WhispaWave works with any microphone macOS recognizes, built-in or external. In most cases there is nothing to buy: the built-in microphones of modern MacBooks are well suited for dictation.
The built-in microphone
- Speak at a normal distance from the device and at a normal pace. No need to lean in or over-enunciate.
- WhispaWave also understands quiet speech and whispering. That covers the library, the train or the open office.
- If your MacBook sits closed next to an external monitor, its built-in microphone is covered. Use the monitor’s microphone, a headset or a webcam with a microphone instead.
When a headset or USB microphone makes sense
- In an open office with loud conversations right next to you: a headset microphone sits closer to your mouth and picks up less of the room.
- If you spend a lot of time in video calls anyway: just use the headset you already own for dictation too.
- On the go in noisy places: headphones with a microphone, like your everyday earbuds, can be the better choice in noise.
- For long dictation sessions at your desk: a simple USB microphone is plenty. You don’t need dedicated dictation hardware.
Pick your microphone in WhispaWave
- 1Open WhispaWave settings from the menu-bar icon.
- 2Under “Microphone”, pick the input device WhispaWave should use.
Tips for your environment
- Reduce direct noise sources: a fan right next to the device, music with vocals or an open window to the street make recognition unnecessarily hard.
- Speak in full thoughts at a normal pace. No staged pauses, no robot voice needed.
- In quiet places whispering is enough: hold Fn, whisper, release.