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Best voice typing apps for Mac — the ones that type anywhere
Voice typing is not transcription. The test is whether the words appear in the field you were already in — Mail, Slack, your editor, a form — without a copy and paste. Most speech tools fail it.
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The definition matters here
"Voice typing" and "speech to text" get used interchangeably and should not be. Speech to text is a category that includes transcribing recordings. Voice typing is an input method: it replaces the keyboard, in place, wherever you are typing.
The practical test is one question. If your cursor is in a Slack message box, do the words go into the Slack message box? If the answer involves copying from somewhere else, it is not voice typing, no matter how good the recognition is.
| Tool | Types where your cursor is? | Where it works |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Dictation | Yes | Any app with a text field |
| Vaitly Voice | Yes | Any app with a text field |
| Wispr Flow | Yes | Any app; also Windows, iOS, Android |
| Superwhisper | Yes | Any app; also Windows, iOS |
| VoiceInk | Yes | Any app on the Mac |
| Google Docs voice typing | No | Google Docs, in Chrome, Edge or Safari |
| Microsoft Dictate | No | Microsoft 365 apps, with a connection and a subscription |
| Browser dictation pages | No | Their own text box |
| Otter.ai | No | A transcript you copy out |
Google and Microsoft requirements from their own documentation, read 11 September 2026.
How system-wide voice typing works
It is simpler than it sounds and explains why there is never a list of supported apps. The app asks macOS for accessibility permission, then inserts text through the same input layer a keyboard uses. The receiving application cannot tell the difference, which is why it works in apps that have never heard of it and keeps working when they update.
That is also why these apps ask for a permission that looks alarming the first time. Accessibility permission is what lets software type on your behalf; there is no narrower permission that would do. See how system-wide dictation works on macOS.
Choosing between the five
Apple Dictation — free, start here
Types anywhere, costs nothing, supports many languages, and on Apple silicon can run on your Mac. The limitation is that it cannot learn your vocabulary, which is what pushes daily users onward.
Vaitly Voice — on-device, with the vocabulary
Types anywhere, recognises on your Mac, learns your names through Vocabulary, expands spoken triggers through Snippets, and keeps a local history with the audio. Free is 1,000 words a week with no sign-in. Mac and Apple Silicon only.
Wispr Flow — if you type on four platforms
Types anywhere, on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. Transcription happens in the cloud by design, which is the trade. Free tier at $0, Pro $15 per user per month ($12 annually).
Superwhisper — local, configurable, three platforms
Types anywhere, local-first, Mac, Windows and iOS, extensively configurable.
VoiceInk — local, open source, one-off
Types anywhere on the Mac, local recognition, source on GitHub, one-off from $25.
The places voice typing still does not reach
Honesty about the edges, because every one of these has produced a support email:
- Password fields. Deliberately protected by macOS. This is correct behaviour.
- Some virtual machines and remote desktops. The guest operating system receives the keystrokes, which usually works — but not always, depending on the client.
- A few apps with custom text engines. Rare, mostly older creative software that draws its own text fields.
- Anywhere the cursor is not. The most common cause of "it typed into the wrong window": clicking into a field is still required.
Where these facts came from
Anything stated about another product was read on that product's own site or documentation on the date shown, and is re-checked at least quarterly. If something below has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
- Google states that voice typing "works with the latest versions of: Chrome, Edge, Safari" and requires a document open in Google Docs in a supported browser. source, checked .
- Microsoft states that dictation "lets you use speech-to-text to author content in Microsoft 365 with a microphone and reliable internet connection," and that "the dictation feature is only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers." source, checked .
- Wispr Flow lists dictation for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android; its Notetaker is described as "Mac only for now." source, checked .
- Wispr Flow states that "Transcription always happens in the cloud to provide the best speed and accuracy." source, checked .
- VoiceInk says it "processes all voice transcription locally on your device" and that "your voice data never leaves your Mac," with optional cloud enhancement that handles transcribed text rather than audio. source, checked .
- Superwhisper lists Mac, Windows and iOS. source, checked .
Questions
What is the difference between voice typing and dictation?
In ordinary use, nothing — both mean speaking instead of typing. The distinction worth keeping is between tools that insert text where your cursor is and tools that produce a transcript you copy out. The first replaces the keyboard; the second does not.
Can I voice type in Slack, Notion and Linear?
Yes, with any system-wide app, because those are ordinary text fields as far as macOS is concerned. There is no plugin and nothing breaks when they update.
Is there a free voice typing app for Mac?
macOS's own dictation is free and types anywhere. VV has a permanent free tier of 1,000 words a week with no sign-in. Start with Apple's.
Why does a voice typing app need accessibility permission?
Because typing on your behalf is precisely what accessibility permission governs on macOS. There is no narrower permission that permits text insertion into another app. An app that types into every application without it would be a security problem.