Guide

Voice prompts in Cursor on a Mac

Explaining a change out loud is often faster than typing it, and a spoken prompt usually has more useful context. Cursor's chat box has a microphone for this. Here's how to use it, what to check when it records but types nothing, and the other way to do it.

By the SpeechBee team, who make SpeechBee. Checked on 14 October 2026

On this page

Use Cursor's voice input
When the waveform moves but no text appears
Use a system-wide dictation key instead
Write better spoken prompts
Questions
Keep reading
Sources

Use Cursor's voice input

Open the Agent chat.
Click the microphone in the chat input, or press ⌘⇧Space. In the Agents window of newer versions you can also hold ⌃M while you speak. You can change both in Keyboard Shortcuts.
Allow microphone access when macOS asks.
Describe the change the way you would to a colleague: which file, what's wrong, what you want instead.
Read the transcript, fix anything misheard, and send.

Cursor's voice input turns speech into text in the prompt box. The Agent answers in text; it is not a spoken conversation.

When the waveform moves but no text appears

This shows up on Cursor's forum regularly. Things to check, in order:

Update Cursor. Several reports were fixed by new versions.
Microphone permission. System Settings, Privacy & Security, Microphone: Cursor must be on.
Input device. System Settings, Sound, Input: pick the mic you're actually using and watch the level move.
Test elsewhere. If dictation works in another app, the problem is in Cursor; if not, it's the Mac or the mic.
Try the shortcut instead of the button, or the other way round, to see whether one path is broken.

Use a system-wide dictation key instead

You don't have to use Cursor's microphone at all. Any Mac dictation that types at the cursor works in Cursor's chat box, because it is a text field like any other.

In SpeechBee, which we make, you hold the right ⌘ key in the chat, talk, and let go; the prompt appears, and you send it when you're ready. It transcribes on your Mac, removes filler words in 61 languages, and fixes names from your dictionary, so function names, libraries and your project's terms come out right after you fix them once. The same key works in the editor, the terminal, the browser and Slack.

It doesn't send the prompt or drive Cursor for you. It types what you said, and you stay in control of what the Agent receives.

SpeechBee's listening indicator on Mac — Hold your key, talk, let go. The text lands at the cursor.

SpeechBee's Read Aloud player on Mac — Select text, press your reading key, listen.

Write better spoken prompts

Say the goal first, then the context: "Make the export button work offline. It currently calls the API on every click."
Name the file and function. Add them to your dictionary once if they get misheard.
Say what not to change. Spoken prompts make that easy to add.
Read before you send. A misheard file name sends the Agent to the wrong place.

Talk to your coding agent from any app. Free for 7 days.

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Questions

Does Cursor have voice input?

Yes. Click the microphone in the Agent chat input and talk. Cursor transcribes your speech into the prompt box, and you send it.

Why does Cursor voice show audio waves but no text?

Usually an outdated version, a missing microphone permission or the wrong input device. Update Cursor, check Privacy & Security, Microphone, and test the mic in another app.

Can I use Mac dictation in Cursor?

Yes. Apple Dictation or any dictation app that types at the cursor works in Cursor's chat box and editor.

Keep reading

Sources

Checked on 14 October 2026.