A Mac can take dictation with no extra software, and Voice Control adds hands-free navigation and editing. If you need dictation because of an injury or disability, Pepys Dictate offers a free licence: email contact@pepys.co, no proof needed. It runs only on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 13 or later. This is not medical advice.
What your Mac has built in
macOS includes Dictation, which lets you speak to enter text anywhere you can type. You turn it on in System Settings under Keyboard, and you can choose how to start it, including a shortcut of your own.
It also includes Voice Control, a separate accessibility feature. Apple describes it as a way to speak commands to navigate the desktop and apps, and to dictate and edit text. While Voice Control is on, it handles dictation and standard Dictation is turned off.
Where a dictation app helps
If the built-in tools do not suit you, a dictation app can add what they lack. Pepys Dictate applies spoken corrections, so "Friday, no wait, Monday" becomes "Monday". It formats lists and numbers as you speak, so there is less to fix by hand afterwards. It keeps a personal dictionary for names and terms, and a history you can search.
You start it with a keyboard shortcut, and you can hold it or tap it. Recognition and formatting run on your Mac, with no account.
A free licence if you need it
The free plan of Pepys Dictate covers 2,000 words a week. Pro, at $9.99 once, removes the limit. If you need dictation because of an injury or disability, you do not have to pay: email contact@pepys.co and we will send you a free licence. No proof is needed.
Pepys Dictate is a Mac app for Apple silicon Macs running macOS 13 or later. It is not available for Windows, iPhone, iPad or Android. This is our own offer, and it is not a medical programme. For advice about your condition, talk to your doctor or an occupational therapist.
Practical tips
These help whichever tool you use. Apple's Dictation command list includes the spoken punctuation and paragraph commands below.
- Pick a start shortcut that is comfortable for your hands. Pepys Dictate lets you hold or tap its shortcut, so try whichever is easier on you.
- Say punctuation and new paragraphs aloud: "comma", "period", "new paragraph".
- Dictate in short bursts, then read the text before you send it.
- Add the names and terms you use often to the personal dictionary.
Last updated October 5, 2026.