How to Use Dictation on Mac (Shortcut, Setup & Commands)

To use dictation on a Mac, turn it on in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation, click where you want the text to go, then press the Microphone key, your Dictation shortcut (such as pressing Fn twice), or choose Edit > Start Dictation, and speak. Press Escape when you are done. Dictation is free, built into macOS, and works almost anywhere you can type.

Last checked: November 6, 2026, against Apple's Mac User Guide for macOS 27.

Mac dictation at a glance

How to turn on dictation on Mac

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down to find it.
2. Go to Dictation and turn it on.
3. Click Enable.

If macOS asks whether you want to improve Siri and Dictation, Share Audio Recordings lets Apple store (and sample) your audio and Not Now declines. Dictation works either way, and you can change it later under Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.

In the same Dictation section, click Edit next to Languages to add every language you dictate in, and set Microphone source to your headset or external mic if you use one. Automatic picks the device your Mac thinks you are most likely to use.

On macOS Monterey and earlier, the same controls live in System Preferences > Keyboard > Dictation.

How to dictate text on a Mac

1. Click where the words should land: an email, a note, a document, a browser form.
2. Press and release the Microphone key (if your keyboard has one), use your Dictation shortcut, or choose Edit > Start Dictation.
3. Wait until the cursor is highlighted and pulsing, or you hear the tone. Then speak.
4. Press Escape, the Microphone key, or your shortcut to stop.

Apple says you can dictate text of any length without a timeout, but dictation stops automatically when no speech is detected for 30 seconds. On a Mac with Apple silicon you can type while dictating: the cursor stops pulsing while you type and resumes when you stop. Words macOS was unsure of are underlined in blue; click one to pick an alternative, or retype it.

The dictation shortcut on Mac

There are three ways to start dictation:

• Microphone key. In the row of function keys, on Mac keyboards that have one. Press and release it. Pressing and holding it activates Siri instead (if Siri is enabled).
• Dictation keyboard shortcut. Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation, open the Shortcut pop-up menu, and pick a preset such as Press Fn (Function) Key Twice. For something not in the list, choose Customize and press the keys you want. Apple's example is Option-Z.
• Edit menu. Edit > Start Dictation, a handy way to check whether dictation itself works before you blame the shortcut.

When you pick a Dictation shortcut, the "Press fn key to" or "Press Globe key to" setting in Keyboard settings may change automatically, depending on your Mac. Choosing Fn twice, for example, sets it to Start Dictation (Press Fn Twice). If double-pressing Fn does nothing, check that setting.

Mac dictation commands worth learning

In supported languages, Dictation adds commas, periods and question marks for you. To speak every mark yourself, turn off Auto-punctuation in the Dictation settings. These commands are always available while you dictate:

Apple's full list, including currency and math symbols, is in Commands for dictating text on Mac.

Dictating in more than one language

With more than one language added, switch while dictating by clicking the language abbreviation next to the cursor, or press the Globe key (if available) and choose one. Dictation is not available in every language or region, and features vary; Apple's macOS Feature Availability page has the list.

Does Mac dictation work offline?

It depends on your Mac and language, and Apple tells you directly. With Dictation on, read the text below the Dictation switch in Keyboard settings. It says whether voice input and transcripts for general dictation (messages and notes, not search boxes) are processed on your device and not sent to Siri servers. If they are not, you need an internet connection. The "Improve Siri & Dictation" choice is separate: it decides whether Apple keeps audio recordings, not where dictation runs.

In macOS 27, Apple Intelligence lets dictation use an on-device model to improve spelling, punctuation and capitalization. Apple limits it to English on Macs with M3 or later and at least 12 GB of unified memory.

Dictation vs Voice Control

Dictation turns speech into text at the cursor. Voice Control is an accessibility feature for operating the whole Mac by voice. When Voice Control is on, you use it to dictate and standard Dictation is not available.

If dictation is not working

Apple's troubleshooting page suggests checking, in order: that Dictation is on, the language and region, the shortcut (tap the Microphone key, do not hold it), the selected microphone and its input volume in System Settings > Sound > Input, your internet connection if dictation is not processed on device, and background noise (a headset mic helps). Also make sure Voice Control is off. For app permissions, input devices and conflicts with other voice tools, use the full Mac dictation fix checklist.

How to turn off dictation on Mac

Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation and turn it off. If you only keep starting it by accident, change the Shortcut instead.

When built-in dictation is enough

Start here. Built-in dictation is free, there is nothing to install, and for short messages, notes and replies it does the job. If that is how you use voice, you do not need another app.

The limits show up when dictation becomes daily work:

• No word list. Apple's Dictation settings don't offer a place to add your own words, so client names, product names and jargon may need correcting by hand.
• The 30-second stop. Dictation stops after 30 seconds without detected speech, so long thinking pauses mean starting again.
• Narrow cleanup. The Apple Intelligence pass is English only and needs an M3 or later Mac with 12 GB of memory.

Where a dedicated dictation app fits

We make Speakmac, so weigh this accordingly. It types into standard text fields in the app you are using, like built-in dictation, with a few additions for daily use:

• On-device. After the speech model downloads, dictation audio and transcripts stay on your Mac. No account needed.
• Custom words, replacements and spoken snippets for names and phrases you repeat.
• 25 built-in languages, macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel.
• 30 free transcriptions per Mac, then $29 one-time for one Mac or $39 for two, with 12 months of updates, a version that keeps working afterwards, and a 14-day refund.

The Apple Dictation vs Speakmac comparison goes through the trade-offs point by point. Try built-in dictation first; if you are fixing the same names every day, look further.

FAQ

What is the dictation shortcut on Mac?

The Microphone key, if your keyboard has one, or whatever you set under Keyboard > Dictation > Shortcut, such as pressing Fn twice or a custom combination.

Why does dictation stop by itself?

It stops after 30 seconds without detected speech. While you are talking there is no time limit.

Does Mac dictation need the internet?

Not always. The text below Dictation in Keyboard settings says whether general dictation is processed on your device.

Is Mac dictation free?

Yes. It is built into macOS.

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