Typeless is not working: fixes for the microphone, permissions, the Fn key and lost transcripts

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Most Typeless problems come down to one of four things. Microphone unavailable means the app cannot reach your microphone. Text that is not inserted means the Accessibility permission needs switching off and on. A key that does nothing is usually claimed by another system shortcut. And a transcript you lost is still in History.

I built YapToText, a different dictation app for the Mac, so read what I say about Typeless with that in mind. Every fact about Typeless here comes from typeless.com and its help center, read on October 10, 2026. For the microphone error, its help center's first advice is to update to the latest version.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis 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.

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Match what you see to a fix

From the Typeless help center's troubleshooting pages, read October 10, 2026.

What you seeFix
Microphone unavailableCheck the microphone permission, close other apps using the mic, and select the right microphone in Settings, Audio
It hears you but inserts nothingSystem Settings, Privacy & Security, Accessibility: turn Typeless off and on
Fn, or your key, does nothingSystem Settings, Keyboard: remove whatever else is assigned to that key
The transcript disappearedOpen History in the app
Dictation stopped by itselfThe limit is 9 minutes. What you said is saved in History

Microphone unavailable

Typeless lists four causes: microphone access is blocked by the operating system, security or device management software is blocking it, another app is using the microphone, or the selected microphone is not working.

  • On a Mac. System Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone, with Typeless turned on. If it is not listed, go back to Typeless and repeat the permission step to bring up the macOS prompt.
  • On Windows 11. Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone: turn on Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone, and Let desktop apps access your microphone.
  • Other apps. Close meeting apps, recorders and browser tabs using voice input.
  • On Windows, exclusive mode. In the microphone's Advanced tab under More sound settings, clear both exclusive control options.
  • The device. In Typeless, Settings, Audio, Microphone, pick the microphone and speak. A blue bar moves when it is working.
  • Work computers. Security or IT management tools can block the microphone even when the settings look right. Ask your IT administrator.

Text is not inserted

Typeless uses the Accessibility permission to put text where your cursor is. Its help center's fix is to toggle it: System Settings, Privacy & Security, Accessibility, turn Typeless off, then on. If Typeless is not in the list, click the add button, choose Typeless from Applications, and click Open. If macOS asks you to quit and reopen Typeless, do that.

The Fn key does nothing

Fn is Typeless's default on a Mac, and macOS can also use it for other things. Open System Settings, Keyboard, look for shortcuts or special functions assigned to the key, and disable or reassign them. The same applies to any other key you chose. On Windows the default is Right Alt.

A lost transcript, or a dictation that stopped

If you closed the card before copying, the transcript is in History. Typeless's help center says transcripts are stored locally on your device and kept for the Keep History period you selected, then deleted. A dictation that ends by itself has usually hit the 9-minute limit: a 60-second countdown appears at 8 minutes, and what you said is saved to History.

If it still fails

Typeless asks you to report the problem from the app's home screen, in Give feedback. If the reason it fails is your connection, that is by design: its speech recognition runs on its servers.

A dictation app that runs on the Mac has no server to lose. YapToText is mine: free, no account, Whisper and cleanup on the Mac, and it works with Wi-Fi off. It also keeps each dictation in History with its recording. It needs an Apple silicon Mac. The Typeless alternative page compares the two, and the platforms page covers Windows and Linux.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis 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.

The short version

  • First. Update Typeless, then check the microphone.
  • Microphone unavailable. Permission, other apps, the selected device.
  • No text. Toggle Accessibility off and on.
  • Dead key. Clear the conflict in Keyboard settings.
  • Lost words. History.

If these steps stop matching the app, open an issue on GitHub. Every one gets read.

Download YapToText on the Mac App StoreThis 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.

About the author. Ryleigh Newman is a developer whose hands make typing difficult and who dictates every day with YapToText, the app this site describes. Facts about other apps come from their own sites, with the date they were read. More about the project.

Sources

Questions

Why does Typeless say Microphone unavailable?

The app cannot access your microphone: the permission is blocked, security software is blocking it, another app is using it, or the selected device is not working.

Why is Typeless not inserting text?

The Accessibility permission usually needs toggling. In System Settings, Privacy & Security, Accessibility, turn Typeless off and on.

Why is the Fn key not working with Typeless?

It may be assigned to another system action. Check System Settings, Keyboard, and disable or reassign the conflict.

Where did my Typeless transcript go?

It is in History in the app, for as long as your Keep History setting allows.

Does Typeless work offline?

No. Its speech recognition runs on its servers, so it needs an internet connection.