Settings: your key, mic, languages, and words

Tony works with zero setup. Settings has four choices, the ones where people really differ: the key, the mic, the languages, and your words. Everything else is a tuned default.

Open Settings from the gear in the menu bar panel, with ⌘, while the panel is open, or from Settings… when you right-click the menu bar icon.

Hold to dictate

The key you hold to talk. Pick fn, Right ⌥, Right ⌘, Right ⌃, Right ⇧, Left ⌥, or Left ⌃, or pick Other… and press any modifier. A modifier on its own types nothing, so holding it never leaves a stray character behind.

• Hold to dictate, and let go to type it.
• Double-tap for hands-free: talk as long as you like, and tap again to finish.
• Esc cancels, and nothing is typed.

With fn as your key, Tony checks what macOS does when you press it. If fn also opens Emoji & Symbols, changes the input source, or starts Apple Dictation, Settings says so, and Fix sets System Settings > Keyboard, “Press 🌐 key to”, to Do Nothing.

Microphone

Automatic, or any mic your Mac has. Automatic follows your Mac’s default input, with two exceptions:

• It prefers the built-in mic over a Bluetooth headset, since a headset sounds like a phone call while its mic is open, and opening it takes long enough to lose your first words.
• With the lid closed, when the built-in mic is off, it picks another mic that isn’t Bluetooth, if you have one.

Languages

Any language, or the ones you speak, as many as you like. Until you pick, Tony starts with the languages your Mac is set up for. See Languages for all 25 and why picking helps.

Your words

Names, brands, and jargon Tony should write your way. Press Return after each one. See Your words.

Open at login

On by default, so Tony is ready whenever your Mac is.

Version and updates

Settings shows Tony’s version, and Check for Updates looks for a new one now. Tony also checks on its own at launch, every four hours, and when your Mac wakes. See Install and permissions.