---
title: "How to turn off dictation on a Mac (and stop the microphone popping up)"
description: "Turn off Dictation in System Settings, Keyboard; change or remove the shortcut that keeps triggering it; stop sharing Siri and Dictation audio with Apple; and turn it off on iPhone."
url: "https://speechbee.app/guides/turn-off-dictation-mac"
---

# Turn off dictation on a Mac

If the dictation microphone keeps popping up when you press Fn or the Microphone key, you can turn dictation off, or just change the shortcut. Here's how to do both, and how to stop sharing audio with Apple without turning dictation off.

By the SpeechBee team, who make SpeechBee. Checked against Apple's Mac User Guide on 13 October 2026.

> ### The short version
>
> Open **System Settings**, click **Keyboard**, go to **Dictation**, and turn it off.

## Turn dictation off

1. Choose Apple menu, **System Settings**, then **Keyboard** in the sidebar.
2. Go to **Dictation** and turn it off.

To turn it back on later, do the same and click **Enable**.

## Keep dictation, change the shortcut

If dictation starts by accident, change its shortcut instead. In **Keyboard**, **Dictation**, click the **Shortcut** menu and pick another option, or choose **Customize** and press a combination you won't hit by accident. Apple notes that choosing a shortcut can change the "Press fn key to" or "Press Globe key to" setting, so check that too. See [the Mac dictation shortcut](https://speechbee.app/guides/mac-dictation-shortcut).

## Stop sharing dictation audio with Apple

You can keep dictation on and stop sharing recordings. Open **System Settings**, **Privacy & Security**, **Analytics & Improvements**, and turn off **Improve Siri & Dictation**.

## Voice Control

If you use Voice Control, it handles dictation itself and standard Dictation is unavailable while it's on. Turn Voice Control off in **System Settings**, **Accessibility**, **Voice Control**.

## On iPhone and iPad

Go to **Settings**, **General**, **Keyboard**, and turn off **Enable Dictation**.

## If you turned it off because it wasn't working

Our [Mac dictation not working](https://speechbee.app/guides/mac-dictation-not-working) guide covers the usual fixes. If you want dictation that starts only when you hold a key you choose, a dictation app such as SpeechBee, which we make, does that and runs on your Mac.

## Questions

### How do I stop dictation popping up on my Mac?

Turn Dictation off in System Settings, Keyboard, or change its shortcut so you don't trigger it by accident.

### How do I turn off Siri and Dictation audio sharing?

System Settings, Privacy & Security, Analytics & Improvements, then turn off Improve Siri & Dictation.

### Does turning off dictation turn off Siri?

No. They're separate settings. See [Siri and Dictation explained](https://speechbee.app/guides/siri-and-dictation).

## Keep reading

- [The Mac dictation shortcut](https://speechbee.app/guides/mac-dictation-shortcut)
- [Mac dictation not working](https://speechbee.app/guides/mac-dictation-not-working)

## More on dictation

- [Every dictation guide and comparison](https://speechbee.app/guides/voice-typing-mac)
- [Voice texts on iPhone](https://speechbee.app/guides/voice-text-message-iphone)
- [Dictate notes](https://speechbee.app/guides/dictate-notes-mac)
- [Voice to text in WhatsApp](https://speechbee.app/guides/voice-to-text-whatsapp)
- [Best dictation apps for Mac](https://speechbee.app/compare/best-dictation-app-mac)
- [Wispr Flow alternatives](https://speechbee.app/compare/wispr-flow-alternatives)
- [Every read-aloud guide and comparison](https://speechbee.app/guides/read-text-aloud)

## Sources

Checked on 13 October 2026.

- [Apple: Use Dictation on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-dictation-mh40584/mac)
- [Apple: Dictate text on iPad](https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/dictate-text-ipad997d9642/ipados)