Mac dictation not working

1. Is Dictation switched on?

Open System Settings > Keyboard and check that Dictation is on. If you just switched it on, macOS may need a moment to prepare the language.

2. Is the right microphone selected?

Open System Settings > Sound > Input. Select the microphone you are speaking into and watch the input level move as you talk. A headset that is connected but muted is a common cause of silence. In Keyboard settings you can also pick the microphone used for dictation.

3. Does the shortcut reach macOS?

Check the Dictation shortcut in Keyboard settings. If you use Fn, look at the setting Press 🌐 key to in the same pane: another action assigned there, or a keyboard utility that remaps Fn, can intercept it. Try Edit > Start Dictation from the menu bar; if that works, the problem is the shortcut.

4. Is Voice Control on?

When Voice Control is turned on, the standard Dictation feature is not available. Check System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control.

5. Did it stop after a pause?

Dictation ends by itself after 30 seconds without speech. That is expected behaviour, not a fault.

6. Is your language installed?

In Keyboard settings, check Languages next to Dictation. If you speak a language that is not listed, Dictation will produce poor or no text. Add it with Edit.

7. Does it work in another app?

Try a plain text field, such as a new note in Notes. If dictation works there, the original app may block text input from dictation, or its field may be secure, such as a password field.

8. Restart the pieces

Quit and reopen the app you are typing into. If that does not help, turn Dictation off and on again in Keyboard settings, then restart your Mac.

9. If you use Talki

Talki needs its own permissions. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security and check:

• Microphone: Talki must be allowed, or recordings stay silent.
• Input Monitoring: needed only for Fn push-to-talk in the direct edition.
• Accessibility: needed only for pasting into another app in the direct edition. Without it, Talki copies the text instead.

If a Talki transcription fails, your recording is still saved. Open the note and retry with another model. See what happens when a transcription fails.