Shortcuts
Record keyboard or mouse shortcuts and choose how they start and stop dictation.
Assign Recording Shortcuts
Open Settings → Shortcuts, click the primary shortcut recorder, and press the key combination, modifier key, or mouse button you want to use. You can use side-specific modifiers, Fn, a middle mouse button, or an extra mouse button. Left and right mouse clicks are not recording shortcuts.
Use Add Second Shortcut for another recording shortcut. Each shortcut has its own recording mode; they can use different gestures and buttons.
Recording Modes
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Toggle | Press once to start, then again to stop. |
| Push to Talk | Hold to record; release to stop. |
| Hybrid | A short press toggles recording. Hold for at least 0.5 seconds to record until release. |
| Double Tap | Tap twice quickly to start, then twice again to stop. |
Mouse recording uses the same shortcut recorder and mode picker. There is no separate Middle-Click Recording toggle or activation-delay setting.
Additional Shortcuts
| Action in Settings | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Paste Last Transcription (Original) | Paste the last saved original text, after transcription cleanup, formatting, and word replacements. |
| Paste Last Transcription (Enhanced) | Paste enhanced text when present, otherwise the original. |
| Retry Last Transcription | Reprocess the most recent saved audio using the current Mode, create a new History entry, and copy the result to the clipboard. It does not paste automatically. |
| Cancel Recording | Cancel the active recording. Without an assigned shortcut, press Escape twice in the recorder. |
Retry requires the saved audio file; it cannot recover audio already removed by cleanup.
Two other shortcuts live with their features:
- History → History Settings → Open Quick History: Open a searchable panel for pasting recent results. See Quick History.
- Dictionary → gear → Quick Add to Dictionary: Open the quick-add panel for Vocabulary or Word Replacements.
Recorder Controls
| Shortcut | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Option + 1–0 | Select one of the first ten enabled Modes. |
| Escape twice | Cancel recording when no custom Cancel Recording shortcut is assigned. |
| Return | Finish recording and send pasted output when Auto Send is enabled. |
Auto Send
Open Settings → Pasting → Auto Send and choose Return, Shift+Return, or Command+Return. None disables it.
While recording, press Return to stop, process the recording, paste the result, and press the selected send key. Stopping normally with your recording shortcut only pastes. Auto Send is a global setting; it is not stored per Mode and does not apply to Respond or Custom Command output.
Mode Shortcuts
Assign a shortcut in a Mode's editor to start directly with that Mode. It bypasses app and website matching and uses the primary recording shortcut's mode, including hold or double-tap behavior.
For iPhone and iPad, see Quick Dictation on iOS.