Voice to Text for Whimsical
Visual thinking requires flow. When you're building flowcharts, annotating wireframes, or expanding mind maps in Whimsical, typing breaks your spatial momentum. Every label, every node, every annotation requires switching from mouse to keyboard and back. Blurt lets you speak directly into Whimsical. Hold a button, say what you want to type, release. Text appears instantly at your cursor. Your hands stay on the canvas, your mind stays on the diagram.
The Typing Problem
Flowchart labels slow down process mapping
You're mapping out a complex user flow. Each decision diamond, each process box needs a label. The logic is clear in your head, but typing 'Check if user has verified email address' into a tiny text box breaks your mental model of the entire system. By the time you've labeled three nodes, you've lost track of where the flow should branch next.
Mind map nodes can't keep up with your thinking
Mind mapping is supposed to capture ideas as they emerge. But in Whimsical, each new node requires: click to add node, click to edit text, type the content, click elsewhere to confirm. Your brain generates connections faster than your fingers can record them. The most valuable spontaneous associations disappear before they reach the canvas.
Wireframe annotations take longer than the wireframe itself
The wireframe layout is done in 20 minutes. Now you need to add annotations explaining interaction patterns, edge cases, and responsive behavior. Typing out detailed annotations for every element turns a quick sketch into an hour-long documentation project. So you skip annotations, and developers have to guess at your intent.
Sticky notes in workshops become bottlenecks
You're facilitating a remote workshop using Whimsical as your virtual whiteboard. Participants are sharing ideas verbally, and you're trying to capture them on sticky notes. But you can only type so fast. Ideas stack up faster than you can transcribe them. The energy of the brainstorm dies while everyone waits for you to catch up.
Diagram documentation never gets written
Your architecture diagram is beautiful and complete. It just needs explanatory text boxes describing each component's purpose. But after an hour of visual work, facing another 30 minutes of typing feels exhausting. The documentation gets postponed indefinitely, and the diagram becomes cryptic to anyone who wasn't in the room when you built it.
How It Works
Blurt works anywhere you can type in Whimsical. Flowchart labels, mind map nodes, wireframe annotations, sticky notes, text boxes. If there's a cursor, Blurt works.
Click into any text field
Flowchart shape, mind map node, wireframe annotation, sticky note. Anywhere you'd normally type.
Hold your hotkey and speak
Press your chosen shortcut and say what you want to type. Blurt handles punctuation automatically.
Release and continue diagramming
Text appears instantly. No delay, no extra steps. Your hands never left the mouse.
Real Scenarios
Rapid flowchart creation for process documentation
You're documenting the order fulfillment process. Add a shape, hold your hotkey, say 'Validate inventory availability in warehouse management system.' Next shape. 'Route to nearest fulfillment center based on shipping address.' The entire 20-step process is labeled in the time it would take to type five boxes. Your process map captures the real complexity instead of abbreviated shortcuts.
Mind mapping during discovery sessions
You're exploring user needs for a new feature. Add a central node, hold hotkey: 'User wants to track project progress without constant check-ins.' Branch node: 'Automated status updates via email digest.' Another branch: 'Dashboard showing blocked tasks and dependencies.' Ideas flow from brain to canvas at the speed of speech, not typing.
Detailed wireframe annotations for developers
Your wireframe shows a complex form. Click to add annotation, hold hotkey: 'This field auto-populates from the user profile but remains editable. Validation happens on blur, not on submit. Error messages appear inline below the field.' Developers get the context they need without scheduling a handoff meeting.
Workshop facilitation without falling behind
Participants are rapid-firing ideas in the Zoom call. Each time someone speaks, you add a sticky, hold hotkey, and speak their idea back. 'We could integrate with their existing CRM instead of replacing it.' Next sticky. 'What about a Chrome extension for quick access?' You capture everything in real time without asking people to slow down.
Architecture diagrams with meaningful descriptions
You're documenting your system architecture. Each component box gets a text annotation. Hold hotkey: 'Authentication service handles OAuth 2.0 flows for all third-party providers. Stateless design with JWT tokens. Rate limited to 100 requests per minute per user.' Technical precision without the typing fatigue.
User journey maps with emotional context
Your journey map needs to capture user emotions at each stage. Click the annotation field, hold hotkey: 'User feels frustrated here because the loading indicator provides no progress feedback. This is where most support tickets originate.' Rich emotional context that would never get typed out in practice.
Decision tree labels for complex logic
You're building a decision tree for customer support escalation. Each diamond needs a condition, each path needs a label. Hold hotkey: 'Is the customer on an enterprise plan with dedicated support?' Yes path: 'Route to enterprise support queue with 15-minute SLA.' Complex branching logic labeled in minutes, not hours.
Why visual thinkers choose Blurt over built-in dictation for Whimsical work
| Blurt | macOS Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Single customizable hotkey | Double-tap Fn or click microphone |
| Response time | Text appears in under 500ms | 2-3 second delay, sometimes fails silently |
| Technical terminology | Handles 'API', 'OAuth', 'JWT', 'microservice' correctly | Struggles with technical and business terms |
| Workflow integration | Works without disrupting Whimsical focus | System UI appears, breaks concentration |
| Reliability | Consistent transcription quality | Inconsistent, requires retries |
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Typing Faster Today
Free to try — no credit card required
Download Blurt