FAQs

If you are upgrading from Dragon Dictate version 4, see Upgrading from Dragon Dictate: FAQ

About Dragon for Mac

I just installed Dragon for Mac. Where did it go?

It's in your Applications folder. Open the Applications folder and double-click Dragon to launch. All of Dragon's features are available in the Dragon menu (), located in the menu bar.

Bonus tip: In General Preferences, check Launch Dragon at Startup to ensure Dragon is always running, even after a reboot.

Do I need a unique profile for each user?

Yes. A profile contains specific information about each person's voice. A profile contains one or more audio sources, which are for either dictation (live audio) or transcription (recorded audio).

How can I tell what mode Dragon is in?

The Status Window indicates the current recognition mode in the dropdown list at the center of the window. The microphone button to the left indicates the microphone mode – to dictate, the microphone needs to be on.

If you don't see the Status Window, click the icon in the menu bar and select Show Status Window.

Recognition

I'm not happy with the recognition. What can I do?

First, check your microphone placement: generally, it should be about an inch from the side of your mouth. See Microphone placement for more tips.

Next, try running Microphone Setup. From the Dragon menu (), select Improve Recognition…, then select Microphone Setup... This will ensure that your microphone is properly calibrated for your current environment.

If you are still having problems, Voice Training can help Dragon understand how you speak. From the Dragon menu (), select Improve Recognition…, then select Voice Training. The more Dragon hears you speak, the better it can recognize your voice.

Click here for more tips on improving recognition.

Dragon entered text into my document when I was trying to dictate a command. Why?

To make sure Dragon understands that you are dictating a command, pause slightly before and after speaking the command. If you are still having trouble, try switching to Command mode.

To remove a command mistakenly typed into your document, say Scratch that. See Take it back for more on undoing dictated text and commands.

How can I make Dragon recognize my name correctly?

You can add your name to Dragon's vocabulary by using Correction when Dragon types the wrong word. You can also add a vocabulary item in the Vocabulary Editor. If your name is in Dragon's vocabulary, but Dragon's recognition of it is poor, try training the vocabulary term to teach Dragon how you pronounce your name.

Why isn't there any punctuation in my dictated text?

You need to dictate punctuation marks as you speak – with a few exceptions, such as apostrophes and hyphenated words, Dragon will not attempt to guess where punctuation should be placed.

Problems

Dragon seems to be stuck and I can't quit.

You may need to force quit Dragon:

1. Launch Activity Monitor (Applications/Utilities).
2. Scroll through the list or search for Dragon.
3. Select Dragon in the list.
4. Click the Quit icon at the top left.

I don't see the Dragon icon in the menu bar. Where is it?

If you have a small screen and many items in the menu bar, Dragon can get squeezed out. Things you can do:

• Set Dragon to launch at startup so it loads earlier and appears closer to the right of the menu bar.
• If you have Fast User Switching on, go to System Preferences > Users & Groups and click Login Options at the bottom of the left-hand panel. Set Show fast user switching menu as to Icon, or turn it off entirely.
• In System Preferences, turn off menu bar icons for Bluetooth, mirroring options (in the Displays pane), or Time Machine.

When I try to move my cursor, Dragon goes to the wrong place in my document. What is happening?

This type of error is usually caused by typing or using your mouse to move your cursor manually. With your document active, say Cache document. This allows Dragon to read the document and learn its current content.

If you frequently mix talking and typing, use TextEdit or Microsoft Word 2011 or 2016 to prevent errors. See Dictating and typing for more.

Dragon isn't responding to my voice. What can I do?

If Dragon not responding to commands or dictation, make sure your microphone is turned on and that Dragon is not in Transcription mode. If you are still having trouble, see Troubleshooting audio and recognition for more.

If Dragon is responding to commands, but not dictation, you may be in the wrong recognition mode. When dictating text, you should generally use Dictation mode.

If you are in the correct mode, make sure your cursor is active in a word processing application or a text field. If your cursor is not blinking:

• Click on the application or text field you want to dictate into.
• Say Activate <application> to bring the application to the front.