Dictate 1.0.0 for macOS and Windows

Install on macOS

1. 1

   Download the DMG. Open it and drag Dictate into the Applications folder next to it.

2. 2

   Check the file if you like. Open Terminal and run shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/Dictate-1.0.0.dmg and compare the output with the SHA-256 above.

3. 3

   Open Dictate from Applications. The first open needs the one time Gatekeeper step below.

4. 4

   Allow Microphone and Accessibility when Dictate asks. Then hold Right Option and speak.

The Getting started on macOS guide walks through the same steps and the first dictation.

Install on Windows

The Windows zip holds one folder named Dictate with Dictate.exe inside. There is no installer. It needs Windows 10 or 11 (64 bit).

1. 1

   Download the zip. Right click it and choose Extract All and pick a folder you keep (Documents or the Desktop). Keep Dictate.exe inside its folder with the files next to it.

2. 2

   Check the file if you like. Open PowerShell and run Get-FileHash "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\Dictate-1.0.0-windows.zip" -Algorithm SHA256 and compare the Hash column with the SHA-256 above.

3. 3

   Double click Dictate.exe. The first run shows the SmartScreen message Windows protected your PC because the build is not code signed. Click More info and then Run anyway.

4. 4

   That is all. Windows asks for no permission. Hold Right Ctrl and speak.

On Windows the hotkeys work while any app has focus. Dictate sits in the system tray. Its settings and history and models and the license records live in %LOCALAPPDATA%\x4ops\Dictate. The Getting started on Windows guide walks through the first dictation.

The first open on macOS

Dictate is signed with the publisher's own signing identity and is not notarized by Apple. So the first open shows a message that macOS cannot verify the app. This is expected and you allow it once.

1. 1

   Right click Dictate in Applications and choose Open. When the message shows an Open button click it and you are done.

2. 2

   Otherwise open System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section. Next to the line that names Dictate click Open Anyway.

3. 3

   Confirm with your password or Touch ID and click Open in the next message. macOS remembers the choice.

Apple describes both paths in Open a Mac app from an unknown developer.

The two permissions on macOS

Dictate asks for both on the first launch. Microphone shows a system prompt with an Allow button. Accessibility opens System Settings > Privacy & Security where you switch Dictate on. The Permissions group in Settings shows each one with its state and one action.

The hotkey listener starts at launch so a grant of Accessibility while Dictate runs offers Restart inside Settings. On macOS 14 and 15 Dictate asks for Input Monitoring as well once Accessibility is on.