VoiceInk not working: the fixes its own docs give, in order

By Ryleigh Newman · Published October 9, 2026

When VoiceInk stops working, its docs say the cause is almost always one of five things: a missing macOS permission, the wrong microphone, a Mode using settings you did not expect, a local model too slow for the Mac, or paste timing in the app you are typing into. Check them in that order. Most fixes take a minute.

I make YapToText, a different dictation app, and I have not used VoiceInk myself. Every step below is from VoiceInk's documentation, read on October 9, 2026.

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.

This guide in other languages: العربية, Čeština, Dansk, Deutsch, Ελληνικά, Español, Suomi, Français, עברית, हिन्दी, Magyar, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, 日本語, 한국어, Norsk, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Română, Русский, Slovenčina, Svenska, ไทย, Türkçe, Українська, Tiếng Việt, 简体中文, 繁體中文

On this page: 8 sections

1. Steps
2. It records, but no text appears
3. It transcribes, but pastes the wrong thing or nothing
4. It is slow
5. Repeated words, invented text, or the wrong language
6. If you want something that just works today
7. The short version
8. Questions

Steps

1. Check Microphone and Accessibility permissions in System Settings, then restart VoiceInk.
2. Pick the right microphone in VoiceInk's Audio view.
3. Check that the active Mode has a model, the right language, and Paste output.
4. If old text pastes, raise Restore Delay in Settings, Pasting.

It records, but no text appears

• Permissions. In System Settings, Privacy & Security, VoiceInk needs Microphone to record and Accessibility to paste. Screen Recording matters only if a Mode uses screen context. Restart VoiceInk after any change.
• Microphone. Open Audio in VoiceInk's sidebar, pick the right device or set a priority order, and click Refresh Microphones after plugging one in. In System Settings, Sound, Input, the level should move when you talk.
• The active Mode. In Modes, check that the Mode is enabled, has a working transcription model, the right language, and Paste as its output. Respond and Custom Command deliver text somewhere else on purpose.
• The model. In AI Models, a local model must be downloaded, and a cloud provider needs a working API key.

If you see text in History but not in your app, the problem is pasting, not hearing.

It transcribes, but pastes the wrong thing or nothing

VoiceInk pastes by putting the text on the clipboard and pressing Command V for you. The docs give these fixes, in order:

• Click into the text field first. The paste goes to whatever has focus.
• Old clipboard text appears. In Settings, Pasting, keep Keep Clipboard Content on and raise Restore Delay. The default is 2 seconds, and it goes up to 5.
• Your clipboard keeps vanishing. Keep Clipboard Content is off. Turn it on.
• Still nothing. Switch Paste Method from Default to AppleScript, which the docs also suggest for custom keyboard layouts.

It is slow

• Use a faster local model. The docs suggest Parakeet V3 or V2 for fast local dictation, or a smaller Whisper model if a large one drags.
• Intel Mac. Local models usually run better on Apple silicon. On Intel, the docs suggest a cloud transcription provider.
• Fast transcript, slow result. That is the AI enhancement step. Turn it off for plain dictation Modes, or turn on Skip short transcriptions.
• Find the slow stage. Dashboard, View Insights, Model Performance compares models, and History, Analyze times each recording.

Repeated words, invented text, or the wrong language

• Voice Activity Detection. Turn it on in AI Models, the gear button, Transcription. It helps local models ignore silence.
• Another model. Try Parakeet, or Whisper Base or Tiny if a larger Whisper model over-generates.
• Retry. After changing settings, Retry Last Transcription in Settings, Shortcuts reruns the same audio.
• Language keeps changing. Language is set per Mode, and a Mode can switch on by app, website or default. Check which Mode is active.

If you want something that just works today

YapToText is a free dictation app for Apple silicon Macs with macOS 14 or later, and it has far fewer settings to go wrong. There are no Modes that switch by app, no cloud keys, and no clipboard delay to tune.

• One key. Tap Right Command, talk, and tap again. The text lands at your cursor.
• Both models inside. The App Store build ships its speech and cleanup models, so there is nothing to download first.
• Fewer options. It has one speech model family, Whisper, and none of VoiceInk's Assistant Mode, custom commands or cloud providers.

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.

The VoiceInk alternative page compares the two, and the Mac dictation troubleshooting guide covers Apple's own dictation.

The short version

• No text. Check Microphone and Accessibility permissions, the selected microphone, and the active Mode.
• Wrong paste. Raise Restore Delay, or switch Paste Method to AppleScript.
• Slow. Use Parakeet, use cloud on Intel, or turn off AI enhancement.
• Still stuck. VoiceInk's Settings, Diagnostics, Export Logs is what its support asks for.

If VoiceInk's docs change and a step here no longer matches, open an issue on GitHub. Every one gets read.

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.

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.

Related

• VoiceInk guides: every page on this site about VoiceInk, by topic
• VoiceInk keeps changing the language or model: a Mode is doing it, and here is how to find which
• VoiceInk is slow: find which stage takes the time, then fix that one
• VoiceInk repeats text or invents words: the five fixes its own docs give
• VoiceInk microphone settings: fix the wrong mic, rank your devices, and quiet other audio
• How to use VoiceInk on a Mac: from the first dictation to Modes, the Dictionary and History
• VoiceInk keyboard shortcuts: the recording key, its four modes, and every shortcut after it
• VoiceInk History: finding old transcripts, exporting them, and deleting them on a schedule
• VoiceInk Custom Commands: send your dictation to a script instead of pasting it
• Install and set up VoiceInk on a Mac: requirements, permissions, the trial and your shortcut

Sources

• https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/common-issues (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/transcription-failing (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/clipboard-issues (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/transcription-taking-too-long (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/repeated-text-or-hallucinations (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/model-or-language-changing-automatically (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://tryvoiceink.com/docs/installation (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://github.com/ryleighnewman/YapToText (checked 2026-10-09)
• https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yaptotext/id6786382289 (checked 2026-10-09)

Questions