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Stenowise

HelpTroubleshooting and support

The shortcut does not work

Applies to: Windows, macOS, Linux

If pressing the shortcut does not start a recording, first check which shortcut is set. On macOS, Stenowise also needs Accessibility access.

Check the shortcut that is set

To dictate, you hold the shortcut down while you speak. The defaults are:

WindowsmacOSLinux
DictateCtrl + WinControl + OptionCtrl + Super

These defaults apply to new installations. Existing installations keep their previous shortcut. Settings › Dictation › Shortcuts shows your shortcut in the “Dictate” row. The Home page names it too: “Hold … and speak.”

“Dictation has no shortcut yet …”

The full message reads: “Dictation has no shortcut yet. You set one in the settings under Dictation.”

  1. Open Settings › Dictation › Shortcuts.
  2. Click the “Dictate” row.
  3. Press the combination you want. Stenowise records it when you let go.
  4. Click “Apply”.

Reset shortcuts › Reset sets all shortcuts back to their defaults.

“The shortcut could not be set. Try again.”

This message appears when Stenowise cannot set a shortcut, for example because another program uses the combination. Your previous shortcut then stays in place.

  1. Open Settings › Dictation › Shortcuts and click the row of the shortcut.
  2. Press a different combination.
  3. Click “Apply”.

To keep the combination, free it in the other program and then set it in Stenowise again.

macOS: switch on Accessibility

On macOS, the Stenowise shortcuts need Accessibility access. Without this permission, Stenowise does not respond to the shortcut.

  1. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility.
  2. Switch on Stenowise.

Check sign-in and weekly limit

Stenowise does not dictate without a sign-in. For help, see “Sign-in required” appears. When the weekly limit is reached, dictation no longer starts either and Stenowise shows “Weekly limit reached”. There is more in What happens when the weekly limit is reached?.

If the problem persists, report it under Support › Report a problem and tick “Include the log”.

Last updated 28 September 2026