How does Hold to Talk work?

Hold to Talk is a macOS menu bar app. Press and hold Option-Space or a custom shortcut, speak naturally, and release. The transcript is pasted into the supported text field that already has focus so you can review it before sending.

What permissions does the app request?

Hold to Talk asks for Microphone access to capture speech and limited Paste Access, which macOS displays under Privacy & Security > Accessibility. The App Store build uses that access only to post Command-V. It does not use Input Monitoring, inspect UI elements, install a browser extension, or bundle helper software.

Does Hold to Talk store my audio or transcriptions?

Audio is sent over HTTPS for transcription and is not retained on Hold to Talk servers. Hold to Talk does not use dictated audio or transcript text to train models. Recent transcript text may be kept locally on your Mac and can be cleared or disabled.

What macOS version does Hold to Talk require?

Hold to Talk requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. It runs natively on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

How fast is the transcription?

Short dictations often appear in under a second on a fast connection. Actual time varies with the recording length, network connection, and transcription mode.

How is Hold to Talk different from Apple Dictation?

Hold to Talk uses an intentional hold-to-record workflow, supports custom vocabulary for technical terms and names, and pastes reviewable text into common Mac text fields. Apple Dictation remains a good built-in option for occasional dictation.

Is Hold to Talk a Wispr Flow or Superwhisper alternative?

Yes, for people who want a simpler Mac-only hold-to-talk dictation workflow. Hold to Talk focuses on fast dictation into the current app, not meeting recording, a separate notes workspace, or heavy AI rewriting.

Where can I use Hold to Talk?

Hold to Talk works with common editable Mac text fields in apps such as Slack, VS Code, browsers, email, notes, and terminals. Some secure, protected, or custom text controls may not accept simulated paste.

How do I uninstall Hold to Talk or cancel Pro?

Quit Hold to Talk, then remove it from Launchpad or move it from Applications to the Trash. Removing the app does not cancel Pro; App Store subscriptions can be canceled separately from Apple Account subscription settings.

Hold to Talk

Hold a key on your Mac, say the whole thought, and release. Your words land in common text fields across ChatGPT, Cursor, Slack, email, docs, and the Mac apps you already use.

View in the Mac App Store Watch 20-second demo

Mac App Store only · macOS 14+ · Microphone and Paste Access required · No Input Monitoring

See it work

Hold. Talk. Release.

The transcript lands in the focused editable field, ready to review before you send.

Demo animation: hold the key, speak the prompt, release, then review the pasted text. Open the demo page.

How it works

Three steps. That's it.

Step 01

Option + Space

Hold the key

Press and hold Option-Space, or choose another shortcut in Settings.

Step 02

Talk

Just say what you want to write. Talk how you normally do — it understands.

Step 03

Your words show up

Let go of the key. The words pop in right where you were typing.

Features

Fast, quiet, out of the way.

Super fast

Built for quick turnaround. Short dictations often appear in under a second; timing varies with your connection and recording length.

Lands in the right spot

Your words drop in wherever you were typing. No copying, no clicking around. Just talk.

Learns your words

Add names, work words, or weird spellings to a list. It uses your list so it gets them right every time.

Tiny, lives up top

Sits at the top of your screen, out of your way. One key away when you need it. No dock icon, no windows.

Works across your Mac

Slack, browsers, email, notes, code editors, and most standard editable text fields. Secure or custom controls may not accept simulated paste.

Use cases

Built for the places where typing slows you down.

Developers

Dictate coding-agent prompts, code reviews, bug reports, commit messages, and docs.

AI prompts

Speak longer ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and Codex prompts with the context they need.

Terminal

Paste dictated instructions into Claude Code, shell notes, and terminal text fields.

Slack

Dictate longer replies, standups, incident notes, and thread updates.

Speak Gmail replies, customer responses, follow-ups, and internal updates.

Notion

Capture project notes, task descriptions, planning docs, and meeting follow-ups.

Launch facts

A small Mac utility for people who write everywhere.

Built for fast everyday text, not recordings.

Hold to Talk is a native Mac menu bar app. Hold the shortcut, speak, release, and the transcript is pasted into the active app for review.

Best for: AI prompts, code editors, terminals, Slack replies, email drafts, browser fields, docs, notes, and code review comments.
Not for: Meeting recording, call summaries, a separate notes workspace, browser-only dictation, strict offline use, or automatically submitting commands.
Recording style: Optimized for repeated short dictation bursts. If you prefer tap once to start and tap again to stop for long sessions, a local tool like Handy may fit better today.
Plan: Free plan with about 2,000 words each week. Pro is $10/month for 30 hours of transcription.
Privacy: Default hosted transcription uses Groq Whisper Large v3. Audio has zero server-side retention, Hold to Talk does not train models on dictated audio or transcript text, and recent transcript history stays local on the Mac.
Availability: Available exclusively through the Mac App Store for trusted installation and updates through Apple.
Publisher: Published by NS EC Holdings, LLC. Product support is available at hello@holdtotalk.com.
Permissions: Requires Microphone access and limited Paste Access, shown by macOS under Accessibility. The App Store build does not use Input Monitoring or inspect other apps' interface elements.
Removal: Quit the app and delete it through Launchpad or move it from Applications to the Trash. Cancel Pro separately in Apple Account subscription settings.

Reviewer links

Useful pages for launch listings, Mac newsletters, sponsorship review, and product comparisons.

Demo videoWatch Press kitAssets Developer workflowUse case Prompt examplesCopy Privacy detailsRead Structured media kitJSON

Guides

Practical dictation guides for Mac workflows.

Best voice-to-text app for developers on Mac Read How to dictate into Cursor Read Best dictation app for writing ChatGPT prompts Read Private dictation apps for Mac Read Voice dictation examples for prompts and messages Examples Developer AI prompt examples for voice dictation Copy Compare Hold to Talk alternatives Compare Apple Dictation alternative for Mac Read Mac Dictation not working? Try this Read Wispr Flow alternative for Mac dictation Read Superwhisper alternative for simple Mac dictation Read Handy alternative for productized Mac dictation Read

Answers

Short answers for common Mac dictation questions.

What is Hold to Talk? Answer Is Hold to Talk free? Answer What is Hold to Talk best for? Answer What is the best voice-to-text app for developers on Mac? Answer Can you dictate into Cursor? Answer Can you dictate into Claude Code? Answer What is the best dictation app for writing ChatGPT prompts? Answer Can you dictate terminal prompts on Mac? Answer Does Hold to Talk store audio? Answer What is a private dictation app for Mac? Answer Can you dictate GitHub issues and PR reviews? Answer Can you dictate Linear or Jira tickets? Answer How is Hold to Talk different from Wispr Flow? Answer How is Hold to Talk different from Superwhisper? Answer Is Hold to Talk a WhisperFlow alternative? Answer Is Hold to Talk a Superwhisper alternative? Answer

Privacy

Clear model disclosure. No server-side audio retention.

Mic

Only listens while you're holding the key. Never sits in the background.

Paste

macOS shows this limited PostEvent permission under Accessibility. Hold to Talk uses it only to post Command-V after you finish a dictation; it does not read or control app interfaces.

Hosted transcription

Default hosted transcription uses Groq Whisper Large v3. Audio has zero server-side retention; Hold to Talk does not train models on dictated audio or transcript text; recent transcript history stays on your Mac.

Hold to Talk is not fully offline. If audio can never leave your Mac, choose a local speech-to-text app. More on Privacy, the Mac App Store listing, and the Handy comparison.

Stop typing. Start talking.

Free to start. Pro is $10/month if you use it a lot.

View in the Mac App Store Watch 20-second demo

Mac App Store only · macOS 14+ · Microphone and Paste Access required · No Input Monitoring

FAQ

Quick questions

How does it work?

Hold Option-Space, or another shortcut you choose. Talk, then let go. The transcript is pasted into the supported text field that already has focus so you can review it.

What does it ask my Mac for?

Microphone access and limited Paste Access, which macOS shows under Accessibility. Paste Access is used only to post Command-V. The App Store build does not use Input Monitoring, inspect app interfaces, install a browser extension, or bundle helper software.

Is it really free?

Yep, there's a free plan with about 2,000 words each week. Pro is $10/month for 30 hours of transcription each month.

Do you save what I say?

Audio is sent over HTTPS for transcription and is not retained on Hold to Talk servers. Recent transcript text may stay locally on your Mac and can be cleared or disabled.

What Macs work with it?

Any Mac on macOS 14 or newer. Works on every kind of Mac you can buy today.

How fast is it?

Short dictations often appear in under a second on a fast connection. Actual time varies with recording length, network connection, and transcription mode.

How is this different from the dictation already on Mac?

Hold to Talk uses a press-and-hold recording boundary, supports custom vocabulary, and pastes reviewable text into common Mac text fields. Apple Dictation remains a good built-in option for occasional dictation.

Can I use it with Cursor, Claude Code, ChatGPT, and terminal agents?

Yes. Hold to Talk pastes into the active Mac text field, so it works for Cursor prompts, Claude Code instructions, ChatGPT prompts, Codex prompts, terminal-agent instructions, GitHub issues, and code review comments.

Is it a Wispr Flow or Superwhisper alternative?

Yes, if you want a simpler Mac-only hold-to-talk dictation workflow. It focuses on fast dictation into the current app, not meeting recording, a separate notes workspace, or heavy AI rewriting.

Where does it work?

It works in common editable text fields across Slack, browsers, email, notes, code editors, and Terminal. Some secure, protected, or custom text controls may not accept simulated paste.

How do I uninstall it or cancel Pro?

Quit Hold to Talk, then delete it through Launchpad or move it from Applications to the Trash. Removing the app does not cancel Pro; manage or cancel the subscription separately in your Apple Account settings.