How to Set Up and Use Dictation on a Mac

Mac dictation turns your spoken words into text anywhere you can type, from Messages and Mail to Pages and Safari. This guide walks you through enabling the feature, choosing a language and shortcut, and using it effectively, including voice commands for punctuation and formatting.

What You’ll Need

A Mac running macOS Monterey or later (earlier versions still have dictation, but the settings menu looks slightly different).
A microphone, either built-in or external.
An internet connection for the default “Enhanced Dictation” (on newer macOS versions, all dictation is processed on Apple’s servers, so a connection is required).
An Apple ID if you want to add custom vocabulary or use “Hey Siri” style dictation on some models.

Step-by-Step

Open System Settings (or System Preferences). Click the Apple menu and choose System Settings (macOS Ventura and later) or System Preferences (macOS Monterey and earlier).
Go to Keyboard settings. In System Settings, click “Keyboard” in the sidebar. In System Preferences, click the “Keyboard” icon.
Find the Dictation section. Scroll down in the Keyboard settings until you see “Dictation.” It’s usually near the bottom, below the text input options.
Turn on Dictation. Click the toggle next to “Dictation” so it turns blue. A pop-up may ask you to confirm; click “Enable.”
Choose your language. Next to “Language,” click the dropdown and select the language and dialect you’ll speak. You can add multiple languages if you’re multilingual, but you’ll need to switch between them manually.
Set your shortcut. Next to “Shortcut,” click the dropdown and pick a key combination to start and stop dictation. The default is “Press Fn (Function) Key Twice.” You can also choose “Press Fn Key Once,” “Press Right Command Key Twice,” or “Customize” to set your own.
Optional: Enable “Enhanced Dictation” (older macOS only). If you’re on macOS Monterey or earlier, you’ll see a checkbox for “Use Enhanced Dictation.” This downloads the speech recognition engine to your Mac so dictation works offline. On newer versions, this option is gone because all dictation is online.
Close Settings. Your changes save automatically.
Test it. Open any app where you can type (TextEdit, Notes, Messages). Click into a text field, then press your shortcut (usually the Fn key twice). A small microphone icon appears. Start speaking clearly.
Stop dictation. Press the shortcut again, or click the “Done” button that appears near the microphone icon.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to enable the microphone permission. The first time you use dictation, macOS may ask for permission to access the microphone. If you click “Don’t Allow,” dictation won’t work until you re-enable it in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.
Speaking too fast or mumbling. Dictation works best with clear, moderately paced speech. Pause briefly between sentences.
Not using punctuation commands. If you just speak words, you’ll get a wall of text with no periods or commas. You must say “period,” “comma,” “question mark,” etc.
Using the wrong shortcut. If you changed the shortcut and forgot, you’ll press Fn twice and nothing happens. Check your settings.
Expecting offline dictation on newer macOS. On macOS Sonoma and later, dictation requires an internet connection. It won’t work in airplane mode.

Tips

Say punctuation and symbols out loud. Say “period,” “comma,” “question mark,” “exclamation point,” “new paragraph,” “new line,” “open quote,” “close quote,” “colon,” “semicolon,” “dash,” “hyphen,” “asterisk,” “at sign,” “hashtag,” “dollar sign,” “percent sign,” “ampersand.”
Use formatting commands. Say “cap” to capitalize the next word (e.g., “cap apple” gives “Apple”). Say “caps on” and “caps off” to type in all caps. Say “no caps” to force lowercase.
Correct mistakes by voice. Say “correct that” after a word or phrase, and macOS will show alternatives. You can also say “select” followed by a word, then say the replacement.
Add custom vocabulary. In System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation, click “Edit Vocabulary” (or “Customize Vocabulary” on older versions). Add names, technical terms, or acronyms you use often.
Use dictation in any text field. It works in search bars, forms, spreadsheets, and even the address bar of your browser (though it may not always insert there).
Speak numbers naturally. Say “one hundred twenty-five” for 125, or say “one two five” for 125 as a sequence. For currency, say “twenty dollars and fifty cents.”
Keep your Mac’s microphone input clean. If you’re in a noisy room, use a headset mic or move closer to the built-in mic.

Troubleshooting

Dictation doesn’t start when I press the shortcut. First, check that dictation is actually enabled in System Settings > Keyboard. Then check your shortcut setting—it may have been changed. If you’re using an external keyboard, the Fn key might be remapped; try the on-screen keyboard or a different shortcut. Finally, make sure no other app is using the microphone (e.g., a video call).

Dictation hears me but types the wrong words. Speak more slowly and clearly. Check the language setting matches your accent. Add unusual words to the vocabulary list. If you’re in a noisy room, move to a quieter spot or use a headset. On older macOS, try turning on Enhanced Dictation for better accuracy.

Dictation stops after a few seconds. This is normal—dictation is designed for short bursts. Press the shortcut again to resume. If it stops immediately, check your internet connection (on newer macOS) or your microphone permissions.

No microphone icon appears. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and make sure the app you’re using (e.g., TextEdit) is allowed. If not, toggle it on and restart the app.

Dictation types in the wrong language. Check the Language dropdown in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation. If you have multiple languages, you may need to switch manually using the language key on your keyboard (if set up) or by clicking the globe icon in the dictation bar.

Dictation works in some apps but not others. Some older or specialized apps may not support dictation. Try a standard Apple app like Notes to confirm it works at all. If it works there, the issue is the app you’re using.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Mac dictation work offline? On macOS Monterey and earlier, yes, if you enable Enhanced Dictation. On macOS Ventura and later, no—dictation requires an internet connection because the speech recognition happens on Apple’s servers.

Can I dictate in multiple languages? Yes. In System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation, click “Language” and choose “Add Language.” You can then switch between languages by clicking the globe icon in the dictation bar or using a keyboard shortcut if you set one.

How do I add a word to the dictation vocabulary? Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation and click “Edit Vocabulary” (or “Customize Vocabulary” on older macOS). Type the word or phrase and click “Add.” It will then be recognized more reliably.

Why does dictation insert a period when I pause? That’s a feature called “auto-punctuation.” On newer macOS versions, dictation may automatically add periods and commas based on your tone and pauses. You can turn this off in System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation by unchecking “Auto-Punctuation.”

Is Mac dictation private and secure? On newer macOS versions, your speech is sent to Apple’s servers to be processed. Apple states that it does not store the audio or associate it with your Apple ID. If you’re concerned, you can use dictation on macOS Monterey or earlier with Enhanced Dictation, which processes everything on your Mac.

Can I use dictation to control my Mac (like Siri)? No. Dictation only converts speech to text. For voice control of your Mac, use the built-in “Voice Control” feature in System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control, which lets you navigate and click with your voice.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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