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Host: https://featherweightsoftware.com
Sitemap: https://featherweightsoftware.com/sitemap.xml

# Featherweight Dictation

> Featherweight Dictation is a native dictation app for Mac and Windows: hold a key (fn on a Mac, Right Alt on Windows), talk, let go, and your words are typed into any app, cleaned up and laid out for it, in about a second. It is 4.6 MB on a Mac and 2.3 MB on Windows, and uses 0% CPU while it waits. Free to use.

- Made by Featherweight, a brand of Mockello (Avadi, Chennai, India). Website: https://featherweightsoftware.com
- Runs on Mac (macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon or Intel) and Windows (10, version 1809 or later, and 11, x64), with a microphone and an internet connection. One account and one plan cover both.
- Price: free to use, with everything included and no card. Unlimited dictation is US$5 a month. Cancel any time.
- Privacy: speech is turned into text securely in the cloud. Audio and words are never stored.
- Smart mode, on Mac now and coming to Windows: hold Right Option and say what you want. With nothing selected, it writes it where the cursor is, laid out for the app (an email gets a greeting and your name). With text selected, it rewrites the selection as asked, and Command-Z brings the original back. What you select and what you ask are never stored. Included in the free plan.
- Size on a Mac: 4.6 MB on disk, a 3.6 MB download, 31 MB of memory and 0% CPU at rest, one process (measured October 1, 2026).
- Size on Windows: 2.3 MB installed (the Microsoft Store's figure), about 4 MB of memory at rest and 10 MB at most while dictating, 0% CPU at rest (measured October 6, 2026).
- Latest Mac version: 0.8.6 (October 9, 2026); the Mac app updates itself, and the Microsoft Store keeps the Windows app up to date.
- Download for Mac: https://download.featherweightsoftware.com/featherweight-dictation.dmg
- Get it for Windows (Microsoft Store): https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9pmqjdjf8jkw

## What it does

- Hold a key, talk and let go: fn (or right Option or right Command) on a Mac, Right Alt (or Right Ctrl or Caps Lock) on Windows; the words are typed where the cursor is, in any app
- Removes filler words like um and uh, and applies spoken self-corrections ("at five, actually six" types 6)
- Lays the text out for the app: an email in Mail or Gmail, one line in Slack or WhatsApp, a numbered list when you count items out, a clean prompt in ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor
- Turns spoken numbers, times, money, email addresses and web addresses into the right characters
- Spoken commands such as "new line", "comma" and "question mark"
- Smart mode, on Mac (coming to Windows): hold Right Option and say what you want; it writes it where the cursor is, laid out for the app, or rewrites the selected text as asked (shorter, funnier, more polite, translated, a list)
- 25 languages, in the one you choose; it never translates
- Your audio and your words are never stored
- A native app: on a Mac, 4.6 MB on disk, 31 MB of memory and 0% CPU at rest, one process; on Windows, 2.3 MB installed, about 4 MB of memory at rest and 10 MB at most while dictating

## Pages

- [Home](https://featherweightsoftware.com): what it does, the weigh-in against other dictation apps (measured), how it works, the price
- [Smart mode](https://featherweightsoftware.com/smart-mode): the second key: hold Right Option and ask, and it writes at the cursor or rewrites the selected text; its six pill looks
- [Pricing](https://featherweightsoftware.com/pricing): the free plan and the $5 a month plan
- [Downloads](https://featherweightsoftware.com/download): the Mac app and the Windows app side by side, and installing each in four steps
- [Help center](https://featherweightsoftware.com/help): every common question, answered
- [What's new](https://featherweightsoftware.com/changelog): release notes, newest first

## Comparisons

- [Best dictation apps for Mac, compared](https://featherweightsoftware.com/compare): Featherweight Dictation, Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, MacWhisper, Aqua Voice, Willow Voice, VoiceInk and Apple Dictation side by side
- [Wispr Flow vs Featherweight Dictation](https://featherweightsoftware.com/vs/wispr-flow): The best-known AI dictation app, on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android.
- [Superwhisper vs Featherweight Dictation](https://featherweightsoftware.com/vs/superwhisper): A dictation app with local and cloud speech models and custom AI modes.
- [MacWhisper vs Featherweight Dictation](https://featherweightsoftware.com/vs/macwhisper): A Mac app for transcribing recordings and videos, with dictation too.
- [Aqua Voice vs Featherweight Dictation](https://featherweightsoftware.com/vs/aqua-voice): AI dictation that reads your screen for context, on Mac, Windows and iPhone.
- [Willow Voice vs Featherweight Dictation](https://featherweightsoftware.com/vs/willow-voice): AI dictation that learns your writing style, on Mac, Windows and iPhone.
- [VoiceInk vs Featherweight Dictation](https://featherweightsoftware.com/vs/voiceink): An open-source Mac dictation app that runs speech models on your Mac.
- [Apple Dictation vs Featherweight Dictation](https://featherweightsoftware.com/vs/apple-dictation): The dictation built into macOS.

## Guides

- [How to dictate on a Mac: shortcut, settings and tips](https://featherweightsoftware.com/guides/how-to-dictate-on-mac): Turn on Dictation in macOS, set or change the shortcut, speak punctuation and emoji, and dictate offline. Plus how hold-to-talk dictation apps differ.
- [How to dictate on Windows: voice typing, shortcut and tips](https://featherweightsoftware.com/guides/how-to-dictate-on-windows): Voice typing in Windows: the Windows + H shortcut, punctuation and corrections by voice, its settings, and how hold-to-talk dictation apps differ.
- [Mac dictation not working? How to fix it](https://featherweightsoftware.com/guides/mac-dictation-not-working): Dictation won't start, stops early or types the wrong words? Check the shortcut, the microphone, Voice Control, the language and your settings, step by step.
- [Dictate prompts into ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor on Mac](https://featherweightsoftware.com/guides/dictate-prompts-chatgpt-claude-cursor): Speak your prompts instead of typing them. How to dictate into ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor on a Mac, with the ums gone and code symbols written out.
- [How to dictate emails on a Mac: Mail, Gmail, Outlook](https://featherweightsoftware.com/guides/dictate-emails-on-mac): Dictate emails in Apple Mail, Gmail or Outlook on a Mac: greeting, paragraphs and sign-off in place, ums gone. The built-in way and the faster one.

## Optional

- [Everything above in full, on one page](https://featherweightsoftware.com/llms-full.txt): every fact, comparison, question and release
- [Privacy Policy](https://featherweightsoftware.com/privacy): what is collected and what is never kept
- [Terms of Service](https://featherweightsoftware.com/terms): the free plan, the subscription and fair use
- [About](https://featherweightsoftware.com/about): the company
- [Build with us](https://featherweightsoftware.com/custom): custom software and co-development by the team behind Featherweight Dictation, audits and consulting, and its research
- [Contact](https://featherweightsoftware.com/contact): hello@featherweightsoftware.com for help, info@featherweightsoftware.com for billing