How to Use Dictation on a Mac: Type With Your Voice

Dictation turns your speech into text. It works anywhere you can type: emails, documents, messages, search boxes. It's a real help if typing is slow, tiring or painful, and it's often simply quicker.

1. Click the Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click Keyboard in the sidebar.
3. Scroll to Dictation and turn it on.
4. Click Enable if asked.

While you're there, check these settings:

• Languages. Add English (United Kingdom) so it uses British spellings.
• Microphone source. Choose which microphone to use.
• Shortcut. Choose how you start Dictation.
• Auto-punctuation. When this is on, your Mac adds commas, full stops and question marks for you.

1. Click where you want the text to go.
2. Press the microphone key (F5 on recent Mac keyboards), or use the shortcut shown in the Dictation settings. A common one is pressing Control twice.
3. A microphone icon appears. Start speaking.
4. Press the shortcut again, or Escape, when you've finished.

You can also choose Edit > Start Dictation… from the menu bar in most apps.

On recent Macs you can type and dictate at the same time. Keep talking, fix a word with the keyboard, and carry on.

Dictation stops by itself after about 30 seconds of silence.

Say the name of the punctuation mark.

Say this | To get
"full stop" or "period" | .
"comma" | ,
"question mark" | ?
"exclamation mark" | !
"colon" | :
"open quote" … "close quote" | " "
"new line" | starts a new line
"new paragraph" | starts a new paragraph
"smiley face emoji" | 😊

For example, say: "Hi Sarah comma new paragraph are we still on for Friday question mark"

• Speak at a normal pace and volume. Don't slow down or shout.
• Cut down background noise, or use a headset microphone.
• Say whole sentences. Dictation uses the context to choose the right words.
• Check names and unusual words, then correct them with the keyboard.

On Macs with Apple silicon, Dictation in many languages is processed on the Mac itself and works without an internet connection. On older Macs, or for some languages, audio is sent to Apple to be processed. The Dictation settings page explains what applies to your Mac under About Ask Siri, Dictation & Privacy.

• Dictation turns speech into text. Use it when you want to write by voice.
• Voice Control lets you operate the whole Mac by voice: opening apps, clicking buttons, editing text. Use it if you can't comfortably use a keyboard and mouse at all.

Nothing happens when I press the shortcut. Check that Dictation is on, and check which shortcut is selected in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation.

It isn't hearing me. Check Microphone source in the Dictation settings. Then look at System Settings > Sound > Input and watch the input level move as you speak.

It's using American spellings. Add English (United Kingdom) under Languages and select it.

Turn Dictation on in System Settings > Keyboard, press the microphone key, and talk. Say your punctuation, and you can write a whole email without touching the keyboard.