Voice dictation in Claude Code and Cursor on a Mac: 3 ways

By Austin Dixson · Updated Oct 26, 2026

You can dictate into Claude Code and Cursor on a Mac in three ways: the voice input built into each tool, macOS Dictation, or a hold-to-talk app such as Super Notch. Claude Code's /voice and Cursor's mic only work inside their own tool, while macOS Dictation and Super Notch Type write into whatever field has focus, including a terminal.

Below is what each option needs, where your audio goes, and how to set it up. Details for the built-in tools come from Anthropic's, Cursor's and Apple's own docs, checked in October 2026.

Quick comparison

Way 1: The voice input built into each tool

Both tools now ship their own dictation. Each one only works inside that tool.

Claude Code /voice

Claude Code has its own dictation command. Per Anthropic's docs:

1. Start Claude Code in your terminal and sign in with a Claude.ai account.
2. Type /voice and press Return.
3. On a Mac, allow the microphone prompt for your terminal app.
4. Hold Space, speak, and let go. If you'd rather tap to start and stop, run /voice tap. /voice off turns it off.

Your audio is streamed to Anthropic for transcription. It isn't available if you use Claude Code with an API key, Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud's Agent Platform, or Microsoft Foundry. It also needs a local microphone, so it doesn't work in SSH or cloud sessions. Transcription doesn't count against your Claude messages or tokens.

Cursor's mic and Ctrl+M

Cursor puts a microphone in the chat input. Per Cursor's docs and changelog:

1. Open the Agent chat.
2. Click the microphone icon in the chat input and speak.
3. Read the transcription, fix anything, then send.

In the Agents Window you can also press and hold Ctrl+M. Cursor 3.1 records the whole clip before transcribing it, and shows a waveform, a timer, and cancel and confirm buttons. Cursor's docs describe voice for the chat input. They don't cover the editor or terminal, and they don't say where the audio is processed.

Way 2: macOS Dictation

Apple's Dictation is built into macOS and types into any text field, which includes the Terminal running Claude Code and the Cursor chat box. Per Apple Support:

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Keyboard, then turn on Dictation.
2. Click into the field you want, such as the Claude Code prompt in Terminal or Cursor's chat.
3. Press the Microphone key, use the Dictation shortcut, or choose Edit > Start Dictation.
4. Speak. Press Escape or the shortcut to stop. It also stops on its own after 30 seconds of silence.

Under Dictation in Keyboard settings, macOS shows whether your speech is processed on the device. Dictation isn't offered in every language or region.

Way 3: Super Notch Type (one key for every app)

Super Notch is a Mac app that lives in the notch. Its Type feature turns your speech into text in the field that has focus, so the same key works in the terminal where Claude Code runs and in Cursor's composer or chat. It has a separate insert path for terminals such as Terminal, iTerm2, Ghostty, Warp, kitty, Alacritty and WezTerm. Cursor gets a normal paste.

1. Download Super Notch, move it to Applications and open it. You need an Apple silicon Mac on macOS 14 or newer.
2. Allow Microphone and Accessibility for /Applications/SuperNotch.app when macOS asks.
3. In Settings > Type, select Phonon 2 and click Download Phonon 2. It's a one-time download of a 164 MB model plus its runtime, with no API key.
4. Click into the Claude Code prompt or the Cursor chat.
5. Hold Right Option, speak, and release. The text lands in the field for you to read. Type never sends for you, so you press Return when it looks right.

With Phonon 2, recognition runs on your Mac after setup and Type spends no model tokens. Phonon 2 is English only. Pick Whisper in Settings for other languages or translation. You can change the Type key in Settings. Right Command is a different feature called Talk, which is a conversation with the notch companion.

For more on each tool, see Super Notch for Claude Code and Super Notch for Cursor. The step-by-step setup post covers permissions in more detail, and Talk help and Type help cover troubleshooting.

Which one to use

• You only use Claude Code from a local terminal and have a Claude.ai account: /voice is already there.
• You only dictate into Cursor's chat: the mic in the chat input is already there.
• You want one key that works in Claude Code, Cursor and every other app with nothing to install: macOS Dictation.
• You want one key across apps, with transcription on your Mac and nothing sent until you press Return: Super Notch Type with Phonon 2.

FAQ

Can I dictate into Claude Code on a Mac?

Yes. Run /voice in Claude Code and hold Space to talk, which needs a Claude.ai account and streams audio to Anthropic. You can also use macOS Dictation or Super Notch Type, which type into the Claude Code prompt like any other field.

Does Claude Code /voice work with an API key?

No. Per Anthropic's docs, voice dictation needs a Claude.ai account and isn't available with an Anthropic API key, Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud's Agent Platform, or Microsoft Foundry.

Does Cursor have voice dictation on Mac?

Yes. Click the microphone icon in Cursor's chat input to dictate a prompt. In the Agents Window you can hold Ctrl+M to speak.

Can I dictate into the terminal on a Mac?

Yes. macOS Dictation types anywhere you can type, and Super Notch Type has an insert path for terminals including Terminal, iTerm2, Ghostty and Warp. Claude Code's /voice also runs in the terminal, but not over SSH.

Are any of these options on-device?

Super Notch Type with the Phonon 2 engine transcribes on your Mac after a one-time download. macOS shows whether Dictation is processed on the device under Dictation in Keyboard settings. Claude Code /voice streams audio to Anthropic. Cursor's docs don't say where its audio is processed.

What does Super Notch cost?

$20 once for your first Mac and $10 for each additional Mac. It needs an Apple silicon Mac on macOS 14 or newer.

Download Super Notch · Apple silicon · macOS 14+