Use a custom vocabulary with Voice Control on Mac
If you use Voice Control to interact with your Mac in a language that supports a custom vocabulary, you can add words and phrases — individually or by importing a list — so it’s easier to work with specialised apps or documents. For example, if you use CAD software or work on medical documents, you could enter terms such as DIMSTYLE or hemianopsia to ensure that the words are entered correctly when you use Voice Control.
If you use Voice Control with more than one supported language, you can create a custom vocabulary list for each. Additionally, you can export or import terms for each language, and easily add words from one language to another.
Add individual vocabulary terms
You can add up to 1,000 vocabulary terms and teach Voice Control how to say them.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
in the sidebar, then click Voice Control. (You may need to scroll down.)Click Vocabulary.
If the option is dimmed, the selected language doesn’t support a custom vocabulary.
Click
, type a word or phrase as you want it to be entered when you say it, then click Next.Click
, say the phrase you just entered, then click Save.Note: To teach Voice Control how to say a phrase, Dictation must be turned on. If Dictation isn’t turned on, you can click Save Without Recording to continue entering vocabulary. You can record the pronunciation later.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to add additional vocabulary words.
When you’ve finished, click Done.
Tip: Quickly add vocabulary terms as you’re working by speaking a Voice Control command. Select the word or phrase you want to add, then say “Add to vocabulary”.
Modify custom vocabulary
You can record or re-record pronunciation of phrases, or delete pronunciation of phrases. A 
appears next to a vocabulary item that has been recorded.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
Click Vocabulary.
Control-click a vocabulary item, then choose one of the following:
Record pronunciation: Record the pronunciation of the selected phrase.
Re-record pronunciation: Record the pronunciation of the selected phrase again, replacing the previously recorded pronunciation.
Delete pronunciation: Remove the previously recorded pronunciation.
When you’ve finished, click Done.
Import multiple custom vocabulary terms
You can import from a text file with each term on a separate line or from a file that was previously exported by Voice Control.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
Click
in the lower-right corner, then choose Import Vocabulary.Select the file of vocabulary terms, then click Select.
Choose the language, then click Import.
Export custom vocabulary terms
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
Click
in the lower-right corner, then choose Export Vocabulary.Choose the file format and language, then click Continue.
Choose a location, then click Export.
Delete custom vocabulary
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
Do one of the following:
Delete one vocabulary term: Click Vocabulary, select the word or phrase to delete, click
, then click OK.Delete all custom vocabulary: Click
in the lower-right corner, choose Delete All Vocabulary, then click Delete.