> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/argmaxinc/WhisperKit/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Supported Devices

> Device compatibility and requirements for WhisperKit and TTSKit

## System Requirements

### WhisperKit

WhisperKit runs on Apple devices with the following minimum requirements:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="macOS" icon="apple">
    **macOS 14.0 or later**

    All Macs with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4 series)
  </Card>

  <Card title="iOS/iPadOS" icon="mobile">
    **iOS 16.0 or later**

    iPhone and iPad with A12 Bionic or later
  </Card>

  <Card title="Xcode" icon="hammer">
    **Xcode 16.0 or later**

    Required for building and development
  </Card>

  <Card title="Swift" icon="code">
    **Swift 5.9 or later**

    See [Swift Package Index](https://swiftpackageindex.com/argmaxinc/WhisperKit)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### TTSKit

TTSKit has higher minimum requirements due to the larger model sizes:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="macOS" icon="apple">
    **macOS 15.0 or later**

    Apple Silicon required
  </Card>

  <Card title="iOS/iPadOS" icon="mobile">
    **iOS 18.0 or later**

    Latest generation devices recommended
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Device Performance

### Model Size Recommendations

Different device capabilities are suitable for different model sizes:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="iPhone">
    #### iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max

    * **Recommended**: large-v3, distil-large-v3
    * **Optimal**: medium, small
    * **Fast**: base, tiny

    #### iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max

    * **Recommended**: medium, small
    * **Optimal**: base
    * **Fast**: tiny

    #### iPhone 13 and earlier

    * **Recommended**: small, base
    * **Optimal**: tiny
    * Consider distilled models for better performance
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="iPad">
    #### iPad Pro (M1/M2/M3/M4)

    * **Recommended**: large-v3, distil-large-v3
    * **Optimal**: All models perform well
    * Same performance as Mac with equivalent chip

    #### iPad Air (M1/M2)

    * **Recommended**: large-v3, medium
    * **Optimal**: small, base

    #### iPad (A14 or later)

    * **Recommended**: medium, small
    * **Optimal**: base, tiny
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Mac">
    #### Mac Studio / Mac Pro (M2 Ultra, M3 Ultra, M4 Ultra)

    * **Recommended**: All models including large-v3
    * **Optimal**: Fastest performance across all models
    * Ideal for development and benchmarking

    #### MacBook Pro (M3 Pro/Max, M4 Pro/Max)

    * **Recommended**: large-v3, distil-large-v3
    * **Optimal**: All models
    * Excellent for production use

    #### MacBook Air / Mac mini (M1/M2/M3)

    * **Recommended**: medium, small, distil-large-v3
    * **Optimal**: base, tiny
    * Good for development and testing
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Performance Benchmarks

<Note>
  For detailed performance metrics across specific devices, see the [WhisperKit Benchmarks](https://huggingface.co/spaces/argmaxinc/whisperkit-benchmarks) space.
</Note>

### Key Performance Factors

1. **Neural Engine** - Primary compute unit for CoreML models
2. **Memory Bandwidth** - Critical for large model inference
3. **Storage Speed** - Affects model loading time
4. **Thermal Management** - Impacts sustained performance

### Real-Time Performance

For real-time transcription (Real-Time Factor \< 1.0):

* **iPhone 15 Pro**: medium and smaller models
* **iPhone 14 Pro**: small and smaller models
* **M1 Mac and above**: All models including large-v3
* **iPad Pro (M1+)**: All models including large-v3

<Tip>
  Use distilled models (e.g., `distil-large-v3`) for better performance with minimal accuracy loss.
</Tip>

## Developer Mode Requirements

<Warning>
  Developer Mode is required for running benchmarks on physical devices.
</Warning>

### Enable Developer Mode on iOS/iPadOS

1. Connect device to Mac via cable
2. Open Xcode
3. Go to **Window > Devices and Simulators** (or press `⌘⇧2`)
4. Select your device
5. Enable **Developer Mode** if prompted
6. Restart device when prompted

### Enable Developer Mode on macOS

Developer Mode is automatically enabled when Xcode is installed.

## Model Storage Requirements

<Info>
  Models are cached locally after first download. Ensure sufficient storage space.
</Info>

| Model Size      | Approximate Storage | RAM Required |
| --------------- | ------------------- | ------------ |
| tiny            | \~40 MB             | \~200 MB     |
| base            | \~75 MB             | \~300 MB     |
| small           | \~250 MB            | \~800 MB     |
| medium          | \~800 MB            | \~2 GB       |
| large-v3        | \~1.6 GB            | \~4 GB       |
| distil-large-v3 | \~800 MB            | \~2.5 GB     |

### TTSKit Model Sizes

| Model | Storage  | RAM Required | Platforms  |
| ----- | -------- | ------------ | ---------- |
| 0.6B  | \~1 GB   | \~2 GB       | macOS, iOS |
| 1.7B  | \~2.2 GB | \~4 GB       | macOS only |

## Testing Device Compatibility

To test if your device supports WhisperKit:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install WhisperKit CLI">
    ```bash theme={null}
    brew install whisperkit-cli
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run a quick test">
    ```bash theme={null}
    whisperkit-cli transcribe --audio-path test.wav --model tiny
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check performance">
    Monitor the real-time factor (RTF) in the output. RTF \< 1.0 means real-time performance.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Simulator Support

<Warning>
  WhisperKit models require Apple Neural Engine hardware and do **not run on iOS Simulator**.
</Warning>

For development and testing:

* Use physical devices
* Use Mac Catalyst builds for macOS testing
* Use the provided example apps for quick testing

## Platform Support

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Supported">
    * ✅ macOS (Apple Silicon)
    * ✅ iOS (iPhone, iPad)
    * ✅ Mac Catalyst
    * ✅ visionOS (experimental)
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Not Supported">
    * ❌ macOS (Intel-based Macs)
    * ❌ iOS Simulator
    * ❌ tvOS
    * ❌ watchOS
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="View Benchmarks" icon="chart-line" href="/resources/benchmarks">
    See performance data for your device
  </Card>

  <Card title="Model Catalog" icon="book" href="/resources/model-catalog">
    Choose the right model for your device
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Get started with WhisperKit
  </Card>

  <Card title="Installation" icon="download" href="/installation">
    Install WhisperKit in your project
  </Card>
</CardGroup>