Push to talk dictation on a Mac
By Ryleigh NewmanPublished
Push to talk dictation works like a walkie-talkie: you hold a key down, talk, and the moment you let go the words are typed where your cursor is. Apple's own Dictation on the Mac does not do this. Its shortcut starts and stops dictation, and holding the Microphone key calls Siri instead. YapToText, the app I make, has push to talk as a setting on its dictation key, and it is free, with the speech turned into text on your Mac.
This app is completely free. You don't have to make an account. There are no subscriptions, no difficult downloads, and nothing is locked. Made for Apple silicon Macs. Source on GitHub.
On this page: 7 sections
Set up push to talk in YapToText
- Install YapToText from the Mac App Store and give it Accessibility when it asks, since that is what lets a key start it from any app.
- Open the Dictation page. In the Keys card, the menu beside the dictation key says Tap to start / stop. Change it to Hold to talk.
- Click into any text field, hold Right Command, talk, and let go.
Recording runs while the key is down and ends the moment you let go, even if the dictation was still starting. The words go through the same cleanup as a tapped dictation and land at the cursor. Hold the key, talk, let go. That is the whole thing.
Pick the key you hold
Right Command is the default because almost nobody types with it. The key field next to it takes Right Control, Left Control, Fn (Globe), Right Option, Left Option, Right Shift, or any other single key, such as an F-key or a number pad key. A modifier only counts when you press nothing else with it, so Command C still copies. The keys guide has every choice and its limits.
- Caps Lock. It has no held state, so on Caps Lock, Hold to talk works as tap to start and stop.
- A plain key. A letter or an F-key used as the trigger stops typing that character everywhere, so pick one you never need.
- A foot pedal or a switch. Anything that presses and holds one key can be the trigger. The pedal has to hold the key down for as long as you press, so look for a hold or press-and-release option in its software. Dictation from one key, a switch or a pedal goes through it.
Push to talk or tap, which one to use
YapToText 1.5.4, Dictation page, Keys card.
| Hold to talk | Tap to start / stop | |
|---|---|---|
| How it starts | Key down | One tap |
| How it ends | Let go | A second tap |
| Good for | Short bursts, chat replies, a quick search | Long paragraphs, emails, notes |
| Hands | You hold a key the whole time | Nothing is held |
| Pausing | Let go and hold again | Space pauses and resumes |
Tap is the default because it is easier on hands that cannot hold a key down, mine included. If holding a key tires you, dictation for carpal tunnel is built around never holding one. The Quick Edit key has the same choice, so you can hold it, say a change to selected text, and let go.
Why Apple Dictation has no push to talk
Apple describes its shortcut as press to start and press to stop. You can choose the Microphone key, Fn pressed twice, Control pressed twice, or a custom shortcut in System Settings, Keyboard, Dictation, but none of them records only while held. On Macs with a Microphone key (F5), a hold calls Siri. The Mac dictation shortcut guide has every option Apple offers.
Push to talk in calls is a different thing
If you searched for push to talk because you want to stay muted in a meeting and talk only while holding a key, that is a setting in the call app, not dictation. Zoom has a setting to press and hold Space to unmute yourself for a moment, and Discord has a Push to Talk input mode with its own key in its voice settings. Those send your voice to the call. Push to talk dictation turns your voice into typed text.
Other Mac apps with push to talk
Most dictation apps for the Mac have a hold mode now. Wispr Flow holds fn by default, and superwhisper has a push to talk key. Wispr Flow turns speech into text on its servers, and superwhisper keeps much of the app for its paid plan. YapToText is free, open source, and does both steps on your Mac, with no word count. Every Mac dictation app compared puts them side by side.
Related
Sources
- https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/mac (checked 2026-10-27)
- https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-27)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-27)
Questions
Does Mac dictation have push to talk?
No. Apple Dictation starts with one press of its shortcut and stops with another, and holding the Microphone key calls Siri. A dictation app such as YapToText adds Hold to talk.
How do I set up push to talk dictation on a Mac?
In YapToText, open the Dictation page and set the menu beside the dictation key to Hold to talk. Then hold Right Command, talk, and let go.
Can a foot pedal be the push to talk key?
Yes, if the pedal presses and holds one key for as long as you press it. Set that key as YapToText's dictation key and choose Hold to talk.
Is push to talk dictation free on Mac?
YapToText is free, with no word limit and no account, and it needs a Mac with Apple silicon.