specific WebKitGTK version, not just "any WebKit build" β confirm your distribution packages WebKitGTK 4.1 (or a compatible version) before installing, since older distro package versions may not match.
Because Tauri v2 renders the UI through each operating system's own web engine instead of a bundled browser engine, the exact minimum OS/engine version for each platform is not something this article can pin down as a permanent number β confirm current platform requirements directly at askvoxa.dev before installing.
Who Should Use Voxa?
The right fit depends on whether an always-visible voice orb and Markdown-based notes match how you want to talk to an assistant, and whether you are willing to set up a local daemon if full local inference matters to you.
Common Mistakes When Evaluating Voxa
Most confusion about Voxa comes from assuming it behaves like either a purely local app or a purely cloud app, when it is designed as a configurable hybrid of both.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Voxa?
Voxa is an open-source, MIT-licensed desktop voice assistant built with Tauri v2, available at askvoxa.dev. It presents itself as a frameless, always-on-top orb you tap to start a realtime voice conversation, and it can use a cloud realtime voice model or a self-hosted local daemon as its backend.
Is Voxa free?
Voxa's own application code is open source under the MIT license. If you use the cloud realtime voice backend (Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime), you are subject to that provider's own pricing and API terms, separate from Voxa itself. Confirm current pricing for Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime directly with Google or OpenAI.
Does Voxa run fully offline?
Only if you configure the self-hosted local daemon path. By default, Voxa is set up to use a cloud realtime voice provider (Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime), which requires an internet connection. A fully offline setup is possible but requires you to run and point Voxa at your own local daemon.
What platforms does Voxa support?
Windows (using the WebView2 engine), macOS (using WKWebView), and Linux (using WebKitGTK 4.1). Voxa is a desktop app built with Tauri v2, not a mobile app for iOS or Android.
Where does Voxa store my notes?
As plain Markdown files on your local filesystem, not in a proprietary database or a cloud-only format. This means notes remain readable and editable in any text editor independent of whether Voxa is installed or running.
Does Voxa send my API keys or data anywhere?
Configuration, data, and API keys are stored on your own machine. If you use the cloud realtime voice backend, your audio and conversation data is sent to whichever provider you configured (Google Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime), under that provider's own data-handling terms β not to a separate Voxa-operated server.
What is the difference between the cloud backend and the local daemon backend in Voxa?
The cloud backend (Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime) routes the realtime voice model through that provider's servers and requires an internet connection and API access with that provider. The self-hosted local daemon backend keeps voice-model inference on hardware you control, but you have to set up and run that daemon yourself β it is not preconfigured.
Is Voxa open source?
Yes. Voxa is built with Tauri v2 and released under the MIT license, a permissive license that allows inspecting, modifying, and redistributing the source code without restriction on commercial use.
Can I use Voxa without an internet connection?
Only if you have configured and are running the self-hosted local daemon as your voice-model backend. The cloud realtime-voice path (Gemini Live or OpenAI Realtime) requires connectivity to function.
Does Voxa require a specific browser engine on my system?
Yes, indirectly β because it is built with Tauri v2, Voxa renders its UI through the operating system's own web engine: WebView2 on Windows, WKWebView on macOS, and WebKitGTK 4.1 on Linux. Make sure the relevant engine is present and current on your system before installing.