Short answer: Dictation turns your speech into text in any field where you can type. Voice Control does that too, and also lets you open apps, click, scroll and edit text by voice, so it can replace the keyboard and mouse. Apple says standard Dictation isn't available while Voice Control is on. If you only want to type by talking, you want Dictation.
The short version of voice control vs dictation on Mac: Dictation turns what you say into text. Voice Control does that too, and it also lets you open apps, click buttons, scroll and edit by voice, so you can run the whole Mac without a keyboard or mouse. They're two separate features in two separate places in System Settings, and Apple says that while Voice Control is on, standard Dictation isn't available.
Most people who land here want to type by talking, which is what Dictation is for. Voice Control is built for a different job and a different reader. Below is how each one works, how to switch each on, and how to pick. Everything comes from Apple's Mac User Guide, which we checked on October 30, 2026, when the current release was macOS 27 ("macOS Golden Gate").
The difference at a glance
Apple describes Dictation like this: "With Dictation, you can speak to enter text anywhere you can type it." Voice Control is described as a way to "use your voice to navigate the desktop and apps, interact with what's on the screen, dictate and edit text, and more." Apple also points people to it when they want to "enter text and control your Mac by speaking commands, instead of using a keyboard, mouse, or trackpad".
| What | Dictation | Voice Control |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Entering text by speaking | Controlling the whole Mac by voice |
| Where it lives | System Settings > Keyboard | System Settings > Accessibility |
| How you start | Microphone key, a keyboard shortcut, or Edit > Start Dictation | Switch it on, then it listens until you say "Stop listening" |
| What you can say | Text, plus dictation commands for punctuation and formatting | Commands such as "Open Mail", "Scroll down" or "Click Done", plus text |
| Clicking and navigating | No | Yes, by name, number or grid |
| Editing text by voice | Limited to dictation commands | Yes, such as "Replace cat with dog" |
| Setup | Turn it on in Keyboard settings, click Enable | One-time file download from Apple the first time |
The row on editing deserves a note. Apple's Voice Control page gives "Replace cat with dog" as an example, and says you can say a command like "Delete" or "Uppercase" followed by the item's number. Plain Dictation has no equivalent of numbered items on the screen.
What Dictation does
Dictation is the lighter of the two. You put the cursor where you want text, start it, and speak. Apple lists three ways to start: press the Microphone key if your Mac has one in the function row, use the Dictation keyboard shortcut, or choose Edit > Start Dictation. One detail from Apple that trips people up: press and release the Microphone key to start Dictation, but press and hold it and you get Siri instead (if Siri is on).
To turn Dictation on, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Keyboard in the sidebar (you may need to scroll), go to Dictation and turn it on, then click Enable. The same section has a Microphone source menu if you want to pick a specific microphone. Our list of Mac dictation commands covers what you can say for punctuation and layout.
What Voice Control does
Voice Control lives in Accessibility settings, and Apple groups it with its accessibility features for mobility. It's built for people who can't comfortably use a keyboard, mouse or trackpad, and it treats speech as a full replacement for them. To switch it on, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility in the sidebar, then click Voice Control and turn it on. You can also say "Turn on Voice Control" to Siri.
The first time, Apple says your Mac must be connected to the internet for "a one-time file download from Apple". After that, Apple says you don't need an internet connection to use it.
Commands, numbers and grids
Apple's examples include "Open Mail", "Scroll down", "Click Done" and "Press OK". When names aren't enough, "Show numbers" labels the clickable items on the screen, "Show names" labels them with their names, and "Show grid" lays a grid over the screen so you can click anywhere. You can drag items by number too. Say "Show commands" to see what's available in the app you're in, and use "Stop listening" and "Start listening" to pause it.
Three ways to enter text
Voice Control has text modes. Apple describes Dictation mode, which is on by default: "Any words you say that aren't Voice Control commands are entered as text." Spelling mode takes text character by character, and Command mode responds only to commands and ignores everything else, which Apple suggests when you want to say a series of commands without any of them landing in a text field. There's also a Swift mode for writing Swift code.
The complete command list lives inside the app: choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Accessibility, click Voice Control, then click Commands. Apple's web pages show only examples, so check that list before you rely on a specific phrase. You can also make your own commands by saying "Make this speakable".
What happens to Dictation when Voice Control is on
This is the part that causes confusion. Apple's Dictation page states it directly: "When Voice Control is on, you use Voice Control to dictate text; standard macOS Dictation isn't available." The iPhone guide says the same about iOS Dictation. So if you turned on Voice Control to try it and your Microphone key stopped doing what it used to, that's why.
Apple doesn't say whether standard Dictation comes back on its own when you turn Voice Control off, so check the switch under System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation afterward. If the two seem to be fighting, see our post on the Dictation and Voice Control conflict.
How to switch from Voice Control back to Dictation
- Open System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control and turn Voice Control off.
- Open System Settings > Keyboard and scroll to Dictation.
- Check that Dictation is on. Apple doesn't say it switches back by itself, so turn it on if it's off.
- Start Dictation again with the Microphone key, your Dictation shortcut, or Edit > Start Dictation, with the cursor in a text field.
Which one do you need?
- You want to write emails, notes and messages by talking: Dictation. It's simpler, and your hands stay free for the keyboard and mouse when you want them.
- You can't use, or can't comfortably use, a keyboard or pointer: Voice Control. It's the only one of the two that can open apps and click for you. Our overview of voice input in macOS accessibility and the guide to voice to text when you can't use your hands go further.
- You want both on the same day: You can switch Voice Control on and off in Accessibility, but not use standard Dictation while it's on. Plan around that.
Languages differ too. Apple's feature availability page lists 20 entries for Voice Control, among them several kinds of English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Turkish, Arabic, and Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese. Apple also notes that Spelling mode isn't available in every Voice Control language, and Vocabulary isn't either.
Where Voice Keyboard Pro fits
Voice Keyboard Pro is dictation, and only dictation. It's a menu bar app: hold a key you choose (Left Control by default), speak, let go, and the text is typed at your cursor in whatever app has focus. It's its own dictation, so it doesn't depend on Apple's Dictation being on, and it works while you keep your keyboard and mouse.
It is not a replacement for Voice Control. It can't open apps, click or scroll for you, and it has no hands-free mode on Mac: it listens only while you hold the key. If you rely on Voice Control because you can't use a keyboard, keep using it. If you want a faster way to turn speech into text, and a few spoken controls such as "new line", "period" and "delete that", it's worth a look. Our post on hold-to-speak dictation explains the idea.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use dictation and Voice Control at the same time on Mac?
Not standard Dictation. Apple says that when Voice Control is on, you use Voice Control to dictate and standard macOS Dictation isn't available. Voice Control has its own Dictation mode for entering text, so you can still dictate, just through Voice Control.
Is Voice Control better than Dictation?
They solve different problems. Voice Control does more, because it controls the screen as well as entering text. For plain writing, Dictation is the simpler tool. Apple doesn't publish an accuracy comparison between the two.
How do I turn off Voice Control on Mac?
Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control and switch it off. Then check System Settings > Keyboard > Dictation to make sure Dictation is on.
Does Voice Control need the internet?
Only the first time. Apple says your Mac must be online for a one-time file download when you first turn it on, and that after the download you don't need an internet connection to use it.
Is there a Voice Control on iPhone too?
Yes. Apple's iPhone guide has you tap Accessibility, tap Voice Control, then tap Set Up Voice Control. The same rule applies: while it's on, standard iOS Dictation isn't available.
The bottom line
Dictation is for typing by voice, and Voice Control is for operating a Mac by voice. Pick Dictation if your hands work and you want faster writing, and Voice Control if speech has to stand in for the keyboard and pointer. Remember that switching Voice Control on takes standard Dictation away until you switch it off again.
It sits in the menu bar, listens only while you hold the key, and doesn't depend on Apple's Dictation being turned on.
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