Mac User Guide
- Welcome
- What’s new in macOS Tahoe
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- Intro to Apple Intelligence
- Translate messages and calls
- Create original images with Image Playground
- Create your own emoji with Genmoji
- Use Apple Intelligence with Siri
- Find the right words with Writing Tools
- Summarise notifications and reduce interruptions
- Use ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence
- Apple Intelligence and privacy
- Block access to Apple Intelligence features
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- Intro to Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Control your iPhone from your Mac
- Copy and paste between devices
- Stream video and audio with AirPlay
- Make and receive calls and text messages on your Mac
- Use your iPhone internet connection with your Mac
- Share your Wi-Fi password with another device
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Insert sketches, photos and scans from iPhone or iPad
- Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
- Use your iPad as a second display
- Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
- Sync music, books and more between devices
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- Get started
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- Accessibility features for vision
- Get started with VoiceOver
- Zoom in on what’s around you
- Zoom in on your Mac screen
- Increase font size and icons
- Adjust the display colours
- Hover to zoom in on text and colours
- Listen to or change how text appears in apps
- Customise onscreen motion
- Increase the size of what’s on your screen
- Make the pointer easier to see
- Have your Mac speak text that’s on the screen
- Resources for your Mac
- Resources for your Apple devices
- Copyright and trademarks
Commands for dictating text on Mac
When you dictate text, you can use commands to format text and enter punctuation, capital letters and symbols (including symbols for maths, currency and more). The commands listed below are always available while you’re dictating text.
Additionally, in some languages you can insert emoji using dictation — for example, say “heart emoji” or “car emoji”. For supported languages, Dictation also adds certain punctuation automatically as you dictate.
If you want to enter text and control your Mac by speaking commands, instead of using a keyboard, mouse or trackpad, you can use Voice Control. When Voice Control is on, you use Voice Control to dictate text; standard macOS Dictation isn’t available.
Punctuation
Command | Result |
|---|---|
apostrophe | ‘ |
open square bracket | [ |
close square bracket | ] |
open parenthesis | ( |
close parenthesis | ) |
open curly bracket | { |
close curly bracket | } |
open angle bracket | < |
close angle bracket | > |
colon | : |
comma | , |
dash | – |
ellipsis | … |
exclamation mark | ! |
hyphen | - |
period/point/dot/full stop | . |
question mark | ? |
quote | “ |
end quote | ” |
begin single quote | ‘ |
end single quote | ‘ |
semicolon | ; |
Typography
Command | Result |
|---|---|
ampersand | & |
asterisk | * |
at sign | @ |
backslash | \ |
forward slash | / |
caret | ^ |
centre dot | ・ |
large centre dot | ● |
degree sign | ° |
hashtag sign | # |
per cent sign | % |
underscore | _ |
vertical bar | | |
Formatting
Command | Result |
|---|---|
new line | Starts a new line. |
numeral | Formats the next phrase as a number. |
roman numeral | Formats the next phrase as a Roman numeral. |
new paragraph | Starts a new paragraph. |
no space on | Formats the next phrase without spaces. |
no space off | Resumes default spacing. |
tab key | Moves the cursor to the next tab stop. |
Capitalisation
Command | Result |
|---|---|
caps on | Formats the next phrase in Title Case. |
caps off | Resumes the default case lettering. |
all caps | Formats the next word in ALL CAPS. |
all caps on | Formats the next phrase in ALL CAPS. |
all caps off | Resumes the default case lettering. |
Mathematical
Command | Result |
|---|---|
equal sign | = |
greater than sign | > |
less than sign | < |
minus sign | - |
multiplication sign | x |
plus sign | + |
Currency
Command | Result |
|---|---|
dollar sign | $ |
cent sign | ¢ |
pound sterling sign | £ |
euro sign | € |
yen sign | ¥ |
Emoticons
Command | Result |
|---|---|
smiley face | :-) |
frowny face | :-( |
winking face | ;-) |
cross-eyed laughing face | XD |
Intellectual property
Command | Result |
|---|---|
copyright sign | © |
registered sign | ® |
trademark sign | ™ |