The direct answer
Turn on Dictation, place the cursor, and speak.
On a Mac, open System Settings, choose Keyboard, and turn on Dictation. Put the cursor in any text field, start Dictation with your configured microphone key or shortcut—or choose Edit > Start Dictation—then speak and review the text that appears. If your wording is already close to final, that may be all you need.
Apple’s built-in Dictation is the right starting point for ordinary speech-to-text. You can speak punctuation and formatting commands such as “new line” and “new paragraph.” The available settings and commands can vary by language and region, so check the Dictation section in Keyboard settings on the Mac you are using.
A second tool becomes useful when the transcript is only a rough draft. Perhaps you think through the idea out loud, change direction halfway through, or need the written result in another language. Aureon is designed for that editorial step. It shapes the spoken input into a draft you review; it is not required for literal text entry and it does not replace Apple’s Voice Control accessibility feature.
Two different jobs
Speech recognition captures words. Voice writing shapes a draft.
The microphone is the shared starting point. The useful distinction is what you expect to have when you stop speaking.
Use Dictation for direct entry
When you already know the sentence, Dictation puts the spoken words at the cursor. Speak the punctuation you need, stop, and correct anything that was heard incorrectly.
Use Aureon for a rough first draft
Aureon can remove speech-production residue, restore readable structure, and keep stated facts, uncertainty, and intent in a draft that remains visible for review.
Add language or recurring writing rules only when needed
Cross-language writing can produce reviewed text in another supported language, while a Custom Agent can carry a familiar tone or format. Neither feature supplies facts you did not say.
Built-in Mac steps
How to use Dictation on a Mac.
Enable Dictation in Keyboard settings
Open Apple menu > System Settings, select Keyboard, scroll to Dictation, and turn it on. Review the language, microphone source, and shortcut shown on your Mac.
Place the cursor and start Dictation
Click where you want the text to appear. Press the configured microphone key or shortcut, or use Edit > Start Dictation in an app that provides that menu command.
Speak the text and formatting you need
Speak naturally, including commands such as “comma,” “period,” “new line,” or “new paragraph” when they are available for your Dictation language.
Stop and review the result
End Dictation using the on-screen control or configured key, then check names, numbers, dates, negation, and any wording that could change a commitment.
When the transcript is not the finish line
Two drafts where preserving meaning matters more than sounding polished.
These are synthetic examples, not customer results. Each edit is useful only if the facts, uncertainty, language, and action survive the change.
Status update
I think the export is fixed now, but ask everyone to try once more before we say it is done.
The export should be fixed now. Please try it once more before we mark it as done.
“Should be fixed” keeps the speaker’s uncertainty. The retest remains a condition before completion, not an optional suggestion.
Spanish-to-English client note
Dile a Marta que el proyecto Atlas sigue para el 14 de agosto, pero todavía no estamos cien por cien seguros.
Tell Marta that Project Atlas is still planned for August 14, but we are not yet completely certain.
The person, project, date, and uncertainty stay intact across languages. This is reviewed written output, not live interpretation.
Choose the smaller tool that solves the job
Dictation is enough more often than a product page may admit.
Add Aureon only when the spoken words need an editorial step before they become useful written work.
| Use case | macOS Dictation | Aureon |
|---|---|---|
| Best starting input | A sentence already composed | A thought that may still be rough |
| Primary result | Text entered at the cursor | A shaped draft for review |
| Punctuation and structure | Spoken commands and manual correction | Can restore structure from rough speech |
| Cross-language writing | Not the core job | Can produce reviewed writing in another supported language |
| Recurring preferences | No custom writing agent | Custom Agent tone, format, and guardrails |
| Final check | Review recognition errors | Review both facts and editorial changes |
Apple’s Dictation availability, processing options, and commands can vary by language, region, and current settings. Check the Dictation section on your Mac for the current behavior.
Sources checked: Apple Support: Dictate messages and documents on Mac, Apple Support: Commands for dictating text on Mac.
A simple decision rule
Choose by the output, not by the microphone.
The safest workflow uses the least transformation needed and reserves extra review for text where one changed detail could matter.
Use Dictation
Literal text is enough
- Short fields and already-composed sentences
- Notes where the exact spoken wording is useful
- Fast entry followed by your own edits
Use Aureon
The thought needs shaping
- Filler and false starts need cleanup
- The written language differs from the spoken language
- A repeat task needs a familiar tone or format
Slow down
One detail can change the outcome
- Names, numbers, dates, negation, and commitments
- Legal, medical, financial, or other high-stakes wording
- Any text that would be sent or acted on without another review
Before choosing a default
Common questions about speech to text on Mac.
Start with the built-in path. Add a writing layer only when it removes a real editorial step without hiding the need to review.
01How do I turn on speech to text on a Mac?
Open System Settings, select Keyboard, scroll to Dictation, and turn it on. Put the cursor where you want text, then use the microphone key or shortcut shown in those settings, or choose Edit > Start Dictation in a supported app.
02Can I dictate punctuation and new paragraphs?
Yes. Apple documents spoken punctuation and formatting commands, including new lines and new paragraphs. The commands available to you can vary by Dictation language, so check Apple’s current command list and your Mac settings.
03Is macOS Dictation enough for everyday writing?
Often, yes. If the sentence is already composed and you only want it entered at the cursor, built-in Dictation is the simpler choice. Review the result for recognition errors before using it.
04When is Aureon useful instead?
Aureon is useful when spoken input is a rough draft that needs cleanup, readable structure, cross-language written output, or recurring tone and format rules. The result remains a draft to review.
05Does Aureon replace Voice Control on Mac?
No. Voice Control is an Apple accessibility and Mac-control feature, and Apple says it replaces standard Dictation while enabled. Aureon is an AI input and workflow layer for writing; it is not a replacement for Voice Control.