# How Speakmac Works

Last updated: 2026-02-09

## 10-second workflow
1. Put your cursor in any text field.
2. Hold your Speakmac hotkey (push-to-talk).
3. Speak.
4. Release the hotkey. Speakmac inserts the transcript at your cursor.

## Where it runs
- Speakmac is a lightweight menu bar app (not a Dock app).

## Setup checklist
- Grant Microphone permission.
- Grant Accessibility permission (required to type into other apps).
- On first setup, download the on-device speech model (~600 MB).

## Helpful features (names you might see in the app)
- Push-to-talk / hold-to-talk: hold hotkey to dictate.
- Toggle / hands-free mode: start/stop dictation without holding the key.
- Custom Words: teach names and jargon so they spell correctly.
- Regex Replacements: automatic cleanup rules for repeated patterns.
- Privacy mode / Do not save: do not keep local history or recordings.

## Canonical help pages (UI-level instructions)
- Help center: https://www.speakmac.app/help
- Install guide: https://www.speakmac.app/help/install
- Getting started: https://www.speakmac.app/help/getting-started
- Hotkeys: https://www.speakmac.app/help/hotkeys
- Privacy mode: https://www.speakmac.app/help/privacy-mode
- Custom words: https://www.speakmac.app/help/custom-words
- Regex replacements: https://www.speakmac.app/help/regex