Why is Voice Control not working on my Mac?

When Voice Control does not respond, the cause can be one of a few settings rather than a fault in the feature. Check whether it is paused, whether its first-time download finished, whether the app you use has microphone access, and whether your language is supported. Work through these in order, because the first one takes seconds to check.

Check whether Voice Control is paused

Voice Control can be paused without being turned off. When it is paused, it ignores what you say as commands or dictation. Say Start listening to resume it ¹. If you said Stop listening earlier, that explains the silence, and nothing else needs to change.

Check that the first-time download finished

The first time you turn Voice Control on, your Mac must be connected to the internet so it can complete a one-time file download from Apple. After that download, you do not need an internet connection to use Voice Control ². If the Mac was offline during the first set-up, the feature may not be ready. Connect the Mac, return to the Voice Control settings, and let the download finish.

To confirm it is on, open System Settings, go to Accessibility, and click Voice Control (you may need to scroll down). If the switch is off, switch it on. The Voice Control guide explains the set-up in more detail.

Check the microphone access for the app you are using

Some apps and websites can use the microphone on your Mac, and you decide which ones are allowed ³. To check, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Privacy & Security in the sidebar, and click Microphone. Turn microphone access on for the app that is not hearing you ( Apple's guide to microphone access).

This list controls apps, not the Voice Control switch. Apple's guide does not say that Voice Control appears in it, so if access looks correct and Voice Control still does nothing, go back to the checks above.

Dictation does not work while Voice Control is on

People often press the Dictation shortcut and see nothing, because standard Dictation is not available while Voice Control is on ⁴. Dictate through Voice Control while it is on, or turn it off and use Dictation. If Dictation itself does not work, see why Mac Dictation is not working.

Check the language, and whether the command exists

Voice Control supports 20 language and regional variants on the Mac ⁵. If your language is not on Apple's list, Voice Control may not understand you well enough to act. Apple's Voice Control list is the one to check, not the general Dictation list, because the two differ.

If Voice Control hears you but nothing happens, the command may not exist in this app. Say Show commands to list the commands that work right now. The list changes with the app and the task ⁶. Also check that you are not running commands together too fast, and pause briefly between them.

Check the microphone set-up

Voice Control listens through the Mac's microphone, and Apple's Dictation help gives microphone advice that is worth checking for Voice Control too. Apple advises that the microphone should not be blocked by objects such as clothing or your body ⁷, and that you should speak clearly at a volume that is neither too quiet nor too loud, with little background noise ⁸.

Check the words, if the commands work but the text is wrong

If the commands work but a name or a technical term comes out wrong, add it to your custom vocabulary. A custom vocabulary is the list where you teach Voice Control the words you use most. Apple's guide Use a custom vocabulary with Voice Control on Mac covers how to add them.

What we could not verify

We did not find an Apple troubleshooting page written for Voice Control on a Mac, so the checks above come from Apple's settings and from what each feature documents. If none of the checks above help, contact Apple Support, and say which macOS version you use.

If you need dictation in more places than the built-in tools cover, Yap, which we make, is a separate on-device dictation app for Mac and Windows. It does not repair Voice Control. Our comparison of Mac dictation apps explains when the built-in tools are enough.

Related questions and guides

To turn Voice Control off, read how to turn off Voice Control on a Mac. For the modes and what each one does, read Voice Control modes on a Mac. If you only need dictation and Siri is confusing you, read can Siri take dictation on a Mac. The full set-up is in our guide to Voice Control on a Mac, and the Mac dictation hub lists the rest of the set.