Mac dictation: how to turn it on, dictate and fix problems

Dictation is built into macOS, so there is nothing to install.

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
2. Go to Dictation and turn it on.
3. macOS asks whether you want to share audio recordings with Apple. You can decline. You can change this at any time under Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.

In the same section you choose the language, microphone source and shortcut, and turn Auto-punctuation on or off. Source: Apple Support.

1. Put the insertion point in a text field, for example in Mail, Pages or a form in your browser.
2. Press the Microphone key in the row of function keys if your Mac has one, use your Dictation shortcut or choose Edit > Start Dictation.
3. Speak. The text appears as you go.
4. To stop, press Esc, the Microphone key or the shortcut again.

Change the shortcut: under System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation, pick a preset from the Shortcut pop-up menu or set your own key. The presets available depend on your Mac model.

Good to know: Dictation stops automatically when no speech is detected for 30 seconds. According to Apple, you can dictate text of any length without a timeout. On Macs with Apple silicon you can keep typing while you dictate.

You say punctuation and line breaks as you go. These are some of the commands Apple lists:

It is easier with Auto-punctuation: according to Apple it adds commas, full stops and question marks for you in supported languages.

1. Open System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation.
2. Click Edit next to Languages and choose, for example, English (United Kingdom).
3. While dictating, switch language by clicking the language abbreviation next to the pointer or pressing the Globe key.

According to Apple's feature availability page, on-device dictation requires a download of speech models. Apple Intelligence adds “more advanced Dictation” in English, including UK English, on Macs with M3 or later and at least 12 GB of unified memory.

On the device: In Keyboard settings, macOS shows whether your voice input is processed on your device and not sent to Siri servers. According to Apple, this applies to general text dictation, but not to dictating in a search box.

On the server: Anything not processed on the device is, according to Apple, sent to and processed on Apple's servers. Apple says such dictations are not stored unless you opt in to “Improve Siri and Dictation”, and your audio is not stored without that consent. Apple also describes a request history of transcripts and request data such as category, device details and performance statistics. It is tied to a random identifier that rotates several times an hour, not to your Apple Account, and may be kept for up to two years.

• Withdraw consent: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.
• Delete history: see Apple's instructions; an internet connection is needed.

For personal notes this is usually fine. If you dictate patient data, client matters or HR issues at work, you should know which input can leave your Mac. Our guide to GDPR-compliant AI explains what matters.

If no text appears, work through Apple’s checklist:

1. Turned on? System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation, and use the shortcut chosen there.
2. Language and region: the selected language must match what you speak.
3. Microphone source: choose the right microphone under Dictation. “Automatic” picks the most likely device. Raise the input volume under Sound > Input.
4. Clear microphone: do not cover it, speak clearly at a normal volume and avoid background noise. A headset helps in noisy places.
5. Internet: according to Apple, you may need an internet connection, for example while speech models are not yet downloaded.
6. Voice Control on? Then standard Dictation is not available and you dictate through Voice Control instead.

macOS has two voice features that are easily confused:

Voice Control is mainly an accessibility feature: you open apps, scroll and click by command and dictate in dictation mode.

For a message or a note, Dictation is handy. With longer texts you will notice that it writes down what you say. Self-corrections such as “by Wednesday, no, by Thursday” stay in, and rewriting is a separate step via Writing Tools.

SpeechToWork is dictation software for Mac that picks up from here:

1. Put the cursor in any app, for example Mail, Outlook, Word or your industry software.
2. Hold the right Command key and speak freely.
3. Let go: the text appears tidied up and properly worded at the cursor.

Speech recognition and the language model run on your Apple silicon Mac, in search boxes too and without internet. On top of that come call notes, meeting minutes and reading receipts. How local AI works is explained in our guide to local AI. On Windows, see the guide to Windows dictation.

All information on Dictation comes from Apple's official documentation:

• Apple Support: Dictate messages and documents on Mac
• Apple Support: Commands for dictating text on Mac
• Apple Support: If Dictation on Mac doesn’t work as expected
• Apple Support: Use Voice Control on Mac
• Apple: macOS Feature Availability (languages for Dictation and Apple Intelligence)
• Apple: Ask Siri, Dictation & Privacy (as of 14.09.2026)
• Apple Support: Delete Siri and Dictation history on Mac
• Apple Support: Use Writing Tools with Apple Intelligence on Mac
• Apple: Apple Intelligence (supported Macs)

As of October 2026. Checked on 12 October 2026 for macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27. Apple changes menu names and features with new macOS versions; Apple's current documentation always takes precedence. Apple, Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc., named here for description only.

Author: Danilo à Tellinghusen, À Tellinghusen Software, Magdeburg, Germany.