Can you use a Mac completely hands-free?

Yes. Voice Control on a Mac lets you use the computer with your voice alone. Apple says you can use it instead of a keyboard, mouse or trackpad to enter text and control your Mac by speaking commands ¹. Apple introduced it with macOS Catalina in 2019, to let people control a Mac entirely by voice ². Whether a particular task is hands-free depends on whether a command exists for it in the app you are using. The complete list of commands is in our guide to Mac Voice Control commands.

Voice Control covers moving around, clicking, text and keys

Apple says that once Voice Control is on, you can speak commands to navigate the desktop and apps, interact with what is on the screen, and dictate and edit text ³. In practice that covers four jobs:

• Moving around. Open an app, scroll, and pause or resume listening with "Stop listening" and "Start listening".
• Clicking. Say a name or a number, or use a numbered grid to reach an area of the screen. Our guide to clicking with Voice Control explains each method.
• Editing text. Select, delete and change words, and switch between Dictation and Spelling mode.
• Pressing keys. Apple's example is "Press OK", and a custom command can press a shortcut you choose.

Without a pointer, an item that has no name is out of reach until you label it. "Show names", "Show numbers" and "Show grid" give each target a spoken handle, so that you can act on it without touching the screen.

Setup needs one internet connection, then the commands work offline

The first time you turn on Voice Control, the Mac downloads files from Apple. After that, Voice Control works without an internet connection ⁴. Set it up while you are online, and the commands then work offline.

Apple also has an interactive tutorial in the Voice Control settings, which practices the essential commands. Run it before you rely on Voice Control for real work.

It depends on the app, the language and the mode you are in

Hands-free does not mean every action works everywhere. Apple says that commands vary depending on the app you are working in and what you are doing ⁵. A command that works in Mail may not exist in a less common app, so say Show commands in each app you use to see its list.

Language is the second limit. Apple lists 20 language and regional variants for Voice Control on the Mac ⁶. Turning on Voice Control also replaces standard Dictation, because Voice Control is then the tool that handles your speech for dictation ⁷. If your language is not on Apple's list, check it before you rely on Voice Control.

Apple also suggests headphones when you use Voice Control with VoiceOver, to help ensure that Voice Control hears only you ( Apple: Voice Control commands).

Who this matters for

Voice Control is an accessibility feature, and it matters most to people who cannot use a keyboard or pointer. Mobility is the most common disability type in the CDC's 2025 report, affecting about 1 in 7 US adults ⁸. For someone in that group, a hands-free setup can be a practical choice. This page describes what the software does and does not do. It is not medical advice, and anyone choosing an access method should try it on their own Mac first.

What to do before you rely on it

1. Connect the Mac to the internet, then open System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, and click Voice Control. You may need to scroll down.
2. Turn Voice Control on and wait for the download to finish.
3. Run the interactive tutorial, then try the tasks you need most: open an app, click a labeled button, and dictate a sentence.
4. Say Show commands in each app you plan to use, and note any task that has no command.
5. For a task with no command, fall back to a labeled item or a grid, or use the keyboard and mouse for that step.

For the full command set, read the complete list of Mac Voice Control commands. To make a phrase run an action of your own, read how to make a custom Voice Control command on a Mac. For the other dictation tools on the Mac, start with our overview of dictation on Mac.