What you need on Mac
A short checklist before you install ListenUp Dictation on Mac.
macOS 14.0 or later on Apple Silicon
ListenUp Dictation requires an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer) running macOS Sonoma (14) or later.
A ListenUp account
Sign in with Apple or Google during setup. Your account links your subscription, dictionary, and settings.
A working microphone
Built-in or external. You can choose a specific microphone later from ListenUp Settings > Sound.
An internet connection
Needed for sign-in, the first language model download, and AI enhancements. Transcription runs on-device by default.
After setup, ListenUp can transcribe on-device by default. Some AI enhancement, formatting, subscription, and account features still require a connection.
Install ListenUp on Mac
Five steps from the download page to a launched menu bar app.
- 1
Go to the ListenUp download page.
- 2
Choose Download for Mac.
- 3
Open the downloaded .dmg file.
- 4
Drag ListenUp Dictation into your Applications folder.
- 5
Open ListenUp Dictation from Applications.
If macOS asks whether you want to open the app, confirm that you do. ListenUp is signed and notarized for macOS.
Set up ListenUp on Mac
The Mac app opens a setup wizard the first time you launch it. Complete each step in order.
- 1
Sign in
Choose Sign in with Apple or Sign in with Google. Signing in connects the app to your ListenUp account, subscription, dictionary, and settings. During sign-in, ListenUp also shows links to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
- 2
Grant Accessibility access
ListenUp needs Accessibility permission so it can insert finished text into the app where your cursor is active. In the setup wizard, choose Open Accessibility Settings, then in System Settings go to Privacy & Security > Accessibility and turn on ListenUp Dictation. The wizard re-checks the permission and continues automatically.
- 3
Grant Microphone access
ListenUp needs microphone access to record your speech. Choose Request Microphone Access and allow it when macOS asks. If access was denied earlier, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and enable ListenUp Dictation.
- 4
Choose your recording hotkey
Pick the fn / globe key for fast one-key recording, or Option + Space if you already use fn for something else. If you choose fn / globe, open System Settings > Keyboard, find Press fn/globe key to, and change it to Do Nothing so ListenUp can take over the key.
- 5
Choose your primary language
Choose the language you plan to dictate in most often. ListenUp downloads the matching AI model during setup. Keep the app open while the download starts - if it is interrupted later, ListenUp will ask you to reconfigure the language and download it again.
- 6
Finish setup
The final screen shows the three main ways to use ListenUp: Dictation, Smart Mode, and Edit Mode. Click Finish to start using ListenUp.
Three voice modes on Mac
One hotkey, three modes. Choose the one that matches what you are trying to do.
Regular Dictation
Use regular Dictation when you want to speak text directly into another app.
- 1Click where you want the text to appear, such as an email, document, message box, or search field.
- 2Press your recording hotkey once.
- 3Speak clearly.
- 4Press the same hotkey again to stop.
- 5Wait while ListenUp transcribes, improves, and inserts the text.
Tip: record in paragraphs. Stop and start as you move through your thought.
Smart Mode
Use Smart Mode when you want ListenUp to draft text from an instruction. Start your command with "listen up" and describe what you need.
- 1Click where the draft should appear.
- 2Press your recording hotkey once.
- 3Start your command with "listen up".
- 4Describe what you need.
- 5Press the hotkey again to stop.
listen up, write a friendly follow-up email about the meeting today
For best results, include the audience, tone, and length.
Edit Mode
Use Edit Mode when you want ListenUp to transform text that already exists. Select the text first, then say what should change.
- 1Select the text you want to change.
- 2Press your recording hotkey once.
- 3Say what you want changed.
- 4Press the hotkey again to stop.
- 5ListenUp replaces the selected text with the edited version.
translate this to French, or shorten this to three bullets, or make this warmer and more concise
Deselect text to return to regular Dictation.
Menu bar controls
- Dictate / Stop Dictating
- Start or stop recording without using the hotkey.
- Languages
- Switch languages, manage languages, or add another language.
- Setup
- Reopen setup if something needs to be configured again.
- Settings
- Open app preferences for General, Languages, Sound, Account, and Subscription.
- Help
- View in-app help for Dictation, Smart Mode, and Edit Mode.
- Give Feedback
- Send feedback to the ListenUp team.
- Check for Updates
- Check for a newer Mac version.
- Upgrade / Manage Subscription
- Open plan or subscription management.
- Quit
- Close ListenUp.
Settings
- General
- Use Launch at Login if you want ListenUp ready automatically when your Mac starts.
- Languages
- Add, switch, or remove dictation languages. Reselect a language if its model is missing or invalid.
- Sound
- Choose a microphone, use the system default, mute audio during recording, or auto-boost the mic level.
- Account
- Update your name, log out, or remove your account.
- Subscription
- Check your current plan, free-trial time, billing details, and subscription management options.
Troubleshooting on Mac
Quick fixes for the issues people run into most often on macOS.
Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and make sure ListenUp Dictation is enabled. Quit and reopen ListenUp if the permission was just changed. Also make sure you clicked into a text field before starting dictation.
Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and make sure ListenUp Dictation is enabled. Then open ListenUp Settings > Sound, choose the correct microphone or enable Use System Default Microphone, and try again in a quiet environment.
Open ListenUp from the menu bar, choose Setup, and confirm a recording hotkey is selected. If using the fn / globe key, open System Settings > Keyboard and set Press fn/globe key to Do Nothing. Also confirm Accessibility permission is enabled. You can always start recording from the menu bar with Dictate.
Open Settings > Languages and add or reselect your language. ListenUp will download the model again.
Open Subscription from the menu bar. Choose a plan or manage your subscription to continue dictating.
Make sure your instruction starts with "listen up". For better results, include what you want, the audience, and the length - for example, "listen up, write a friendly three-bullet update for my manager".
Select the text you want to change before recording, press your hotkey, speak the edit instruction, then press the hotkey again to stop. If no text is selected, ListenUp uses regular Dictation instead.
Mac quick reference
Bookmark this for the shortcuts and paths you reach for most often on macOS.
Apple Silicon, macOS 14+
- Start/stop recording
- Press your selected hotkey.
- Cancel recording or processing
- Press Escape.
- Change language
- Menu bar icon > Languages.
- Change microphone
- Menu bar icon > Settings > Sound.
- Reopen setup
- Menu bar icon > Setup.
- Get help
- Menu bar icon > Help.
Ready to dictate everywhere on your Mac?
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