Commands for dictating text on Mac
When you dictate text, you can use commands for emoji, punctuation, formatting and capitalisation, and symbols for math, currency, emoticons and intellectual property. The commands listed below are always available while you’re dictating text.
Additionally, in some languages you can insert emoji using your voice while dictating — for example, say “heart emoji” or “car emoji”. For supported languages, Dictation also adds certain punctuation automatically as you dictate text.
If you need additional commands to edit and format text and to control your Mac, use Voice Control. For example, you can speak commands to select or delete text, capitalise or italicise words, or press the Return key. See Use Voice Control commands.
Punctuation
Command | Result |
|---|---|
apostrophe | ‘ |
open bracket | [ |
close bracket | ] |
open parenthesis | ( |
close parenthesis | ) |
open curly bracket | { |
close curly bracket | } |
open angle bracket | < |
close angle bracket | > |
colon | : |
comma | , |
dash | – |
ellipsis | … |
exclamation mark | ! |
hyphen | - |
period/point/dot/full stop | . |
question mark | ? |
quote | “ |
end quote | “ |
begin single quote | ‘ |
end single quote | ‘ |
semicolon | ; |
Typography
Command | Result |
|---|---|
ampersand | & |
asterisk | * |
at sign | @ |
backslash | \ |
forward slash | / |
caret | ^ |
centre dot | ・ |
large centre dot | ● |
degree sign | ° |
hashtag sign | # |
per cent sign | % |
underscore | _ |
vertical bar | | |
Formatting
Command | Result |
|---|---|
new line | Starts a new line. |
numeral | Formats the next phrase as a number. |
roman numeral | Formats the next phrase as a Roman numeral. |
new paragraph | Starts a new paragraph. |
no space on | Formats the next phrase without spaces. |
no space off | Resumes default spacing. |
tab key | Moves the cursor to the next tab stop. |
Capitalisation
Command | Result |
|---|---|
caps on | Formats the next phrase in Title Case. |
caps off | Resumes the default case lettering. |
all caps | Formats the next word in ALL CAPS. |
all caps on | Formats the next phrase in ALL CAPS. |
all caps off | Resumes the default case lettering. |
Mathematical
Command | Result |
|---|---|
equal sign | = |
greater than sign | > |
less than sign | < |
minus sign | - |
multiplication sign | x |
plus sign | + |
Currency
Command | Result |
|---|---|
dollar sign | $ |
cent sign | ¢ |
pound sterling sign | £ |
euro sign | € |
yen sign | ¥ |
Emoticons
Command | Result |
|---|---|
smiley face | :-) |
frowny face | :-( |
winking face | ;-) |
cross-eyed laughing face | XD |
Intellectual property
Command | Result |
|---|---|
copyright sign | © |
registered sign | ® |
trademark sign | ™ |