Paraspeech Documentation
Set up Paraspeech, choose local or cloud processing, and get help with dictation on your Mac.
Need plan details? See pricing. Want the latest shipped changes? Read the changelog. Prefer walkthroughs? Browse the blog. If you still need help, open support.
Quick Start
Your First Dictation
HOLD your shortcut
(Control by default)
TALK
Say what you want
LET GO
Release the key
REVIEW
Check the inserted text
First Time Setup
Grant Microphone permission
So Paraspeech can hear you
Grant Accessibility permission
So it can detect your shortcut in any app
Download a local model (optional)
For on-device and offline modes
Choose your recording shortcut
Control is the default
Do a test recording
Check the microphone and text insertion
Essential Settings
| Setting | What It Does | Find It In |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Send | The 'Enter' key is pressed automatically after the transcription is pasted. | Rewrite → App Exceptions |
| Recording Shortcut | Change your hotkey | Settings → General |
| AI Cleanup | Can remove filler words when rewriting runs | Rewrite → Default Output |
| Word Replacements | Auto-correct specific words | Dictionary |
| Privacy Mode | Stop saving history | Settings → General |
Getting Started
What You'll Need
- A Mac with macOS 14.0 or later
- Apple Silicon for supported local models, or Intel with cloud-backed models
- iPhone or iPad with iOS or iPadOS 17.0 or later
- A microphone, such as your MacBook’s built-in mic
- Internet access for setup and model downloads
First Launch
When you first open Paraspeech, a setup wizard walks you through everything:
1. Microphone Access
Allows Paraspeech to record your voice
2. Accessibility Access
Allows Paraspeech to detect your shortcut and insert text. The direct-download app can also use text corrections for Automatic Dictionary; the Mac App Store app cannot observe those corrections.
3. Model Download
Supported local modes require a model download before offline use. Download size and storage requirements vary by model.
4. Choose Your Shortcut
Pick the key you'll hold when you want to talk
Finding Paraspeech
After setup, look for the Paraspeech icon in your menu bar - that's the row of small icons at the top-right of your screen, near the clock and Wi-Fi. If the notch hides the icon, use Paraspeech's Dock icon instead. Click the menu bar icon to:
- See your recent transcriptions
- Copy something you said earlier
- Open settings
- Check how much you've used it
How to Use Paraspeech
The Basic Flow
- 1
Hold your shortcut key
(Control by default)
- 2
Say what you want to say
Speak naturally
- 3
Let go of the key
Your words are processed
- 4
Review the inserted text
Copy from history if insertion fails
When history is enabled, your transcription also appears in the menu bar history - click the Paraspeech icon to see recent transcriptions if the auto-paste missed or you need to use something again.
Recording Modes
Both (Default)
Hold shortcut to talk, release to stop. Or tap shortcut to toggle recording on/off.
Hold
Hold shortcut → Speak → Release
Toggle
Tap once to start, tap again to stop
Change in: Settings → General. Cloud live dictation stops after fifteen minutes per recording. Unlimited transcriptions refers to the number of transcriptions.
Recording Indicator
While you're recording, a small visual indicator appears so you know Paraspeech is listening. You can change how this looks in Settings:
Default
Clear indicator
Hidden
No visual indicator
Meeting Mode
Record a conversation on a supported Apple Silicon Mac with a ready local speech model and speaker-model setup. Paraspeech saves each meeting in its own workspace with playback and a speaker-aware transcript. Each recording can last up to four hours.
Record a Meeting
- 1Open Meetings in the main window, or choose Start Meeting from the recording indicator.
- 2Finish local speech and speaker-model setup, and allow microphone access.
- 3Grant Screen Recording permission if macOS asks. macOS uses this permission for system audio; Paraspeech does not record or save screen video.
- 4Choose Start Meeting. Paraspeech records your microphone and system audio from apps such as Zoom, Meet, Teams, and browsers.
- 5Choose Stop Meeting when the conversation ends. Normal dictation shortcuts do not interrupt an active meeting recording.
Playback
Replay the combined meeting audio from the Meetings workspace.
Speaker-aware transcript
Review the conversation as a timeline with speaker labels.
Generated notes
Meeting Mode automatically attempts a cloud-generated summary after you stop; it requires internet. Transcript text is sent for processing. Its saved recordings and summaries are separate from Privacy Mode’s dictation controls.
Features
Automatic Paste
When processing finishes, Paraspeech attempts to paste your transcript into the active text field.
Auto-Send
Enable the Return icon for an app in Rewrite → App Exceptions to press Return after pasting.
Transcription History
When local history is enabled, completed transcriptions are available from the menu bar. Privacy Mode clears existing dictation history and stops new dictation history from being saved.
Privacy Mode
Privacy Mode clears dictation history and stops saving new dictation entries. Meeting Mode saves its recordings separately.
AI Rewriting
Polish transcriptions with Cloud Cleanup or optional on-device rewriting in eligible direct-download plans. Use app exceptions to choose different output for individual apps.
Cleaning Up Your Transcriptions
Removing Filler Words With Rewriting
Cleanup can remove words such as “um” and “uh” when rewriting runs. Review the output; these examples illustrate possible results.
What you say:
“Um, so I was thinking, uh, we should schedule a meeting”
Example result:
“So I was thinking we should schedule a meeting”
Converting Spoken Numbers
Supported number conversion can turn phrases such as “two hundred fifty” into “250”. Review numbers and edit them when the exact format matters.
What you say:
“The total is two hundred fifty dollars”
Example result:
“The total is 250 dollars”
Speech Models
Pick the local model that fits how you speak.
25-language local
- • Covers 25 European languages
- • Available on supported Apple Silicon Macs
- • Download size varies by model version
English-only local
- • Dedicated English choice
- • Available on supported Apple Silicon Macs
- • Download size varies by model version
Japanese & Mandarin Chinese
- • Dedicated local models
- • Dedicated single-language setup
Available local models include English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and a 25-European-language model. Multilingual Large offers 100+ languages in the direct-download Mac app where available. Choose from the models available in your build under Settings → Transcription.
Optimal Setup
Choose a comfortable shortcut and a microphone that captures your voice clearly.
Choose Your Recording Shortcut
Choose a shortcut you can reach comfortably that does not conflict with your other apps.
Good Shortcuts
- Control - Easy to reach (default)
- Fn/Globe Key - Great with an Apple Keyboard and if default Fn/Globe Key functionality has been turned off
- Control + Shift (or other combinations) - Great for preventing accidental triggers and hotkey overlaps
Shortcuts to Avoid
- Command alone - Too many conflicts
- Shift alone - Triggers while typing
- Letters - Many conflicts in everyday usage
Select Your Microphone
The right mic input makes a significant difference in accuracy.
| Your Setup | Recommended Mic |
|---|---|
| Quiet environment | Built-in Mac mic |
| Noisy environment | Built-in Mac mic |
| Closed Mac/Mac Mini | External non-Bluetooth microphone preferred |
System Audio During Recording
What should happen to system sounds while you're recording?
Mute
Complete silence while recording
Dampen
Lowers volume significantly
Off
No change to system audio
Word Replacements
Add replacement rules for names, terms, or phrases that are repeatedly misheard. Where supported, Automatic Dictionary can also learn from corrections you make after dictation.
Why Use Word Replacements?
Fix Consistent Errors
If Paraspeech consistently mishears something, add a rule to fix it automatically.
Proper Capitalization
Names, brands, and acronyms: iphone → iPhone, api → API
Technical Terminology
Industry-specific terms: kubernetes → Kubernetes
Text Expansion
Short → long: addr → 123 Main Street, Suite 400
Example Replacements
| Category | Original | Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Names | john | John |
| Tech Terms | api | API |
| Brands | ||
| Shortcuts | myemail | [email protected] |
| Signature | sig | Best regards, Your Name |
How to Add a Rule
- 1Open Dictionary
- 2Click Add Rule
- 3Enter the word to find (Original)
- 4Enter what to replace it with (Replacement)
- 5Optionally enable Case Sensitive matching
Pro Tip
Add a rule only after you observe the same error more than once. If the original phrase can be correct elsewhere, make the rule more specific or correct it manually; broad replacements can change text you intended to keep.
AI Rewriting
Choose whether to keep the transcription or rewrite it. Cloud Cleanup is the default for eligible cloud access. Optional On This Mac Cleanup is available on supported Apple Silicon with a downloaded model and eligible access in the direct-download app.
How It Works
Open Rewrite in the sidebar and choose a Default Output. Use App Exceptions to change that choice for an individual app or matching window title.
Cloud Cleanup
Sends text for cloud processing and requires internet and eligible cloud access. Privacy Mode blocks this dictation rewriting path.
On This Mac Cleanup
Uses a downloaded model and on-device templates on supported Apple Silicon. Available with eligible access in the direct-download app.
Transcription Only
Keeps the transcription without running an AI rewrite.
What you say:
“hey can you send me the report when you get a chance thanks”
With email template:
“Hi, could you please send me the report when you have a moment? Thanks!”
App Exceptions and Templates
Set an app exception to use the default output, Cloud Cleanup, or Transcription Only. If your app and plan include on-device rewriting, you can also choose an On-Device Template.
Gmail / Email Apps
Professional tone, proper greetings, clean formatting
Slack / Discord
Casual tone, concise messages
Notion / Docs
Structured notes, bullet points, clear headings
Custom Templates
Create your own for any app or use case
Set Up Rewriting
- 1Open Rewrite from the main sidebar
- 2Choose an available option under Default Output: Cloud Cleanup, On This Mac Cleanup, or Transcription Only
- 3If On This Mac Cleanup is available, choose Download & Start. You can later Stop and Free Memory or remove the download without changing your saved choices.
- 4Add App Exceptions and, where available, on-device templates when an app needs different behavior
Use Cases
Ways to use dictation for everyday writing.
Email & Communication
Quick Email Replies
Speak a reply into the message body, then review it before sending.
With Paraspeech:
- 1. Open an email and click Reply
- 2. Hold shortcut, speak your response, release
- 3. Quick proofread, hit Send
Meeting Notes
After a meeting, dictate the decisions and follow-ups you want to keep.
With Paraspeech:
- 1. Open your notes and hold your shortcut
- 2. Dictate a note: “John will send the proposal by Friday”
- 3. Release and paste into your notes
Creative Work
First Drafts
Get words on the page without the friction of typing. Just talk through your ideas and clean up after.
Brainstorming
Capture ideas in the moment - hold, speak, release, move on. Raw ideas and fragments are fine.
Journaling
Talk through a draft. Use Privacy Mode with a downloaded local model to keep dictation out of your history and block cloud transcription and cloud rewriting for dictation.
Content Creation
Speak your content naturally, then edit for written format. Great for blogs and social posts.
Professional Workflows
Sales & CRM
Draft CRM notes and follow-up emails by voice. Review the text and paste it manually where insertion is unsupported.
Project Notes
Capture decisions, follow-ups, and recurring terminology in the editable field where you work.
Field Notes
Draft observations and review the resulting text before sharing or relying on it.
Architecture & Engineering
Describe design decisions, site observations, RFIs. Word replacements for software names and specs.
Education & Research
Outline lectures, capture research insights, provide student feedback.
Accessibility
Rest your Hands by Speaking
Replace routine typing with dictation. Save your hands for tasks that truly need them.
Tips for Professionals
Once you've got the basics down, here's how to make Paraspeech part of how you work.
General Productivity Tips
Train Your Muscle Memory
Practice until holding your shortcut and speaking feels familiar in the workflows where dictation is useful.
Exercise: For one week, try Paraspeech for selected short messages and note where dictation or typing fits better.
Speak in Complete Thoughts
Instead of dictating word-by-word, speak in full sentences or paragraphs and at your normal speed.
Less effective:
“The... meeting... is... at... three...”
More effective:
“The meeting is at three o'clock in the main conference room.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using Paraspeech for Everything
Typing may be more practical for single words, heavily formatted text, or code with lots of symbols.
Not Setting Up Word Replacements
If you keep seeing the same errors, fix them once with a word replacement instead of correcting manually every time.
Ignoring the Learning Curve
The first few sessions may feel unfamiliar. Keep typing for workflows where it remains the better fit.
Estimate Your Time Savings
Compare typing and speaking speeds with this calculator. The result is an estimate based on the values you enter.
What is your saved time worth?
Workflow estimate
Estimate your time saved, including any corrections and editing.
Illustrative monthly estimate
Privacy & Security
Choose where processing happens
Downloaded local speech models process audio on your Mac. On-device rewriting is a separate option, available with eligible plans in the direct-download app.
How It Works
- 1Your microphone captures audio
- 2Your active speech model processes the audio locally or in the cloud
- 3Eligible dictation can temporarily use cloud processing online when a local model is not ready
- 4Optional rewriting uses its own local or cloud setting
- 5Paraspeech attempts to insert the resulting text
- 6Optionally saved to local history
Check both speech and rewrite settings when you need local processing.
Permissions Explained
Microphone (Required)
Why: To hear your voice during recording
What it does: Captures audio while dictation or a meeting recording is active.
Accessibility (Required)
Why: To detect your keyboard shortcut globally (in any app) and paste text automatically
Privacy Mode
Enable Privacy Mode in Settings → General to use a downloaded local model without saving dictation history.
- Immediately clears dictation history
- Stops saving new dictation history and recordings
- Blocks cloud transcription and cloud rewriting for dictation
- Pauses Basic metrics, Extended analytics, and automatic update checks
Meeting Mode saves recordings separately and automatically attempts cloud summaries after stopping. Privacy Mode’s dictation controls do not cover these meeting features. Account access and other online services may still need internet.
Analytics (Optional)
When Analytics Are Enabled
Product-use and diagnostic events may be sent over the network. The Privacy Policy explains what is collected and which providers process it.
Separate From Local Processing
Local transcription does not turn off analytics or diagnostics. Control those settings separately, or use Privacy Mode to pause analytics.
Supported Local Modes vs Cloud Dictation
| Feature | Active local speech model | Cloud speech model |
|---|---|---|
| Speech processing | On your Mac | Relevant content sent to the selected provider |
| Internet for speech processing | No, after setup | Yes |
| Other online features | Account, purchase, analytics, diagnostics, download, support, and update flows may still use the network | May also use the network |
| Local history | Controlled separately by local history and Privacy Mode settings | The same local history setting applies after a result returns |
| Provider retention and access | Not applicable to local speech processing | See the current Privacy Policy and selected provider's terms |
Available models depend on your app version and plan. The local column applies when a local speech model handles the recording. Eligible dictation can use cloud processing online when a local model is not ready. Rewriting has its own local or cloud setting.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Quick Fix |
|---|---|
| Shortcut not working | Check Accessibility permission in System Settings. If the shortcut still fails after restarting Paraspeech, contact support. |
| No audio detected | Check Microphone permission and also check the Input device is correctly selected. Verify mic in Settings → Audio. Test in Voice Memos. |
| Wrong words | Add word replacement rules. Try the English-only model. Reduce background noise. Use MacBook internal microphone. |
| Blank transcription | Speak louder. Check microphone selection. Move closer to mic. |
| App won't open | Confirm macOS 14.0 or later. Restart your Mac. Download latest version. |
Fixing Permission Issues
Shortcut not responding?
- 1. Open System Settings
- 2. Go to Privacy & Security → Accessibility
- 3. Find Paraspeech in the list
- 4. Toggle it off and back on
- 5. Restart Paraspeech
Microphone not detected?
- 1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone
- 2. Make sure Paraspeech is listed and enabled
- 3. Restart Paraspeech
- 4. Try a test recording in Voice Memos to verify your mic works
Still Need Help?
Email us at [email protected] for help with setup or troubleshooting.
We might already have an answer to your question: Visit support for more information.
Share ideas and feature requests at feedback.paraspeech.com
Frequently Asked Questions
The Basics
It’s a voice-to-text app for Mac. Hold a key, speak, and release it. Paraspeech then tries to insert the text where you are writing. If insertion fails and history is enabled, copy the transcript from history.
When transcription runs locally, audio is processed on your Mac. On-device rewriting is available in the direct-download Mac app on supported Apple Silicon with a downloaded model and eligible access. Cloud transcription sends audio; cloud rewriting sends text. Eligible dictation can switch to cloud processing while online if local processing is unavailable. Privacy Mode blocks cloud transcription and cloud rewriting for dictation. Meeting Mode saves recordings separately and automatically attempts cloud summaries after recording, sending transcript text for processing. Accounts, purchases, analytics, diagnostics, downloads, support and updates can also use the network.
Requires macOS 14.0 or later. Apple Silicon Macs can use local modes; eligible Intel Macs use cloud-backed subscription models.
Direct Monthly and Yearly checkout includes a 7-day trial with unlimited transcriptions. Eligible referral links can include 30 days, shown at checkout. App Store offers may differ. You can also pay once for a lifetime license.
Supported local modes can run offline after setup; initial model downloads and cloud-backed features require internet.
Using Paraspeech
Hold your shortcut key (Control by default), speak, and release it. Review the inserted text. If insertion fails and history is enabled, copy the transcript from the menu bar.
Open Rewrite → App Exceptions and enable the Return icon for the app to press Return after pasting. When local history is enabled, completed transcriptions are available in the menu bar.
Change your recording shortcut in Settings → General. Choose a key such as Right Option, Hyper Key, or a key combination.
Find a quieter spot, move closer to the microphone, set up word replacements for terms it keeps getting wrong, and try the English-only model if you only speak English. Cleanup can remove filler words when rewriting is enabled; review the result.
Bluetooth microphone routes can change latency and transcription quality. If results are poor, compare the MacBook's built-in microphone and keep the route that works better in your environment.
Available local models include English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and a 25-European-language model. Multilingual Large offers 100+ languages in the direct-download Mac app where available.
AI Rewriting can polish your transcription. Cloud Cleanup needs internet and eligible cloud access. Eligible plans in the direct-download Mac app on supported Apple Silicon also offer on-device templates with a downloaded model. That model can increase CPU, GPU, and memory use while active.
Privacy & Security
Speech recognition and dictation rewriting have separate processing settings. Eligible cloud fallback can also affect where speech is processed. When transcription runs locally, audio is processed on your Mac. On-device rewriting is available in the direct-download Mac app on supported Apple Silicon with a downloaded model and eligible access. Cloud transcription sends audio; cloud rewriting sends text. Eligible dictation can switch to cloud processing while online if local processing is unavailable. Privacy Mode blocks cloud transcription and cloud rewriting for dictation. Meeting Mode saves recordings separately and automatically attempts cloud summaries after recording, sending transcript text for processing. Accounts, purchases, analytics, diagnostics, downloads, support and updates can also use the network. Review the current Privacy Policy for the exact processing categories and providers.
It lets Paraspeech detect your shortcut while you’re using other apps and insert text. The direct-download app can also observe text corrections for Automatic Dictionary; the Mac App Store app cannot observe those corrections.
When enabled, Basic metrics sends product-use and diagnostic events over the network, even when transcription is local. The Privacy Policy explains what is collected and which providers process it.
Extended Analytics is opt-in and can include additional product-use and diagnostic events. You can turn it off in Settings. Review the current Privacy Policy for the exact data categories, purposes, and providers.
Privacy Mode clears dictation history, stops saving new dictation entries and recordings, blocks cloud transcription and cloud rewriting for dictation, and pauses Basic metrics, Extended analytics, and automatic update checks. Use a downloaded local model. Meeting Mode saves recordings separately and automatically attempts a cloud-generated summary after you stop; it requires internet. Account access and other online services may still need internet.
Purchasing
Direct Monthly and Yearly checkout includes a 7-day trial with unlimited transcriptions. Eligible referral and App Store offers may differ; check the terms at checkout.
Choose monthly or yearly access, or pay once for a lifetime license covering local/on-device features.
Yes. Monthly and yearly subscriptions cover your Macs, iPhones, and iPads. Paraspeech for iPhone and iPad is available on the App Store and requires iOS or iPadOS 17.0 or later. Lifetime covers your personal devices for local/on-device features.
Question not here? Email [email protected] - we're happy to help.
Keyboard Reference
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Record | Hold your shortcut (Control by default) |
| Text appears | Paraspeech attempts to paste into the active text field. Auto-Send optionally presses Return afterwards. |
| See history and settings | Click the menu bar icon |
For people who'd rather talk than type.
