The Mac dictation shortcut is the Microphone key in the function row, if your keyboard has one, or Fn-D. Apple's keyboard shortcut list says Fn-D will "Start or stop dictation." You can also choose Edit → Start Dictation from the menu bar. To change the dictation key, open System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation and pick another option in the Shortcut pop-up menu, or choose Customize and press your own combination.
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The Apple steps below are from the Mac User Guide for macOS 27; the macOS 26 and macOS 15 editions use the same wording for the shortcut settings. On an older version, search System Settings for "Dictation".
What is the Mac dictation keyboard shortcut?
| Way to start | What Apple says |
|---|---|
| Microphone key | "Press the Microphone key if available in the row of function keys." Press and release it to start Dictation. Press and hold it to activate Siri, if Siri is enabled |
| Fn-D | "Start or stop dictation. You may be able to set a different dictation shortcut in Keyboard settings." |
| Whatever the Shortcut menu shows | The current choice under Keyboard → Dictation → Shortcut. One of Apple's listed options is Press Fn (Function) Key Twice |
| Menu bar | Edit → Start Dictation in the app you are typing in |
The first and third rows are from Apple's Dictation guide. The Fn-D row is from Apple's Mac keyboard shortcuts article, published 14 September 2026. Apple's shortcut list names the key "Fn (Function) or Globe", so on a keyboard with a Globe symbol, read Fn as that key.
Dictation must be turned on first. If nothing happens when you press the key, see Mac Dictation not working.
To stop dictating, Apple says to press the Escape key, the Microphone key, or the Dictation shortcut again. Dictation also stops automatically when no speech is detected for 30 seconds.
How do you change the Mac dictation hotkey?
- Choose Apple menu → System Settings, then click Keyboard in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
- Go to Dictation and make sure it is turned on.
- Click the Shortcut pop-up menu and choose one of the listed shortcuts.
- To create one that is not in the list, choose Customize, then press the keys you want to use. Apple's example is Option-Z.
- Click in a note and press the new shortcut to test it.
Pick a combination that your main apps do not already use. A shortcut that works in Notes can be taken by a browser, a code editor or a launcher. If the test fails in one app only, that app is intercepting the keys.
Apple adds a note that explains a common surprise: when you choose a Dictation shortcut, "the 'Press fn key to' or 'Press key to' option in Keyboard settings may change automatically." For example, choosing Press Fn (Function) Key Twice changes that other setting to Start Dictation (Press Fn Twice).
Why does the key open the emoji picker instead?
Because the Fn/Globe key has a second setting of its own. Apple's Keyboard settings page lists what a press of that key can do under Press fn key to (on some keyboards the label shows a Globe symbol in place of "fn"):
| Option | Result |
|---|---|
| Change Input Source | Switches between keyboard layouts for other languages |
| Show Emoji & Symbols | Opens the Character Viewer |
| Start Dictation | Starts dictation when you press the key twice |
| Do Nothing | Nothing happens |
If a press opens emoji, this setting is on Show Emoji & Symbols. Apple's emoji page confirms that this option exists so "you only need to press the Fn key or the Globe key" to open the Character Viewer. To fix it:
- Open System Settings → Keyboard.
- Click the Press fn key to pop-up menu.
- Choose Start Dictation if you want a double press of the key to start dictating, or Do Nothing if you use a different dictation shortcut and want the key left alone.
You do not lose the emoji picker. Apple's shortcut list gives Control-Command-Space bar or Fn-E for the Character Viewer.
Why does the Globe key show a language menu?
Two different features use that key for languages.
- Keyboard layouts. With Change Input Source selected, the key switches typing layouts.
- Dictation languages. Apple's Dictation guide says that if you set up Dictation for more than one language, you can "press the Globe key (if available), then choose the language you want to use" while dictating.
Neither is a fault. If the menu gets in the way, choose a Dictation shortcut that does not involve the Globe key. Dictate in Spanish on a Mac covers language switching.
How do third-party dictation apps use a hold-to-talk key?
Apple's Dictation is a toggle: you press to start and press again to stop. Separate voice to text apps on the Mac choose their own shortcut, and some use a push-to-talk gesture where you hold a key while speaking and let go to finish.
| App | Shortcut behaviour, per the developer |
|---|---|
| Apple Dictation | Press to start, press again or Escape to stop |
| Handy | A configurable shortcut: "hold it to record and release to stop, or tap it to toggle recording on and off" |
| Superwhisper | Option-Space by default on a Mac; press, speak, and press again to stop |
| MacWhisper | A keyboard shortcut you configure in its settings. Dictation is in the version sold on macwhisper.com, not the App Store version |
| SuprFlow | Hold the Fn key to record and release to transcribe; press Space while holding Fn to lock hands-free recording. Or set a Custom Hotkey that toggles start and stop |
Hold-to-talk suits short bursts, such as a reply in a chat app, because there is no second key press to forget. A toggle suits long passages where holding a key is tiring.
What if two tools want the same key?
This can happen once you install a second dictation tool. The Fn/Globe key can be claimed by macOS for emoji, by macOS for Dictation, and by a third-party app for push-to-talk, all at once.
- Decide which tool owns the Fn key.
- If a third-party app owns it, set Press fn key to to Do Nothing, and give Apple Dictation a different entry in its Shortcut menu.
- If Apple Dictation owns it, give the other app a custom hotkey.
- Test each tool in a blank note with a made-up sentence.
For SuprFlow specifically, Why does the Fn key open emoji? covers the Fn conflict, and How to change the SuprFlow hotkey covers choosing a custom shortcut.
A separate app is not needed to get a better shortcut. Apple's Customize option already lets you pick any combination. A dedicated app is worth a look only if you want the hold-to-talk gesture itself or the features around it. SuprFlow vs Apple Dictation sets out when the free built-in tool is enough.
Questions people ask
What is the voice to text shortcut on a Mac?
The Microphone key in the function row if your keyboard has one, or Fn-D. Apple says you may be able to set a different dictation shortcut in Keyboard settings, so check the Shortcut menu under Keyboard → Dictation for the one your Mac currently uses.
How do I turn on dictation with the Fn key?
Open System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation, click Shortcut, and choose Press Fn (Function) Key Twice. Apple says the separate Press fn key to setting then changes to Start Dictation automatically.
Can I use a single key as the Mac dictation key?
The Microphone key is a single key, where the keyboard has one. Otherwise Apple's documented options are the choices in the Shortcut menu or a combination you record with Customize. Apple's guide does not say which single keys Customize accepts, so test the one you want.
Why did my dictation shortcut stop working?
Check three things: that Dictation is still turned on, that the Shortcut menu still shows the keys you are pressing, and that Voice Control is off. Apple says standard Dictation is not available while Voice Control is on.
Related guides
- Mac Dictation not working? Causes and fixes
- How to use voice to text on a Mac
- Mac dictation commands and punctuation
- Why does the Fn key open emoji instead of starting SuprFlow?
- How to change the SuprFlow hotkey on Mac
- Best dictation app for Mac