The direct answer
Turn on Voice Control in Accessibility settings, then say a command.
Open System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, click Voice Control, and turn it on. Then speak a command such as “Open Mail,” “Click Done,” or “Scroll down.” Say “Show commands” at any time to see what is available in the app you are using. This is Apple's built-in feature for controlling a Mac by voice, and for most command-and-control needs it is the whole answer.
Apple splits voice into two separate features, and most confusion about Mac voice commands comes from mixing them up. Voice Control operates the interface: in Apple's words it navigates the desktop and apps, interacts with what is on screen, and dictates and edits text. Dictation enters text at the cursor. They are configured in different places—Voice Control lives in Accessibility settings, Dictation lives in Keyboard settings—and Apple states that Voice Control replaces standard Dictation while it is enabled.
A third job is neither of those. Sometimes you do not want to click a sequence of controls or type a sentence; you want to describe an outcome once and have a reviewed draft or a new item waiting for you. Aureon is built for that third case. It is an AI input and workflow layer, not a Mac-control tool: it does not replace Voice Control and it does not operate arbitrary interface elements.
Three jobs, three tools
Decide by what you want to exist when you stop speaking.
The microphone is the same. What differs is whether you expect a click, a sentence, or a finished piece of work.
Use Voice Control to operate the Mac
When you want to click, scroll, switch apps, or navigate without the trackpad, Voice Control is Apple's built-in answer and includes a customizable command list with an interactive tutorial.
Use Dictation to enter text
When you already know the sentence and want it typed at the cursor, Dictation is the shorter path. Speak punctuation such as “comma” and “new paragraph” as you go.
Use Aureon when the outcome is the point
When you would rather describe a result once—a cleaned-up draft, writing in another supported language, or a new note, page, or calendar event in a connected app—Aureon plans the step and leaves a create-only result for you to review.
Built-in Mac steps
How to set up Mac voice commands, find the command list, and fix it when it stops working.
Turn on Voice Control in Accessibility settings
Open Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, click Voice Control—you may need to scroll down—and turn it on. This is a different screen from Dictation, which lives under Keyboard. Looking in the wrong one is the single most common reason people conclude their Mac has no voice command feature.
Learn the commands with the built-in tutorial
In the same Voice Control screen, click Open Tutorial to practice the essential commands interactively. This is faster than reading a list, because it shows you the commands in context.
Say “Show commands” to see what applies right now
The available commands change depending on the app you are in and what you are doing, so the live list is more reliable than any static article. Say “Show commands” to display it at any point.
Browse or search the full command list
Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control > Commands to see everything supported. Select a command's checkbox to turn it on or deselect it to turn it off, and use the search field to find one by word or phrase. Clicking a command shows a description and usage examples.
Add your own commands, or move them to another Mac
You can create custom commands, and you can import or export them from the lower-right corner of the Commands screen using Import Custom Commands and Export Custom Commands. Exporting is the practical way to carry a command set to a second machine.
Pause listening instead of turning it off
Say “Stop listening” to pause Voice Control and “Start listening” to resume. This is usually what you want during a meeting, rather than disabling the feature and losing your place.
If Mac voice commands are not working, check these first
Start inside Voice Control itself: System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control has its own Microphone setting, and it is the one Voice Control listens on — checking Sound settings first is the common wrong turn. Set it explicitly rather than leaving it on Automatic if you use an external mic. Then check whether Voice Control is enabled when you actually wanted Dictation, since Apple states Voice Control replaces standard Dictation while it is on, so the Dictation shortcut will not behave as the Keyboard settings describe. Finally, check that the command you expect is enabled in the Commands list and is available in the current app, since the set varies by context.
When a command is not the right shape
Two cases where describing the outcome beats issuing a sequence of commands.
These are synthetic examples, not customer results. Each one is useful only if the facts, amounts, and intent survive unchanged.
Capture after a call
Make a note about the pricing call, we agreed to hold at twenty nine dollars until the Q4 review, and Marta is going to confirm with finance.
Pricing call — hold at $29 until the Q4 review. Marta to confirm with finance.
The amount, the condition, and the owner are preserved. The note is created for review; nothing is sent to Marta.
A note captured in another language
Apunta que el contrato de Atlas hay que revisarlo antes del viernes por la tarde.
Atlas contract — review before Friday afternoon.
The deadline and its qualifier survive the language change. Aureon creates a new note; it does not edit or reschedule anything that already exists.
Pick the smallest tool that does the job
Voice Control is enough more often than a product page may admit.
Aureon is worth adding only when you want a reviewed written result or a created item, not when you want to operate the interface.
| Use case | macOS Voice Control | Aureon |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Operate the Mac interface by voice | Turn spoken intent into a draft or created item |
| Typical instruction | “Click Done,” “Open Mail,” “Scroll down” | “Make a note about the pricing call” |
| Result | The interface action happens | A draft or new item awaits your review |
| Custom commands | Create, import, and export your own | Custom Agents carry tone, format, and guardrails |
| Cross-language | Not the core job | Can produce reviewed writing in another supported language |
| Acting on existing content | Operates the on-screen items and commands available in the current app and context | Create-only; does not send, delete, or overwrite |
Voice Control availability, command sets, and settings can vary by language, region, and macOS version. Check System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control on the Mac you are using for current behavior.
Sources checked: Apple Support: Use Voice Control commands to interact with your Mac, Apple Support: Customize Voice Control on Mac, Apple Support: Change Voice Control settings for accessibility on Mac, Apple Support: Commands for dictating text on Mac.
A simple decision rule
Choose by the result you need, not by the microphone.
Use the least powerful tool that finishes the job, and reserve extra review for anything where one changed detail would matter.
Use Voice Control
You want the Mac to do something
- Clicking, scrolling, and navigating
- Working without a trackpad or keyboard
- Repeating a UI sequence you can name
Use Aureon
You want something to exist afterwards
- A rough thought that needs shaping into a draft
- A note, page, or calendar event captured into a connected app
- Written output in another supported language
Slow down
One detail can change the outcome
- Names, amounts, dates, negation, and commitments
- Anything that would be sent or acted on without review
- Legal, medical, financial, or other high-stakes wording
Before choosing a default
Common questions about Mac voice commands and Voice Control.
Start with the feature Apple already ships. Add another layer only when it removes a real step without hiding the need to review.
01How do I turn on voice commands on a Mac?
Open System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, click Voice Control, and turn it on. You may need to scroll down to find it. Once enabled you can speak commands such as “Open Mail” or “Click Done.” Note that this is a different setting from Dictation, which is under Keyboard and handles text entry rather than control.
02What is the difference between Voice Control and Dictation on a Mac?
Voice Control operates the interface—clicking, scrolling, opening apps, and navigating—and is found in Accessibility settings. Dictation types the words you speak at the text cursor and is found in Keyboard settings. Apple states that Voice Control replaces standard Dictation while it is enabled, so turning on Voice Control changes how the Dictation shortcut behaves.
03Where do I find the full list of Mac voice commands?
Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control > Commands for the complete list. You can search it by word or phrase, and clicking any command shows a description and examples. For what applies at this moment, say “Show commands” instead—the available set varies by app and by what you are currently doing.
04Can I create my own voice commands on a Mac?
Yes. Voice Control supports custom commands, and you can move them between machines using Import Custom Commands and Export Custom Commands from the lower-right corner of the Commands screen. Exporting is the practical way to set up a second Mac without rebuilding your command set by hand.
05Why are my Mac voice commands not working?
Check three things in order. First, open System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control and look at its own Microphone setting — Voice Control selects its input there, not in Sound settings, which is why changing the system input alone often does not help. Second, check whether the command you expect is switched on in the Commands list and is available in the app you are using, since the set changes by context. Third, if text is not appearing when you speak, you may have Voice Control enabled while expecting Dictation—Apple says Voice Control replaces standard Dictation while on.
06How do I stop my Mac from listening without turning Voice Control off?
Say “Stop listening” to pause it and “Start listening” to resume. This is usually preferable to disabling the feature, because it keeps your settings and custom commands in place.
07Is there voice command software for Mac beyond the built-in feature?
Apple's Voice Control covers controlling the Mac, and Dictation covers typing by voice. Both are included with macOS and for many people they are the complete answer. Additional software is worth considering only for a different job: producing a reviewed draft from rough speech, writing in another supported language, or capturing a note, page, or calendar event into a connected app. Aureon is built for that third job and is not a replacement for Voice Control.
08Does Aureon replace Voice Control on Mac?
No. Voice Control is Apple's accessibility and Mac-control feature: it navigates the desktop and apps and interacts with what is on screen, using the commands available in the app you are working in — Apple notes that the available set varies by app and by what you are doing. Aureon is an AI input and workflow layer for writing and create-only actions in supported apps. It does not operate interface controls at all and is not an accessibility replacement.
09Can Aureon send an email or message by voice?
No. Aureon's supported workflows are create-only by design: it can prepare a draft or create a new item in a supported app, but sending, deleting, and overwriting existing content are outside what it does. The result stays visible for you to review and act on yourself.
10Which apps can Aureon create items in by voice?
Spoken Voice Command currently creates a new note in Apple Notes, a page in Notion or flomo, a markdown note in Obsidian, or an event in Apple Calendar. Those five are the destinations available by voice today. How much you review before anything is created depends on the destination and on how complete the spoken detail was — each connector page states what that step looks like.
11Does Voice Control work in every language?
Availability, command sets, and settings vary by language, region, and macOS version. Check System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control on your own Mac rather than relying on a general list, since the commands shown there reflect what your configuration actually supports.
12Is Siri the same as Mac voice commands?
No. Siri answers questions and handles a set of requests Apple defines, while Voice Control operates the interface directly and works with a command list you can inspect and customize. If you want to click a specific button or navigate a window by voice, Voice Control is the feature to use.