How to
Speech to text in Cursor (2026)
Cursor has built-in speech to text. Press Cmd+Shift+Space in the IDE, or hold Ctrl+M in the Agents Window, and your spoken prompt appears in the Agent box. Since November 2026 there is also Voice Chat for talking to the agent live. Use a system-wide Mac dictation app when you want the same voice input in the terminal, Claude Code, Slack, and your browser too.
Your options at a glance
| Option | Where it works | How to start | Keeps a history of prompts? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor dictation | Cursor Agent prompt box | Cmd+Shift+Space (IDE), hold Ctrl+M (Agents Window) | No |
| Cursor Voice Chat | Cursor IDE, Agents Window, web, iOS | Waveform button | No |
| Apple Dictation | Any Mac text field | Microphone key or your Dictation shortcut | No |
| OneMax | Any Mac app, including Cursor's terminal | One global shortcut | Yes, in a cloud notebook |
Cursor details are from the official Cursor changelog (2.0, 3.1, and Voice Chat), checked November 13, 2026.
1. Cursor's built-in dictation
Cursor 2.0, released October 29, 2025, added dictation to the Agent: "Dictate prompts to Agent using built-in speech-to-text conversion." You can also set custom submit keywords in settings so a spoken phrase sends the prompt.
- Open the Agent chat in Cursor.
- Press Cmd+Shift+Space to start and stop dictation, or click the microphone button.
- In the Agents Window (Cursor 3.1 and later), press and hold Ctrl+M while you speak and release to transcribe.
- Review the text, then send.
Good for: people who only dictate prompts to Cursor's agent.
2. Cursor Voice Chat
Voice Chat, added November 6, 2026, lets you talk with your agents in a realtime voice call. It works in the Agents Window, the IDE, on the web, and in Cursor for iOS. It suits brainstorming out loud. When you want a precise, reviewable prompt, dictation is usually the better tool.
3. A system-wide dictation app
Cursor's voice features stop at Cursor. Many developers also talk to Claude Code in the terminal, write PR descriptions in the browser, and answer teammates in Slack. A system-wide app gives you one shortcut and one vocabulary everywhere.
OneMax is one option. Press the global shortcut, speak, and cleaned-up text is pasted wherever your cursor is: Cursor's chat, the editor, the integrated terminal, or any other app. A personal dictionary learns names like your repo, frameworks, and teammates. Every prompt is also saved to a cloud notebook that groups related notes into topics and next steps, so the reasoning behind a week of prompts doesn't disappear.
Trade-offs: OneMax transcription runs in the cloud, needs a connection, and requires macOS 14.4 or later. Free plan: 5,000 words per week. Pro has no weekly cap with fair use up to 4 hours per day.
Tips for dictating coding prompts
- Say the goal first, then constraints: "Refactor the auth middleware. Keep the public API. Add tests for expired tokens."
- Name files and symbols explicitly. Add unusual names to your dictionary once so they come out right every time.
- Dictate long context, type short edits. Voice is fastest for explaining intent; the keyboard is still faster for a one-character fix.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cursor have built-in speech to text?
Yes. Cursor 2.0 (October 2025) added built-in dictation for the Agent prompt box. In the IDE, Cmd+Shift+Space toggles it; in the Agents Window you can press and hold Ctrl+M to speak. In November 2026 Cursor also added Voice Chat, a realtime voice conversation with the agent.
What is the difference between Cursor dictation and Voice Chat?
Dictation turns your speech into a text prompt you can review before sending. Voice Chat is a live spoken conversation with the agent. The microphone button starts dictation; the waveform button starts Voice Chat.
When should I use a separate dictation app with Cursor?
Cursor's voice features work inside Cursor. If you also dictate into the terminal, Claude Code, Slack, docs, or the browser, a system-wide Mac dictation app gives you one shortcut and one personal dictionary everywhere.
Does OneMax work in Cursor?
Yes. OneMax pastes cleaned-up text into whatever field has focus, including Cursor's chat, the editor, and the integrated terminal. Every dictated prompt is also saved to your OneMax notebook. Transcription runs in the cloud and requires macOS 14.4 or later.
Also see: Voice prompts for Claude Code · Voice prompts for AI tools · Best Mac dictation apps