Say it, don't type it
Hold right Option, talk, and let go. Retext types what you said at your cursor, in any app on your Mac.
On-device by default · Works in any app
How it works
Push-to-talk on one key. No window to open, no button to click.
Hold right Option
Click into any text field, in any app. Hold the right Option key and a small pill shows Retext is listening.
Say what you want to type
Talk naturally. Press Esc or any other key to cancel; nothing gets inserted.
Let go
Retext transcribes what you said and inserts it at your cursor. Your clipboard is put back the way it was.
Hands-free when your hands are busyBeta
Turn on hands-free mode in Settings to dictate without holding a key.
Double-tap to start
Double-tap right Option (or right Shift, set in Settings), and Retext keeps listening. Each time you pause, what you just said is typed for you. Press Esc to stop.
Pauses for passwords
Hands-free pauses itself in password fields and in password managers like 1Password and Bitwarden, and closes the mic while it waits.
Pauses during calls
When another app is using your mic, like Zoom or FaceTime, hands-free pauses. It stops when your screen locks or your Mac sleeps.
Lands where you started
If you switch apps mid-sentence, Retext holds the text in the pill with a Copy button instead of typing it into the wrong window.
Polish it, or keep every wordBeta
Turn on Polish and Retext cleans up what you said on your Mac before it lands. Pick a mode, or a different one for each app.
Verbatim
Exactly what you said, with nothing changed.
Clean
The default. Tidies up what you said without adding anything.
Shapes what you said into an email.
Message
Shapes it into a chat message, for Slack or Messages.
Notes
Turns what you said into a bullet list.
Edit with your voiceBeta
Voice commands work in hold-to-talk and hands-free. Say a command on its own and Retext acts on it instead of typing it.
Punctuation and layout
Say "period", "comma", "question mark", "new line" or "new paragraph".
Delete that
Removes what you just dictated, and only that. Retext never deletes text you typed.
Insert snippet
Say "insert snippet" and its name. Fill-in fields and {cursor} work like typing the trigger.
Stop or pause
In hands-free mode, say "stop listening" or "pause dictation". Double-tap right Option to resume.
Runs on your Mac
Retext transcribes with Apple's on-device speech engine, so dictation works offline.
Local
Default- •Transcribes on your Mac with Apple's speech engine
- •Your audio never leaves your Mac
- •Works offline
- •Needs macOS 26 and Apple silicon
Private by default
Transcribed on your Mac
Retext transcribes with Apple's on-device speech engine. Your audio never leaves your Mac.
Nothing sent to our server
Retext doesn't send your audio or what you said to its server. Polish runs on your Mac too.
The mic only opens when you ask
Retext asks for the microphone when you turn dictation on, and only records while you hold the key or a hands-free session is listening.
Questions? Answers.
What do I need to run it?
Dictation needs macOS 26 and an Apple silicon Mac. Polish needs Apple Intelligence. Retext also needs Accessibility and microphone permission.
Does Retext rewrite what I say?
Only if you want it to. Polish is in beta: turn it on and Retext tidies up what you said on your Mac with Apple Intelligence, in one of five modes: Verbatim, Clean, Email, Message or Notes. You can pick a mode per app. Polish never adds content, and if it takes too long or changes too much, Retext inserts what you said as-is.
Can I use voice commands?
Yes. Voice commands are in beta. Turn them on in Settings to say punctuation, "new paragraph", "delete that" or "insert snippet" plus a name. Say "literal" before a command to type the word instead.
Where does my audio go?
Nowhere: it's transcribed on your Mac. On your Mac, Retext keeps the text of your last 50 dictations so you can re-insert them. Turn dictation history off in Settings and it's deleted.
Will right Option still work for shortcuts?
Yes. Retext only starts listening when right Option is held on its own for a moment, so Option shortcuts keep working.
How much does it cost?
Dictation and polish on your Mac come with every plan, Free included. See the pricing section for Retext's plans.
How Retext compares
See how Retext's dictation stacks up against other Mac dictation apps.
Ready to talk instead of type?
Download Retext, turn on Voice Dictation in Settings, and hold right Option.