macOS has a tool called Dictation that lets you enter text with just your voice from any app. Here’s how to use it.
You may be using Siri on your iPhone, Mac, or other Mac devices you own. With voice on a Mac, you can search through hundreds of files or check disk space, but the Cupertino company’s voice-based digital assistant has its limitations. Luckily, macOS has another voice feature that fills in the gaps.
This tool, called Dictation, lets you use your voice to enter text wherever you are, something Siri can’t do. Siri works great in native apps like Mail and Messages, but if third-party apps don’t support it, you won’t be able to use it. Dictation works across all apps and services on your Mac. In other words, you can type in Microsoft Word or comment on YouTube in Safari with just your voice.
If you often multitask and need help writing emails or leaving quick comments, use Dictation. In this guide, we’ll show you two different ways to enable voice dictation on your Mac: from the menu bar at the top of the screen, or with a keyboard shortcut of your choice.
Use dictation from the menu bar
The first way to use Dictation is from the menu bar at the top of the screen:
- To get started, open any application, such as an email client or word processor, and click the text input field.
- Then go to the menu bar and click Edit, then Start Dictation. A small microphone icon will appear next to your cursor. As you speak, you will see the microphone volume control move up and down to indicate the level of your voice. You should also see the text fill in the input field as you speak.
- When dictation is complete, click Done.
Use dictation with keyboard shortcuts
The second way to launch Dictée is with a keyboard shortcut that needs to be set up first. Do it:
- Open System Preferences.
- Click Keyboard.
- Go to the Dictation tab.
- Choose one of the suggested shortcuts, or click Customize from the dropdown to create your own.
Available options include: double-click the Fn (function) key, double-click the right Command key, double-click the left Command key, double-click any Command key. If you choose “Customize”, you can enter any key combination to activate dictation.
Finally, as in the first step of the first method, you need to navigate to the desired text input area and make the shortcut defined earlier to activate dictation. The text will be displayed as you dictate.