How to Use Dictation on a Mac

Use Dictation on a Mac

Do you ever get tired of typing?  Do you wish you could get your thoughts on paper just a little bit quicker?  Well, the good news is if you have a Mac, this feature is already built in.  It is called Dictation and the software comes standard in all the new Macs.  Just think. You talk and it writes down everything that you say.  Is technology really that advanced?  I think so.  I will tell you a few details about dictation and hopefully you will give it a try...if you haven't already.

First, let's go over how to use Dictation.  First, you want to make sure it is activated and to find this out, you have to go to:

System Preferences, then Dictation & Speech

From there, you can simply turn on the Dictation feature.  You can also choose a shortcut from the following options:

Press fn (Function) twice

Press right Command key twice

Press left Command key twice

Press either Command key twice

You can choose whichever shortcut works best for you.  You can also change the language here if needed.  Now you're ready to use Dictation anywhere that you would normally type.  All you have to do to activate Dictation is either use your chosen shortcut or you can go to:

Edit, then Start Dictation

It's that easy!  Dictation may have some problems getting all your words correct in the beginning but it should learn and improve over time.  Even so, the problems are usually minor.  You will have to say the punctuation at the end of your statement or question if you want Dictation to add it.  As you get used to Dictation, you can save a lot of time so don't be shy about trying it out.  If you want to take Mac dictation software to the next level, Dragon Dictation software is a great option.  Use your Mac to it's full potential!

For a detailed list of Dictation commands, simply visit this site.

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