> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.snaply.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

> Learn how Snaply AI dictation for Mac turns speech into clean text fast, with local transcription, custom words, snippets, and flexible punctuation.

**Press, speak, release.**

That is the core [dictation](/dictation/overview) loop in Snaply. It runs locally on your Mac, works across apps, and can be tuned through [custom words](/dictation/custom-words), [snippets](/dictation/snippets), [punctuation](/dictation/punctuation), and [clipboard behavior](/dictation/clipboard).

If Snaply does one thing you end up using every day, it is usually this.

## Start Talking

The everyday flow is simple:

1. Press your dictation shortcut.
2. Speak naturally.
3. Stop dictation and let Snaply insert the text into the active app.

By default, the shortcut is `Right Command`.

* With a **single-key shortcut**, tap once to start and tap again to stop. You can also hold the key to talk and release to stop.
* With a **multi-key shortcut**, you usually press once to start and again to stop.
* Press `Esc` any time to cancel the current recording.

## What Makes It Good

Snaply dictation is not just "speech to text." It is designed to turn casual speech into text you can actually send.

## Key Features

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Language Choice" icon="globe" href="/dictation/languages">
    Pick between **English** and **Multi-language** dictation.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Words" icon="book-text" href="/dictation/custom-words">
    Teach Snaply **names, acronyms, product terms, and jargon**.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Snippets" icon="text-quote" href="/dictation/snippets">
    Expand short keywords into **repeated phrases or full text blocks**.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Punctuation" icon="pilcrow" href="/dictation/punctuation">
    Choose between **automatic cleanup** and **explicit spoken punctuation**.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Where Dictation Shines

* Everyday typing in chat, email, docs, and internal tools
* Longer message drafting when you want to stay in flow
* Technical vocabulary once custom words are set up
* Repeated phrases and signatures through snippets
* Automatic cleanup for natural prose when automatic punctuation is enabled

## Smart Formatting

In **Automatic** punctuation mode, Snaply does more than insert periods and commas. It can also lightly clean up longer prose so emails and messages read more naturally.

If you want exact structure, switch to **Explicit** punctuation and speak the formatting yourself.

## Microphone Choice

By default, Snaply uses the system default microphone. If you use an external mic, headset, or studio setup, open **Settings -> General -> Microphone** and choose the input Snaply should use for audio capture.

<Note>
  **Private by default:** dictation stays local. Audio does not need to leave your Mac, and once the model is downloaded you can keep dictating offline.
</Note>

## History And Recovery

Snaply also keeps you from losing a good take.

Open **Dictation** from the sidebar to review **Recent Transcriptions**.

From there you can:

* Copy the final text
* Replay the original recording
* Retranscribe the saved audio
* Reveal the audio file in Finder
* Delete the item
* Select multiple items and delete them together

Failed transcriptions are kept too, so you can retry them later instead of losing the recording.

## Related Pages

* [Choose your dictation language](/dictation/languages)
* [Teach Snaply custom words](/dictation/custom-words)
* [Create text snippets](/dictation/snippets)
* [Review dictation history](/dictation/history)
* [See the AI Dictation website page](https://snaply.ai/ai-dictation)