Dictation for Mac that writes clean text, not a messy transcript
Talk the way you think and get text you can send. VoiceTyping runs in Safari, Chrome and Edge on your Mac, installs to your Dock as a web app, and its extension for Chrome and Edge types straight into Gmail, Slack, Notion, Google Docs and any other text field on the web.
How VoiceTyping works on your Mac
VoiceTyping is a web app, not a native macOS app. That is a deliberate choice, and it is worth being clear about what it means for you.
- In the browser, open voicetyping.ai/app, press the mic button or your shortcut, talk, and get cleaned text ready to copy.
- As an installed web app, VoiceTyping sits in your Dock with its own window and icon, opens in a second and remembers your settings.
- With the extension for Chrome and Edge, a mic button appears in every text field on the web, and the cleaned text lands where your cursor is.
Outside the browser, in apps such as Apple Mail, Pages or Messages for Mac, you dictate in the VoiceTyping window and paste the result with one copy. The shortcuts work while the VoiceTyping window or a browser tab with the extension is active. There is no system-wide hotkey for other Mac apps.
Set up dictation on your Mac in a few minutes
- Create your account and open voicetyping.ai/app in Safari, Chrome or Edge.
- Allow the microphone when the browser asks. You do this once per browser.
- In Safari, choose File, then Add to Dock. In Chrome or Edge, click the install icon in the address bar.
- Add the VoiceTyping extension to Chrome or Edge if you write in Gmail, Slack, Notion or Docs.
- Pick your default style (Email, Chat, Document or Notes) and your language, or leave language on Auto.
- Add the names, brands and terms you use every day to your dictionary so they come out right the first time.
VoiceTyping compared with Apple Dictation
Apple Dictation is built into every Mac at no extra cost and works in almost any app. It is good for short phrases. Where it struggles is the text you actually send: it types what you said, word for word, including every "um" and restart, and you add most punctuation and paragraphs by hand. VoiceTyping does the cleanup for you.
| Apple Dictation | VoiceTyping | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Included with macOS | From 7 USD per month billed yearly |
| Where it types | Almost any Mac app | Browser, installed web app, any text field on the web through the extension |
| Fillers and false starts | Kept in the text | Removed |
| Punctuation and paragraphs | Partly automatic, often spoken | Added for you |
| Self-corrections ("at 3, no, at 4") | Both versions typed | Only the final version |
| Tone per app | One output | Email, Chat, Document, Notes and custom styles |
| Your names and jargon | No editable dictionary | Personal dictionary and snippets |
| Edit by voice | Basic commands | "Make it shorter", "more formal", "make it a list" and more |
If you dictate a word or two into a native app, Apple Dictation is fine. If you write emails, messages and documents by voice every day, VoiceTyping saves you the cleanup.
Keyboard shortcuts on a Mac
The extension and the web app use the same shortcuts. These are the defaults, and you can change any of them in Chrome at chrome://extensions/shortcuts, in Edge at edge://extensions/shortcuts, or in VoiceTyping settings.
| Action | Default on Mac |
|---|---|
| Hold to talk | Hold Option + Shift + Space |
| Toggle recording on and off | Option + Shift + D |
| Insert last result again | Option + Shift + V |
| Undo last insert | Option + Shift + Z |
Hold to talk is the fastest habit: hold the keys, speak, let go, and the text appears.
What you get on top of plain dictation
- Clean text in the tone of the app, so a Slack reply reads like chat and an email reads like an email.
- Voice commands that edit what you just said, like "new paragraph" or "translate to Spanish".
- English plus Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, Dutch and more, with automatic language detection.
- A searchable history of your results, or no history at all if you switch it off.
Most people type about 40 words per minute and speak about 130 to 150. Clean dictation turns that gap into time back in your day. See how AI voice typing works, the full list of voice typing software features and voice typing app pricing.
FAQ
Is there a native Mac app?
No. VoiceTyping runs in Safari, Chrome and Edge and installs to your Dock as a web app with its own window. The extension for Chrome and Edge types into text fields on the web.
Can I use VoiceTyping in Apple Mail, Pages or Messages?
Yes, by dictating in the VoiceTyping window and pasting the cleaned text. The shortcuts do not work inside other Mac apps, so you copy the result with one click and paste it where you need it.
Does it work on Apple silicon and Intel Macs?
Yes. It runs in the browser, so any Mac with a current version of Safari, Chrome or Edge and a working microphone can use it.
What happens to my recordings?
Audio is processed to produce text and deleted right after transcription. It is never used to train models. Your text history is encrypted at rest, you can switch history off, and you can delete all your data in one click. Read more on is voice typing private.
Do I need a special microphone?
No. The built-in microphone on a MacBook works well in a quiet room. A headset or AirPods help in a noisy office.
Hear the difference on your Mac
Say a messy sentence and watch it come back clean. Try it without an account, no card needed to try it. Using another computer too? Read voice to text for Windows or the speech to text Chrome extension.