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Stenowise

HelpDictating

Hands-free dictation

Applies to: Windows, macOS, Linux

With “Hands-free dictation” you start a recording without holding the keys down while you speak. This works well for long dictations.

Switch on hands-free dictation

  1. Open Settings › Dictation.
  2. Under Shortcuts, switch on Hands-free dictation.

The feature is off by default. It has no shortcut of its own and uses the shortcut you normally dictate with.

Dictate hands-free

  1. Place the cursor in the field where the text should go.
  2. Tap your dictation shortcut twice in quick succession, for example Ctrl + Win on Windows. Recording starts.
  3. Speak your text.
  4. Tap the shortcut once more. Stenowise stops the recording and pastes the text.

A press counts as a tap when it lasts no longer than 300 milliseconds. The second tap must follow within 350 milliseconds. If you hold the keys longer, you dictate as usual with the keys held down.

Hands-free dictation also works with the Dictate raw shortcut. Stenowise then pastes the text without text cleanup.

Cancel a hands-free recording

Press Esc to cancel the running recording. Stenowise pastes no text. The Cancel button in the on-screen indicator does the same. On Linux, cancel from the icon in the notification area › Cancel.

Frequently asked questions

Can I set a separate shortcut just for hands-free dictation?

No. Hands-free dictation always uses the Dictate or Dictate raw shortcut. To change these shortcuts, see Change keyboard shortcuts.

Last updated 28 September 2026