How to Set Up and Use Dictation on a Mac

You want to talk instead of type and have your Mac enter the text for you.

Why: Dictation is built into macOS and works in almost any text field once you turn it on. After setup, you start it with a key or shortcut and speak — including the punctuation.

Fix 1: Turn on Dictation

1. Open the Apple menu > System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar.
2. Scroll to Dictation and turn it on.
3. Click Enable if prompted, and choose your preference when asked about sharing audio with Apple.

Fix 2: Start dictating

1. Click to place the insertion point where you want the text.
2. Start Dictation one of three ways: press the microphone key in the function-key row (if your keyboard has one), use the Dictation keyboard shortcut, or choose Edit > Start Dictation.
3. When the cursor is highlighted and pulsing — or you hear the ready tone — begin speaking.

On Apple silicon Macs you can keep typing while dictating; it pauses and resumes automatically.

Fix 3: Speak punctuation and symbols

While dictating, say the name of the punctuation or symbol to insert it — for example, say comma, question mark, or apostrophe. Say new line or new paragraph to break the text. In supported languages, common punctuation can be added for you automatically.

Fix 4: Change the shortcut or language

In System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation:

• Shortcut: Click the Shortcut pop-up menu and pick a key combination to start and stop Dictation, or choose Customize to set your own.
• Languages: Click Edit next to Languages to add or switch the language and region you dictate in.
• Microphone: The microphone source shown here is the device your Mac uses to listen.

FAQ

Nothing happens when I start Dictation. Make sure the cursor is in a text field, confirm Dictation is enabled (Fix 1), and check that the microphone source in Dictation settings is the device you’re actually speaking into.

How do I stop dictating? Press the same Dictation shortcut again, or click Done near the microphone indicator.

Sources: Apple Support — Dictate messages and documents on Mac