Apple Dictation

The MacOS has provided built-in dictation features for many years. The instructions and resources that I provide on this page are accurate for MacOS Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, and Sonoma (the most recent OS as of April 2024).

If you are using an older operating system, go to the Dictate your messages and documents page on Apple's support website for information on your version of the Dictation feature. Be sure to select your version of the MacOS in the top left drop-down menu (called "Select version").

Type with Your Voice on a Mac

Turning on Dictation

In Pages or any other native Apple app, click the Edit menu option and choose Dictation... or...
Press the Fn (function) key twice in Microsoft Word, or any other program.
Tip: To choose a different shortcut, open the Apple menu, select System Preferences, choose Keyboard, and finally click Dictation. Click the Shortcut menu, then choose a different shortcut.

Tips and Instructions

For details on this feature, visit Apple's User Guide for Apple Dictation
You may want to print out the Commands for Dictating Text on Mac page or save it as a PDF for easy access.