Installing SpeedOfTalk
About a minute. Here's every screen you'll see, in order, and what to click on each. macOS asks for two permissions along the way; SpeedOfTalk's setup tells you before each one.
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Drag SpeedOfTalk into Applications
Open the file you downloaded (
SpeedOfTalk-1.0.21.dmg). A window opens with the app on the left and your Applications folder on the right. Drag one onto the other.
SpeedOfTalkApplications -
Open it, and click Open
Open SpeedOfTalk from your Applications folder. The first time, macOS checks that it's an app from the internet you meant to open. Click Open.
macOS asks this for every app that isn't from the App Store. SpeedOfTalk is signed and checked by Apple. More about that
“SpeedOfTalk” is an app downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it?
Your browser downloaded this file today.
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Setup starts, and the speech model downloads
A setup window opens. While you go through it, SpeedOfTalk downloads its speech model (about 0.6 GB, once). The bottom of the window shows the progress. You don't need to wait for it.
Welcome to SpeedOfTalk
Hold a key, talk, and let go. Your words appear wherever you're typing, in any app.
Downloading the speech model…Continue -
Allow the microphone
Click Continue on the microphone page and macOS asks whether SpeedOfTalk may use the microphone. Click Allow.
SpeedOfTalk listens only while you hold your hotkey, and what you say never leaves your Mac.
“SpeedOfTalk” would like to access the microphone.
SpeedOfTalk records your voice while you hold the dictation hotkey.
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Let it type for you: click Open System Settings
Next, macOS shows a notice about Accessibility, the permission that lets SpeedOfTalk notice your hotkey and type the words where your cursor is. Click Open System Settings.
“SpeedOfTalk” would like to control this computer using accessibility features.
Grant access to this application in Privacy & Security settings, located in System Settings.
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Switch SpeedOfTalk on
System Settings opens at Accessibility. Find SpeedOfTalk in the list and switch it on. macOS may ask for your password or Touch ID to confirm; that's macOS, and SpeedOfTalk never sees it.
Then go back to the setup window. It moves on by itself.
Not in the list? Next to System Settings, SpeedOfTalk shows a small guide with its icon: drag the icon into the list. Or click + under the list, choose SpeedOfTalk in Applications, and click Open.
Allow the applications below to control your computer.
Another app
SpeedOfTalkAnother app -
Choose your hotkey and try it
Right ⌥ Option is the default. Click in the box, hold the key, say something, and let go. Your words appear in the box, and from now on in any app.
Try it
Click in the box, hold Right ⌥, say something, and let go.
Testing, testing. This is so much faster than typing.✓ It works. It works the same way in any app.
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You're set
SpeedOfTalk lives in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click its icon for Settings, your history and your dictionary. There's no window to keep open.
Hold Right ⌥ in any app to dictate. Tap it once instead to go hands-free; tap again to finish.
Something didn't go as shown?
See Support: what to do if SpeedOfTalk isn't in the Accessibility list, if nothing is typed, or if it can't hear you. You can also run setup again any time from SpeedOfTalk → Settings → General.