Dictation

Dictation lets you speak instead of type in any app. Hold the trigger key (Fn by default), talk, let go, and TranscribeX transcribes on your Mac and inserts the text where your cursor is. Dictation itself is free.

Turn on dictation

1. Open Settings › Dictation and turn on Enable Dictation.
2. Under Permissions, check Accessibility Permission. If it says Not Granted, click Open Settings and turn on TranscribeX in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility. It’s “Required to insert dictated text into the app where the cursor is focused.”
3. Choose a Dictation Model (see below). If it isn’t downloaded, the app takes you to its model pane.
4. Try it in Detection Test: click into the text box, hold the trigger key, say something and let go.

More on macOS permissions in permissions.

Dictate

1. Click into any text field, in any app.
2. Hold Fn and speak. A small capsule with a waveform shows that it’s listening.
3. Let go. The capsule shows a spinner while it transcribes, then the text is typed in.

If no text field is focused, the text appears in a small TranscribeX panel instead, with a copy button. Very short recordings, or ones with no speech, are discarded.

Keyboard settings

Trigger Key

Choose the key that starts dictation:

• Fn (fn) (default)
• Left Control (⌃) or Right Control (⌃)
• Left Option (⌥) or Right Option (⌥)
• Left Shift (⇧) or Right Shift (⇧)
• Left Command (⌘) or Right Command (⌘)
• Custom: opens Record Custom Key. Press any key or key combination, then click Save.

Tip: If pressing Fn also opens the emoji picker or starts Apple’s dictation, change Press 🌐 key to in System Settings › Keyboard to Do Nothing, or pick another trigger key.

Trigger Behavior

• Hold (default): records only while you hold the key.
• Press & Release: press once to start, press again to stop. Better for long dictation.

Model and language

• Dictation Model: choose Parakeet V2 or V3, a Whisper model, or, on macOS 26, Apple’s on-device model. Downloaded models show a green check, and recommended models a star. Only models your license can use are listed: on the free plan that’s Whisper Tiny and the Apple model. Parakeet V2 (English) is fast and accurate if you have Pro. See choosing a model.
• Dictation Language: the language you speak. The list depends on the model.
• Preload Dictation Model (off by default): keeps the model loaded so dictation starts faster, at the cost of memory. Works with Whisper and Parakeet models.
• Mute System Audio (on by default): mutes other audio while you dictate, then restores it.

Dictation history

Every completed dictation is saved. Click Dictation in the sidebar (or the Dictation card on Home) to see them, grouped by Today, Yesterday and date, with the time of each one. To delete them all, click Clear. Dictation is never included in Chat.

Clean up text with AI

With Pro, TranscribeX can fix punctuation, remove filler words and format lists before inserting your text. See dictation AI polish.