Guide
How to use the Fn (Globe) key for dictation on Mac
What does the Fn (Globe) key do on a Mac?
On its own, the Globe key does whatever you choose in System Settings › Keyboard › “Press 🌐 key to”. On recent Apple keyboards the Fn key and the Globe key are the same key, marked with both “fn” and a globe. Held together with other keys, it still works as Fn, for example Fn with the arrow keys or the function-row keys.
Apple offers four options for a single press of the Globe key:
| Option | What pressing the Globe key does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Change Input Source | Switches between your keyboard layouts or input languages | You type in more than one language |
| Show Emoji & Symbols | Opens the emoji and symbol picker | You use emoji often |
| Start Dictation | Starts Apple Dictation when you press the key twice | You use Apple's built-in dictation |
| Do Nothing | Nothing, so another app can use the key | You use SayWrite's hold-to-talk |
How do you start Apple Dictation with the Globe key?
Set “Press 🌐 key to” to Start Dictation, then press the Globe key twice to start dictating. Dictation must be turned on first:
- Open System Settings and click Keyboard.
- Under Dictation, turn it on and click Enable.
- Set “Press 🌐 key to” to Start Dictation.
- Click into a text field, press the Globe key twice, and speak.
If your keyboard has a Microphone key in the function row, you can press that instead. You can also pick a different shortcut under Keyboard › Dictation › Shortcut.
How do you hold Fn to dictate with SayWrite?
SayWrite turns the Fn key into a push-to-talk button: hold it while you speak, let go, and the text is typed where your cursor is. SayWrite never presses Return, so nothing is sent before you've checked it. Set it up once:
- Install SayWrite and turn it on under System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility. macOS only lets an app notice the Fn key while another app is in front if it has Accessibility access.
- Set System Settings › Keyboard › “Press 🌐 key to” to Do Nothing.
- Click into any text field, hold Fn, speak, and release.
SayWrite never changes your keyboard setting itself. If “Press 🌐 key to” isn't set to Do Nothing, it warns you and offers a button that opens Keyboard settings.
Can you tap Fn instead of holding it?
Yes. SayWrite has three trigger modes in Settings › General:
- Auto (the default): tap Fn to start and tap again to stop, or hold it for longer than 350 milliseconds and SayWrite stops when you let go.
- Toggle: press to start, press again to stop.
- Hold: records only while the key is held down.
Fn combined with another key, such as Fn with an arrow key, Fn with Delete, or Fn with a function-row key, never starts dictation, so your usual shortcuts keep working. Press Esc to cancel a recording; nothing is typed.
What does Fn + Space do?
While you're holding Fn and talking, tap Space to turn on AI Polish for that dictation. When you let go, SayWrite rewrites what you said into clean writing before it's typed, using Apple Intelligence's on-device model or your own Ollama or LM Studio on your Mac. You can also set Fn + Space to Rewrite · do what I say, which treats your words as an instruction, like “write a quick reply saying Thursday works”.
Why isn't the Fn key working for dictation?
- Nothing happens when you hold Fn: SayWrite probably doesn't have Accessibility access. Turn it on in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility. If it's on but Fn still does nothing, remove SayWrite from the list with the minus button, add it again, and reopen SayWrite.
- The emoji picker or input menu opens: “Press 🌐 key to” isn't set to Do Nothing.
- Apple Dictation starts as well: the setting is on Start Dictation. Choose Do Nothing if you want to use SayWrite instead.
- Your keyboard has no Fn key: use SayWrite's alternative shortcut, Control-Option-D, which keeps working even when Fn is your main trigger.
Want to know how much time talking saves you? Read speaking vs typing speed.