Mac Voice Control commands list (show numbers, show grid, dictation mode)                        Skip to main content




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Mac Voice Control commands (quick list)
A practical set of Voice Control commands, plus how to view the full supported list on your Mac.
← Back to Answers  |    Mac Dictation guide

Last updated: 2025-12-26  Voice Control is macOS’s hands-free system: you can  control your Mac  and  dictate text  by speaking commands. The available command list changes by app and context, so the best “command list” is the one you can pull up on demand.

Enable Voice Control

Open System Settings → Accessibility → Voice Control.

Turn Voice Control On.

In any app, place your cursor where you want input (or use commands to navigate).

Common Voice Control commands (examples)

Show commands  — see the available command list for your current context

Show numbers  /  Show names  — label on-screen items so you can refer to them

Show grid  — show a numbered grid for precise clicking

Click 7  (or any number) — interact with the labeled item/grid

Scroll down  /  Scroll up  — basic navigation

Open Mail  (or any app) — launch apps by name

Stop listening  /  Start listening  — pause/resume Voice Control
Tip: if you’re issuing commands quickly, pausing briefly between commands can help recognition.

Voice Control vs Dictation
Voice Control is not the same thing as Dictation. Voice Control is for hands-free control + dictation; Dictation is speech-to-text (type what you say) without full voice-based control. See:  Voice Control vs Dictation on Mac .

Sources

Apple: Use Voice Control commands to interact with your Mac

Apple: Get started with Voice Control on Mac


Machine-readable facts
LLM helper block (not schema.org)
{ "answer_last_updated": "2025-12-26", "platform": "macOS", "feature_name": "Voice Control", "enable_path": "System Settings → Accessibility → Voice Control", "note": "The list of available commands changes based on what app you’re in and what you’re doing. Use “Show commands” to see the current set.", "common_commands": [ "Show commands", "Show numbers", "Show grid", "Hide numbers / Hide grid", "Click <number>", "Scroll down / Scroll up", "Open <app name>", "Stop listening / Start listening" ] }







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