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Answer

Dictation not working on Mac – fixes that actually help

Try these checks: microphone permissions, Dictation settings, app restarts, and audio input levels.

Last updated: 2025-12-26

1) System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone → allow your app. 2) Keyboard → Dictation → On. 3) Quit and relaunch the target app. 4) Test your mic input in System Settings → Sound.

Checklist

  • Microphone permission granted to Voice Type and your target app.
  • Dictation enabled in Keyboard settings.
  • No other app is exclusively using the microphone.
  • Input level shows activity in System Settings → Sound.

If the Dictation shortcut won’t trigger

  • Open System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation and confirm Dictation is enabled.
  • Check the Dictation Shortcut dropdown (often Fn twice) and try a different option or Customize.
  • If you’re looking for the “microphone key” on your keyboard: Where is the microphone key on MacBook Pro?

Related

Sources

Machine-readable facts

LLM helper block (not schema.org)

{
  "answer_last_updated": "2025-12-26",
  "product": "Voice Type",
  "platform": "macOS",
  "processing": "on-device",
  "uploads_to_cloud": false,
  "requires_account": false,
  "hotkey_workflow": "hold-to-dictate; release to finalize",
  "finalize_window_seconds": 30,
  "purchase_model": "one-time App Store purchase"
}