Glossary
Siri
Siri is Apple's built-in voice assistant. You speak a request and it answers or carries out an action, while Dictation types what you say into a text field instead.
Updated October 16, 20264 cited facts, each traced to its source
Also called Hey Siri.
Siri is Apple's built-in voice assistant. You speak a request, and it answers or carries out an action on your device. Apple describes Siri on a Mac as an intelligent assistant that is built into the computer and helps you get things done 1. Siri is a different feature from Dictation. Dictation types your words into a text field, while Siri responds to them.
Siri answers and acts; Dictation types
Both features start from your voice, but the result differs. Ask Siri what time it is in Tokyo and you get an answer. Say "Meet me at noon" while an email is open, and Dictation writes those words into the email. If you want text, use Dictation. If you want an answer or an action, use Siri. Apple also has a separate set of commands for controlling the Mac by voice, which is covered in the guide on Voice Control.
Hey Siri works only when Siri is turned on
On a Mac you can activate Siri by saying "Hey Siri" or "Siri", but only if that option is available for your device and turned on in Siri settings 2. Siri settings and Dictation are separate. Dictation has its own switch in Keyboard settings, and Apple's help treats it as a separate control from the Siri settings 3. You can therefore turn one on and the other off.
Siri needs an internet connection
Apple says a Mac must be connected to the internet to use Siri 4. This is one of the main practical differences from Dictation. Dictation is different: whether it works without a connection depends on the language and the macOS version. Check whether Apple dictation works offline before you rely on it away from the internet.
How to choose between them
| You want to | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type words into a message, note or document | Dictation | Speak where the cursor is |
| Ask a question or get something done | Siri | Needs an internet connection |
| Control the Mac hands-free, including clicking | Voice Control | A separate feature, covered in its own guide |
The table is a rule of thumb. The guide comparing Dictation, Voice Control and Siri on a Mac gives the full comparison, and the question on whether Siri can take dictation on a Mac answers the most common mix-up.
Related terms
- Dictation: speaking so that software writes your words as you say them.
- Voice command: a spoken instruction that acts on text or the device instead of writing words.
- Apple Intelligence: the name Apple gives to its AI features.
Guides that cover it
Evidence
Every number on this page, with where it comes from. Open a fact to see the exact words in its source.
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Related terms
- Mac Dictation: How to Dictate and Control a Mac by VoiceThe topic this term belongs to
- Accessibility permission (macOS)Accessibility permission is a macOS setting that lets a specific app read and control other apps through the system's accessibility features. macOS keeps it under Privacy & Security, and an app gets no access until you allow it there.
- Apple DictationApple Dictation is the free, built-in feature that types what you say into any text field on a Mac. Apple also calls it Mac Dictation, macOS Dictation or keyboard dictation.
- Apple IntelligenceApple Intelligence is the name Apple gives to its AI features across its devices. Its on-device models can improve Dictation on newer Macs, and Apple says apps can use the same models.
- Apple siliconApple silicon is the family of chips Apple designs for its own computers, starting with certain Macs in late 2020. Each chip puts several computer components on one piece of silicon, which Apple calls a system on a chip.
- Enhanced DictationEnhanced Dictation was a Mac option, available from OS X Mavericks, that lets you dictate without an internet connection after a download. Apple's help for macOS Mojave describes it, but Apple's later Dictation pages do not mention it.
- Globe key (Fn key)The Globe key, also called the Fn key or function key, is a modifier on Apple keyboards. In Keyboard settings you choose what a press does, such as switching input source, starting Dictation or doing nothing.
- Improve Siri & DictationImprove Siri & Dictation is the Mac setting that controls whether Apple may store and review audio from your Siri and Dictation requests. When you first turn on Dictation, the same choice is labeled Share Audio Recordings.
- Microphone key (dictation key)The Microphone key is a key on some Mac keyboards that starts Apple Dictation when you press and release it. Pressing and holding it activates Siri instead, if Siri is turned on.
- Neural EngineThe Apple Neural Engine (ANE) is a block of hardware inside Apple's chips that runs machine learning models efficiently. Speech models can run on it, and Apple uses it for on-device machine learning inference.
- Speech framework (Apple)The Speech framework is Apple's developer toolkit for turning audio into text inside an app. It includes the older SFSpeechRecognizer class and the newer SpeechAnalyzer, which Apple says transcribes entirely on the device once its models are downloaded.
- Voice Control (Apple)Voice Control is Apple's feature for controlling a Mac with spoken commands, including opening apps, clicking items and editing text. When it is on, it also handles dictation, so standard macOS Dictation is not available.
- VoiceOverVoiceOver is the screen reader built into macOS, which speaks what is on the screen so you can use the Mac without seeing it. It does the reverse of dictation: it reads text aloud rather than writing your speech.
Pages that use this term
- Mac Dictation: How to Dictate and Control a Mac by VoiceTopic
- How to Use Dictation on a MacGuide
- Mac Dictation Shortcut: Keys and Custom HotkeysGuide
- Voice Assistants vs Dictation: Siri, Alexa, GeminiGuide
- Dictation vs Voice Control vs Siri on a MacGuide
- Can Siri take dictation on a Mac?Question
- Can Siri, Alexa or Gemini take long dictation?Question
- Do you need Siri turned on to use dictation on a Mac?Question
- How do you control your iPhone with your voice?Question
- How do you delete Siri and Dictation history on a Mac?Question
- How do you dictate and send a text message hands-free?Question
- Is the new Siri powered by Google Gemini?Question
- Is there a dictation app that works with CarPlay?Question
- What are the most useful Siri commands on a Mac?Question
- Why did dictation stop working after an iPhone update?Question
- Why does Apple Watch say dictation is disabled?Question
- Why does iPhone dictation keep turning off?Question
- Why is dictation not working in Apple Notes, Messages and Pages?Question
- Why is dictation not working on my Apple Watch?Question
- Why is my iPhone dictating everything I say?Question
- Apple IntelligenceGlossary
- Improve Siri & DictationGlossary