Getting Started with OnType

OnType transforms how you interact with your Mac. Hold a key, speak, release — and your words appear as text. No cloud, no latency, just your voice and Apple Silicon working together.

Installation

Download OnType from our website and drag it to your Applications folder. On first launch, you'll be prompted to grant Accessibility and Microphone permissions — both are required for OnType to capture your hotkey and audio input.

Your first dictation

Once installed, hold down the Fn key (or your configured hotkey) and start speaking. Release the key when you're done — OnType will transcribe your speech and type it into whatever app has focus.

Tips for best results

• Speak naturally. OnType handles punctuation and formatting automatically through inverse text normalization.
• Keep it quiet. While OnType works well in most environments, a quieter setting yields better accuracy.
• Use any app. OnType works system-wide — browsers, editors, terminals, messaging apps.

What's next

Explore the menu bar icon to customize your hotkey, switch between languages, and fine-tune OnType to your workflow. Everything runs locally on your Mac — your voice data never leaves your device.