![](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8106E7C69B635140E606E/65A81072C0272B1FFA02DE51/en_AU/c3fdc62492cd63e79f2554926d6fbef0.png)
Get started with Voice Control on Mac
With Voice Control on your Mac, you can use your voice to navigate the desktop and apps, interact with what’s on the screen, dictate and edit text, and more. Learn the basics to quickly get started.
Turn on Voice Control
Choose Apple menu in the sidebar, click Voice Control on the right (you may need to scroll down), then turn on Voice Control.
Open Voice Control settings for me
When you turn on Voice Control for the first time, your Mac must be connected to the internet so it can complete a one-time download from Apple. Afterwards, you don’t need an internet connection to use Voice Control.
![The Voice Control Guide with an interactive lesson about using Voice Control to press keys on the keyboard.](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8106E7C69B635140E606E/65A81072C0272B1FFA02DE51/en_AU/fdb751d9540a7658fc9bbeb69af4032b.png)
Learn and practise
With the interactive Voice Control Guide, you can learn how Voice Control works and practise essential commands.
Voice Control: Say “Open Voice Control Guide”.
![The Voice Control feedback window with suggested text commands, such as “Delete that” or “Click Delete”, displayed above it.](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8106E7C69B635140E606E/65A81072C0272B1FFA02DE51/en_AU/e0460012f8a26342061e707d54b67d0e.png)
Start using commands
To navigate your Mac and interact with what’s on the screen, just say a command.
Voice Control: Say, for example, “Open Mail”, “Scroll down” or “Click Done”.
If you say something that’s similar to an accepted Voice Control command, suggested commands appear at the top of the screen.
![The Voice Control feedback window and Commands window next to a TextEdit document that’s being dictated. The Commands window lists text selection commands. The feedback window shows the Select <phrase> command being used to select the word ‘environment’ in the document.](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8106E7C69B635140E606E/65A81072C0272B1FFA02DE51/en_AU/f7f765f1ac58ae397bf7cd9d03736583.png)
See what commands you can use
Display a list of available commands, based on the app you’re using and what you’re currently doing.
Voice Control: Say “Show commands”.
![The Mail app open on the Mac desktop, with a grid superimposed over it. The grid divides the desktop into seven columns and four rows and each cell is numbered 1 through 28. The feedback window is located to the right of the Mail window.](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8106E7C69B635140E606E/65A81072C0272B1FFA02DE51/en_AU/94a69a1b76926b07db1294dbe2e982ad.png)
Show numbers, names or a grid
If you’re not sure what to call something, you can display a name or number next to each item on the screen, or show a numbered grid.
Voice Control: Say “Show names”, “Show numbers” or “Show grid”.
To interact with an item or area of the screen, say its name or number, or say a command — such as “Click” — followed by the name or number. The grid and item labels disappear after you say the command.
Want to learn more?