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How to Use Dictation on Mac

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Open the Keyboard menu in System Settings

    Go to the "Keyboard" section in System Settings.

  2. Turn on Dictation

    Turn on the "Dictation" option to enable voice input.

  3. Start dictation with a keyboard shortcut

    In a text field, press the assigned shortcut twice to start dictating.

  4. Speak, then review and edit the result

    Say what you want to write, and it converts to text; edit it directly if anything needs fixing.

  5. Why this is useful

    When typing out a long piece of text feels tedious, speaking it instead can meaningfully speed up writing notes or drafts.

Capture ideas as fast as you can speak them

When ideas come faster than you can type, dictation lets you convert your speech directly into text at speaking pace instead of being limited by typing speed, which can dramatically speed up drafting.

You can dictate punctuation too

Saying words like "period" or "comma" while dictating automatically inserts the matching punctuation mark, so you don't need to stop and type it manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dictation require an internet connection?

Turning on enhanced dictation lets it process everything on the device itself, so it can work without an internet connection.

Can I dictate punctuation marks by voice?

Yes, saying words like "period" or "comma" automatically inserts the corresponding punctuation mark.