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Setup

Yap — Free Voice Dictation for Mac

A free, open-source dictation app that types for you when you talk. Runs entirely on your Mac, never sends your voice to the internet, and replaces the $10–20/month apps. Install and set up in about five minutes.

  • macOS
  • Dictation
  • Setup
Download the PDF

Free. No email, no signup — the link downloads it.

Most people either type everything by hand or pay a monthly subscription for dictation your Mac can now do on its own. Yap is free, forever, with no account. This is the complete beginner's walkthrough — Homebrew included, no technical background assumed — from a blank Terminal window to talking into any text field on your Mac.

What's inside

  • The two Terminal commands, start to finish
  • The four permissions it asks for, and why each one is needed
  • The shortcut, how to rebind it, and how to undo a bad take
  • Needs macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later — how to check before you start