To dictate in Polish on a Mac, open System Settings → Keyboard, go to Dictation (Dyktowanie on a Polish-language Mac), click Edit next to Languages, and select Polish (Poland). Start Dictation and pick Polish from the language shown next to the cursor. Polish has the basic Dictation feature only: Apple does not list it for on-device dictation, automatic punctuation or emoji, so you say every punctuation mark, and Apple does not say Polish dictation works without a connection.
The steps come from Apple's Dictate messages and documents on Mac for macOS 27 Golden Gate, and its Polish edition, Dyktowanie wiadomości i dokumentów na Macu. If your screen differs, search System Settings for "Dictation" or "Dyktowanie".
How do you turn on Polish dictation?
- Choose Apple menu → System Settings, then click Keyboard (Klawiatura) in the sidebar.
- Go to Dictation (Dyktowanie) and turn it on.
- Click Edit (Edycja) next to Languages (Języki) and select Polish (Poland).
- In a text field, start Dictation with the Microphone key, your Dictation shortcut, or Edit → Start Dictation, and check that the language next to the cursor is Polish.
- Stay online while the Mac sets the language up, and read the note below the Dictation switch (see below).
If you also write in English, select it too. Switch by clicking the language next to the cursor, or press the Globe key and choose. Apple's guide describes switching by hand and does not describe automatic detection of a language change.
Which Polish dictation features does Apple list?
From Apple's macOS feature availability page for macOS Golden Gate, checked on 2 October 2026:
| Feature | Polish (Poland) | English (UK), for comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Dictation | Yes | Yes |
| On-device dictation | Not listed | Yes |
| Auto-punctuation | Not listed | Yes |
| Dictate emoji | Not listed | Yes |
| More advanced Dictation (Apple Intelligence) | Not listed | Yes |
Apple lists one Polish variant, Poland. "Not listed" means absent from that feature's list on the day we checked.
What that means in practice:
- Say every punctuation mark. Apple's guide says automatic commas, periods and question marks work "in supported languages". Polish is not on that list.
- Check where your Polish dictation is processed. Apple's guide says the text below the Dictation switch in Keyboard settings tells you whether general dictation is processed on your Mac or sent to Siri servers. Read it before dictating anything confidential. Is Mac Dictation private? explains the difference.
- Use the emoji picker. Polish is not on the emoji dictation list, and the Polish command page gives its emoji examples in English ("heart emoji", "car emoji").
How do you say punctuation in Polish?
Apple's Polish command list, Polecenia do dyktowania tekstu na Macu, is fully translated. The entries you will use most:
| Say (Polish) | Result |
|---|---|
| kropka | . |
| przecinek | , |
| znak zapytania | ? |
| wykrzyknik | ! |
| dwukropek | : |
| średnik | ; |
| wielokropek | … |
| otwórz cudzysłów / zamknij cudzysłów | „ ” |
| otwórz nawias / zamknij nawias | ( ) |
| myślnik | – |
| kreska | - |
| nowy wiersz | new line |
| nowy akapit | new paragraph |
| procent | % |
Two details from that page. Opening quotes come out as the low „ mark, the form used in Polish text. And the currency section lists the dollar, cent, pound, euro and yen signs but no złoty. Write "zł" yourself, or check how your Mac writes amounts you dictate.
The list also includes "włącz bez odstępów" and "wyłącz bez odstępów" (next phrase without spaces, then back to normal) and "wielkie litery" for one word in capitals.
Polish keyboard and diacritics
Dictation language and keyboard layout are separate settings. Apple's Write in another language on Mac has you add keyboards under Keyboard → Text Input → Edit: search for Polish and choose a layout. It says an added input source's language also joins "your list of Dictation languages (if available)", and that Control-Space selects the last input source you used.
Apple's Dictation guide does not say you need a Polish keyboard active to dictate Polish, and it does not describe how Dictation spells ą, ć, ę, ł, ń, ó, ś, ź and ż. Check them in your test. If a word comes out wrong, Apple says ambiguous text is underlined in blue: click it and pick an alternative. The Polish edition's own example is getting "magnes" when you meant "magnez". Or type the fix with a Polish layout.
What can you do if Polish dictation is not enough?
Apple's Dictation is free and is still the first thing to try for Polish, even without auto-punctuation or on-device processing.
If on-device processing matters to you, look at dictation apps that list Polish and run speech recognition on the Mac. SuprFlow's requirements page lists 19 languages, including Polish, and its setup asks you to choose a speech-recognition language. We have not tested accuracy per language and make no accuracy claim for Polish, including diacritics or case endings. How to test SuprFlow with another language gives a short test. SuprFlow costs $125 once and has no free tier.
A 10-minute test for your Polish
- Write four made-up sentences: two ordinary, one with an English product or person name, and one with a date, an amount and a negation. For example: „Spotkanie z Jordanem Chenem jest 14 maja. Kwota wynosi 2750 zł, a nie 2570.”
- Dictate them into Notes with Polish active, saying "kropka" and "przecinek".
- Check every diacritic, the case endings, the name, the figures and "nie".
- Say "otwórz cudzysłów" and "zamknij cudzysłów" around a phrase and check the marks.
Questions people ask
How do I use Polish dictation on a Mac?
Add Polish (Poland) under System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation → Languages → Edit, start Dictation, and choose Polish from the language shown next to the cursor.
Why does my Mac not add commas in Polish dictation?
Apple does not list Polish for auto-punctuation. Say "przecinek" for a comma and "kropka" for a full stop, both from Apple's Polish command list.
Does Polish dictation work offline on a Mac?
Apple does not list Polish for on-device dictation. The text below the Dictation switch in Keyboard settings tells you how your Mac processes it.
Does Mac dictation type Polish letters like ą and ł?
Apple does not describe it. Dictate a sentence full of diacritics, check the result, and fix any misses with a Polish keyboard layout.
Related guides
- How to use voice to text on a Mac
- Dictate in German on a Mac
- Mac dictation commands and punctuation
- How to test SuprFlow with another language
- Is Mac Dictation private?
- Offline voice to text on a Mac