How to dictate on a Mac: turn it on, start it, and say the punctuation
The short answer
To dictate on a Mac, open System Settings → Keyboard, turn on Dictation, click where you want the text, and press the Microphone key or the Dictation shortcut, or choose Edit → Start Dictation. Speak, say marks such as "comma" and "new paragraph" by name, and press Escape to stop. Dictation also stops by itself after 30 seconds without speech. Flit, a local dictation app for Mac, does the same job with one gesture: hold a key, speak, let go, and finished text lands in any app.
How to dictate on a Mac
- Choose Apple menu → System Settings and click Keyboard in the sidebar.
- Go to Dictation, turn it on, and click Enable. If you are asked about improving Siri and Dictation, click Not Now unless you want Apple to store audio recordings.
- Open any app and click where you want the text to go.
- Press the Microphone key in the function row if your keyboard has one, press the Dictation shortcut shown in Keyboard settings, or choose Edit → Start Dictation.
- When the cursor is highlighted and pulsing, or you hear the tone, speak.
- Say punctuation by name, such as "comma" or "question mark", and say "new line" or "new paragraph" for a break.
- Press Escape, the Microphone key or the Dictation shortcut to stop.
Press and release the Microphone key. Holding it starts Siri instead.
That is the whole of it, and it works anywhere you can type. The rest of this guide covers what you can say, how to change the settings, and where the built-in Dictation stops. Every step is from Apple’s own Mac User Guide.
The things you will want to do
| To do this | Do this | More |
|---|---|---|
| Start dictating | Microphone key, the Dictation shortcut, or Edit → Start Dictation | The dictation shortcut |
| Stop dictating | Escape, the Microphone key, or the shortcut again | It also stops after 30 seconds without speech |
| Add a comma or a period | Say "comma" or "period", or leave it to Auto-punctuation | Dictation commands |
| Start a new paragraph | Say "new paragraph" | The break appears when you finish dictating |
| Fix a word | Type over it, or click a word underlined in blue | On Apple silicon you can type without stopping |
| Dictate in another language | Keyboard → Dictation → Languages → Edit | Switch by clicking the language next to the cursor. More on languages |
| Use a different microphone | Keyboard → Dictation → Microphone source | Dictating with AirPods |
| Control the Mac by voice | That is Voice Control, a different feature | Voice Control vs Dictation |
What to say while you dictate
You speak the marks as part of the sentence, with no pause before them. Apple’s Dictation page gives three kinds of thing you can say: the name of a punctuation mark, such as "exclamation mark"; "new line" or "new paragraph"; and, in some languages, the name of an emoji followed by the word "emoji", such as "heart emoji".
In supported languages Dictation also adds commas, periods and question marks for you. That is the Auto-punctuation switch in Keyboard → Dictation, and you can turn it off if the marks land in the wrong places.
The full list is longer, with symbols, capitals and numbers. The dictation commands guide has it.
Fixing mistakes
Dictation underlines text it is unsure of in blue. Apple’s example is getting "flour" when you meant "flower". Click the underlined word and choose the alternative, or type or dictate the right text.
On a Mac with Apple silicon you do not have to stop to make a correction. Apple says you can still use the keyboard while you speak: the cursor stops pulsing while you type and resumes when you stop.
Change the language, the microphone and the shortcut
All three are in System Settings → Keyboard, in the Dictation section.
- Languages: click Edit and tick a language and region. With more than one, switch as you dictate by clicking the language next to the cursor. The language guide covers which ones work without a connection.
- Microphone source: choose the microphone by name. On Automatic, the Mac listens to the device it thinks you are most likely to use.
- Shortcut: choose one from the menu, or choose Customize and press your own, such as Option-Z.
- Auto-punctuation: on or off.
Is Mac dictation private, and does it need the internet?
It depends on the Mac and the language. Apple’s page says to look at the text below Dictation in Keyboard settings, which tells you whether your voice inputs and transcripts for general text dictation are processed on your device and not sent to Apple’s servers. Dictating into a search box is treated differently.
If that text does not say on device, your dictation is sent to Apple and needs a connection. The separate question of whether Apple may keep audio samples is the Improve Siri & Dictation switch, under Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements.
Where the built-in Dictation stops
Three limits are worth knowing before you rely on it for long pieces of writing.
- It stops after 30 seconds without speech, and there is no setting for that. See why dictation keeps stopping.
- Its commands insert characters and formatting. Selecting or deleting text by voice is Voice Control, and the two cannot be on together.
- A new line or new paragraph appears when you finish dictating, not as you say it.
Dictation with one gesture
Flit is a separate dictation app. You hold a key, speak, and let go, and text that is already punctuated and formatted lands where your cursor is, in any app.
- Hold to talk, release to finish. A pause while the key is held does not end anything.
- Finished text: punctuation, paragraphs, lists and numbers, in the tone of the app you are in.
- Everything runs on the Mac, in every language it supports, with no connection.
- A personal dictionary for your names and terms, and snippets that expand a phrase into a paragraph.
- Flit is free for 7 days with every feature on, then $19 once, with no account and no subscription.
Good to know
- Apple’s Dictation is free and already on your Mac. If it does what you need, you do not need Flit.
- Flit runs on a Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 14 or later, and its voice model is a download of about 0.5 to 2.3 GB that you choose once.
- Flit’s spoken commands, such as "new paragraph", are in English today.
Questions people ask
How do I turn on dictation on a Mac?
Choose Apple menu → System Settings, click Keyboard, go to Dictation, turn it on and click Enable.
How do I start dictation on a Mac?
Click into a text field, then press the Microphone key in the function row, press the Dictation shortcut shown in Keyboard settings, or choose Edit → Start Dictation.
How do I stop dictation on a Mac?
Press Escape, the Microphone key or the Dictation shortcut. Dictation also stops automatically when no speech is detected for 30 seconds.
Is dictation on a Mac free?
Yes. Dictation is part of macOS and there is nothing to buy or install.
Can I dictate in Word, Google Docs or Mail on a Mac?
Yes. Apple says you can speak to enter text anywhere you can type it. Click into the text and start Dictation.
Is there an app that makes dictating on a Mac easier?
Flit is a local dictation app for Mac: hold a key, speak, and release, and finished text lands in any app, with nothing sent anywhere. Flit is free for 7 days with every feature on, then $19 once, with no account and no subscription.