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How-to

Voice typing in Slack on a Mac

Use macOS Dictation to dictate into Slack message boxes, or use Voice Type for a dedicated hold‑to‑dictate hotkey.

Slack doesn't require a special dictation feature on macOS. The reliable approach is to use system-wide Dictation (it types at your cursor anywhere you can type), including Slack's message input.

Enable Dictation (once)

  1. Open System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation.
  2. Switch Dictation to On.
  3. Confirm your Dictation shortcut (often Fn twice).

Dictate a Slack message

  1. Open Slack and click into the message box.
  2. Start Dictation (microphone key if present, or the Dictation shortcut).
  3. Speak. Use punctuation like 'comma' and 'new paragraph'.
  4. Stop Dictation to insert the text.

Tip: Dictation works best for sentences/paragraphs. For quick edits, keyboard navigation is still faster.

Troubleshooting

  • Make sure Slack is allowed in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
  • Test mic input in System Settings → Sound.
  • If Dictation doesn't start anywhere, use: Dictation not working on Mac.

If you dictate all day (workflow)

If you want a consistent hotkey workflow across Slack, email, Zoom, and docs, Voice Type adds a dedicated hold‑to‑dictate hotkey and stays on-device: voice typing for Mac.

Sources

Try Voice Type (7‑day free trial)