Shortcuts & recording
Choose comfortable keys, add hands-free recording and control how a session ends.
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Default controls#
| Action | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Hold to talk | Right Ctrl | Starts while held; release finishes the recording. |
| Toggle recording | Not assigned | An optional second shortcut: press to start, press again to finish. |
| Cancel | Esc | Cancels active recording or pending processing. |
| Next mode | Not assigned | An optional shortcut to cycle modes for the next dictation. |
The Windows app must be running for its global shortcuts to work. The browser demo’s keyboard controls are only an illustration; changing them does not configure the app.
Change the push-to-talk key#
- Open Settings → Activation.
- Click the Push-to-talk key box.
- Hold the physical key or combination you want.
- Release it, check the displayed shortcut and click Save.
Press Esc while recording a shortcut to leave the previous choice in place. Avoid combinations that your editor, game or operating system already depends on. Setup reports obvious conflicts, but it cannot know every app’s custom bindings.
Add a toggle key#
In Settings → Activation → Toggle key (optional), record a different combination. Save it, then press once to begin a recording and once more to finish. You can speak for a longer passage without holding a key.
Press Backspace in the optional shortcut picker to clear the assignment. Keep hold and toggle shortcuts distinct so each gesture has a predictable purpose. Watch the bar’s recording state so you do not leave a toggle session running unintentionally.
Ignore accidental taps#
Ignore taps shorter than (ms) defaults to 250. A press shorter than this is discarded rather than transcribed. If quick test taps appear to do nothing, hold the shortcut and speak a complete sentence.
The setting accepts whole numbers from 0 to 5,000 milliseconds. Zero disables this minimum. An invalid number displays an explanation and prevents saving until it is corrected.
Hide the trigger from other apps#
Hide the key from other apps suppresses the trigger’s normal input when applicable. It is ignored for modifier-only keys. This can be useful if your trigger would otherwise type a letter or invoke an app command, but choosing a comfortable, non-conflicting shortcut is still the first step.
After changing a shortcut, test it in a simple text editor before using it in a more complex application.
Recording limit and sounds#
Stop recording after (minutes) defaults to 5. Reaching the limit finishes and transcribes the recorded passage. It does not discard it. The setting accepts 0–600 minutes, including fractional values; 0 means no limit.
Optional start, finish and failure sounds use the Windows sound scheme and are off by default. Enable them under While you are talking if audible feedback is more useful than watching the bar.