Typeless Translate: how to speak in your language and have it typed in another

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Typeless Translate turns what you say into a message in another language, typed into the app in front. On a Mac, press Fn and Left Shift once, choose the target language on the Voice bar, speak in your own language, then press Fn to finish. You can save several target languages and switch between them each time. Like the rest of Typeless, it runs in the cloud.

I built YapToText, a dictation app for the Mac, so read what I say about Typeless with that in mind. Every fact about Typeless here comes from its own help center, read on October 11, 2026.

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.

Set your target languages

  1. Open Typeless and click the Settings icon in the bottom-left corner.
  2. In the Language section, click the Edit icon next to Translation targets.
  3. Click Add another language and choose one. Repeat for each language you translate into.
  4. Drag the languages into the order you want.

On a phone the same list is under Account, Settings, Translation targets.

Translate as you dictate

  1. Click the text field where the translation should go.
  2. Press the Translate shortcut once. The default is Fn and Left Shift on macOS, and Right Alt and Right Shift on Windows.
  3. When the Voice bar appears, move the pointer over the current language and choose your target.
  4. Speak naturally in your own language.
  5. Press the main Typeless shortcut once to finish. The default is Fn on macOS and Right Alt on Windows.

Typeless does more than translate word for word: its help center says it adapts the phrasing to the purpose of the message while keeping your tone. So expect a rewritten message in the target language, not a literal transcript.

Change the shortcut

Open Settings, Keyboard shortcuts, find Translation mode, click it, and press the combination you want. The Typeless guide covers the main shortcut and the two permissions it needs.

On a phone

  1. Tap the text field.
  2. Press and hold the Speak button on the Typeless keyboard, then swipe up and choose the target language.
  3. Speak, then tap the Speak button when you are done.

What to know before relying on it

  • It needs a connection. Typeless's FAQ says every feature needs the internet, on every plan.
  • It counts toward your words. The free plan allows 8,000 words a week. The pricing page has the plans.
  • Each dictation has a limit. Nine minutes, with a countdown from the eight-minute mark.
  • Check names and numbers. A translation that adapts phrasing is rewriting, so read it before you send it.

The Typeless privacy page covers what it says about your audio and text.

What YapToText does about translation

Less. YapToText, the free Mac app I built, has no live speech translation. It types the language you spoke, in any of 29 languages. What it can do is translate text after the fact: select the text, tap the Quick Edit key, Right Option, and ask for the translation. If translating as you speak is the job, Typeless is the better tool for it. Bilingual dictation on a Mac covers dictating in two languages without translating.

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

  • Shortcut. Fn and Left Shift on a Mac, then Fn to finish.
  • Target. Pick it on the Voice bar. Save several under Settings, Language, Translation targets.
  • Output. A rewritten message in the target language, at the cursor.
  • Needs. An internet connection.

If Typeless changes Translate, open an issue on GitHub and I will update this page. 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

How do I translate with Typeless?

Press Fn and Left Shift on a Mac, choose the target language on the Voice bar, speak in your own language, then press Fn. The translation is typed at the cursor.

What is the Typeless Translate shortcut?

Fn and Left Shift on macOS and Right Alt and Right Shift on Windows by default. You can change it under Settings, Keyboard shortcuts, Translation mode.

Can Typeless translate into more than one language?

Yes. Add several Translation targets in Settings and choose one on the Voice bar each time you use Translate.

Does Typeless Translate work offline?

No. Typeless's FAQ says every feature needs an internet connection.