for Mac · by Seattle Intelligence Labs Inc.

How to dictate on Mac

To dictate on a Mac, open System Settings, click Keyboard, and turn on Dictation. Then click in any text field and press your Dictation shortcut, such as the Microphone key, the Fn/Globe key, or the Control key pressed twice. Speak, then press the shortcut again or Escape to stop. Your words appear as text wherever your cursor is.

This guide covers Apple’s built-in Dictation on macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia, from setup to voice punctuation to privacy, plus other ways to dictate if the built-in option doesn’t suit you. Apple’s official reference is its Use Dictation on Mac guide.

What dictation on a Mac is

Dictation is speech-to-text: you talk, and your Mac types. macOS includes Dictation for free, and it works in almost any app that accepts typed text, including Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, browsers, and most third-party apps.

Dictation is different from Siri. Siri answers questions and runs commands; Dictation only turns your speech into text at the cursor. It is also different from Voice Control, an accessibility feature that lets you operate your whole Mac by voice.

How to turn on Dictation in macOS 14 and 15

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down to see it.
  2. Find the Dictation section and turn Dictation on. If your Mac asks you to confirm, click Enable.
  3. Next to Languages, click Edit to add or remove the languages you want to dictate in.
  4. Open the Shortcut pop-up menu and choose how you want to start Dictation. The options depend on your Mac and keyboard, and include pressing the Control key twice or using the Microphone or Fn/Globe key. Choose Customize to set your own keys.
  5. Optionally, use the Microphone source pop-up menu to pick a specific microphone. Automatic lets your Mac choose the device it thinks you’re most likely to use.

How to dictate text, step by step

  1. Click where you want the text to go, for example in a new note or an email.
  2. Press your Dictation shortcut, or choose Edit > Start Dictation from the menu bar if the app offers it.
  3. When the microphone indicator appears near the cursor, speak normally. Text appears as you talk.
  4. Press the shortcut again or press Escape to stop.

If nothing happens when you press the shortcut, see dictation not working on Mac for a step-by-step checklist.

Punctuation, new lines, and emoji by voice

In supported languages, macOS can add commas, periods, and question marks for you as you speak. This is the Auto-punctuation setting in the Dictation section of Keyboard settings; turn it off if you prefer to say every mark yourself.

You can always say punctuation by name: “comma,” “period,” “question mark,” “exclamation mark.” Say “new line” to start a new line and “new paragraph” to leave a blank line between paragraphs. You can also say an emoji name, such as “heart emoji.”

A practical habit: dictate in full sentences, then fix small mistakes with the keyboard at the end instead of stopping after every word.

Tips for more accurate dictation

  • Use a good microphone close to your mouth. A headset or external mic usually beats a laptop mic across a room.
  • Check Microphone source in Dictation settings so your Mac isn’t listening to the wrong device, such as a display or a pair of headphones in a drawer.
  • Reduce background noise where you can: fans, music, and other voices all compete with you.
  • Speak in whole phrases at a steady pace rather than word by word.
  • Make sure the dictation language matches the language you’re speaking.
  • Proofread names, jargon, and numbers before you send anything important.

Where does your voice go?

Privacy depends on your language and your Mac. Apple’s Keyboard settings indicate whether dictation in your language is processed on your device, and Apple’s Dictation guide explains what is shared and how to change your choices. Check those before dictating anything sensitive.

Third-party dictation apps vary widely: some send audio to cloud servers, others transcribe on your Mac. Read each app’s privacy policy to see where your audio is processed.

Other ways to dictate on a Mac

  • Morning: private dictation for Mac that lives in the notch. Hold Control + Space, speak, release, and the text pastes where you’re typing. Transcription runs on-device with local Whisper models, and optional cloud AI is off by default. It needs macOS 14 or later, and the download is coming soon.
  • Voice Control: in System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control. It lets you dictate and also control your Mac by voice. When Voice Control is on, standard Dictation isn’t available, so turn it off if you only want Dictation.
  • Other speech recognition models: many apps run open models on your Mac. Our explainer on Parakeet vs Whisper covers the two families you’ll see most often.

Curious whether speaking is actually faster for you? Take the typing vs speaking speed test to measure both.

Frequently asked questions

Is dictation free on a Mac?

Yes. Dictation is built into macOS and costs nothing extra. Turn it on in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation.

What is the keyboard shortcut for dictation on a Mac?

You choose it in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation > Shortcut. Depending on your keyboard, options include pressing the Control key twice or using the Microphone or Fn/Globe key, and you can set a custom shortcut.

How do I add punctuation when dictating on a Mac?

Say the mark by name, such as “comma,” “period,” or “question mark.” In supported languages, the Auto-punctuation setting can also add commas, periods, and question marks for you.

How do I stop dictation on a Mac?

Press your Dictation shortcut again or press Escape. If your keyboard has a Microphone key, pressing it also stops Dictation.

Can I dictate into any app on a Mac?

Dictation works in most places where you can type text. A few fields, such as password fields, don’t accept it. If one app won’t take dictation, test in Notes or TextEdit to see whether the problem is the app or your setup.

Why is dictation not working on my Mac?

Common causes are Dictation being turned off, a shortcut you’re not pressing correctly, the wrong microphone, or Voice Control being on. Our guide to dictation not working on Mac walks through each fix.

Keep reading

  • Dictation not working on Mac

    A step-by-step checklist for when Mac dictation won’t start, doesn’t hear you, or types nothing.

  • Parakeet vs Whisper

    How OpenAI’s Whisper and NVIDIA’s Parakeet speech recognition models differ in languages, licenses, and design.

  • Speech to text on Mac

    Every way to turn speech into text on a Mac, from built-in Dictation and Voice Control to dictation apps, and what to check about privacy.

  • What is Whisper AI?

    What OpenAI’s Whisper speech recognition model is, how it was trained, its model sizes and known limits, and how it runs on a Mac.

  • On-device vs cloud dictation

    Where your voice goes when you dictate, and the trade-offs between on-device and cloud speech recognition for privacy and offline use.

  • Voice typing on Mac

    How to type with your voice on a Mac: setup, spoken punctuation and formatting commands, fixing mistakes, and habits that help.

  • Best dictation app for Mac

    Seven Mac dictation apps compared on price, offline use and devices, with prices checked Nov 1 and Nov 2, 2026.

Try the free typing vs speaking speed test, the typing time calculator, or compare Morning with Wispr Flow.

Dictate privately on your Mac

Morning is private dictation for Mac that lives in the notch. Hold Control + Space, speak, release, and your text pastes where you’re typing. Transcription runs on-device with local Whisper models, and optional cloud AI is off by default. Requires macOS 14 or later. It comes with a 3-day free trial and a one-time license.

See Morning

Download coming soon