MacWhisper recording indicator for Mac
Know when MacWhisper is recording, at a glance.
MacWhisper turns your voice into text on your Mac. Dictation Indicator puts a border around the screen whenever MacWhisper is recording, so you never wonder whether it caught what you said.
Coming soon to the Mac App Store
Is MacWhisper still recording?
When you dictate with MacWhisper, your attention is on the words, not on a small status icon. Glance away for a moment and you cannot be sure whether MacWhisper is still listening or already stopped.
Dictation Indicator answers that from the corner of your eye. While MacWhisper records, the edges of the screen glow. When it stops, the glow fades.
How Dictation Indicator shows when MacWhisper is recording
Lights up when MacWhisper uses the microphone
The border appears within about 0.1 seconds of MacWhisper starting to record and fades away when it stops. The icon in the menu bar turns the border color too, and the badge can show as well.
Works with your MacWhisper shortcut
No shortcut to set up. It reacts to the microphone, not the keyboard, so it works with your shortcut, push-to-talk or a click, and stays in sync when you cancel with Esc.
Know when MacWhisper stopped recording
If MacWhisper stops on its own, the border fades away, so you notice before you keep talking to nothing.
No permissions, nothing to configure
Dictation Indicator never records or listens to audio, so macOS never asks it for microphone access.MacWhisper is on the list from the start.
A MacWhisper indicator you can see from across the room
Around the edges of the screen, on top of everything. Only your dictation apps trigger it, so Zoom calls and screen recordings don't.
Private by design
It only checks which app is using the microphone. Nothing leaves your Mac.
- No audio recorded
- Never connects to the internet
- No account
- No analytics
Requirements
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later
- A Mac with Apple Silicon
Not only MacWhisper
Superwhisper, Wispr Flow, VoiceInk, Apple Dictation, Typeless, Aqua Voice, Spokenly, Willow Voice, Amical, Monologue, VoiceTypr, OpenSuperWhisper and Handy are built in, and any other dictation app can be added in one click.
Always know when MacWhisper is recording
A border around your screen while MacWhisper records. Nothing to set up.
Coming soon to the Mac App Store
MacWhisper recording indicator: FAQ
Does Dictation Indicator work with MacWhisper?
Yes. MacWhisper is built in. When MacWhisper starts recording, a border appears around your Mac screen within about 0.1 seconds, and it fades away when recording stops. The welcome guide finds MacWhisper if it is installed, so there is nothing to set up.
Do I need to set up a shortcut for MacWhisper?
No. Dictation Indicator does not read the keyboard. It reacts to the microphone, so it works however you start MacWhisper: your shortcut, a click or push-to-talk. It stays correct when you cancel with Esc or MacWhisper stops on its own.
Does it need microphone access?
No. Dictation Indicator never records or listens to audio, so macOS never asks it for microphone access. It only checks which apps are using the microphone.
Will Zoom calls or screen recordings trigger the border?
Not by default. Only the dictation apps on your list, like MacWhisper, trigger it. You can switch to showing the border whenever any app uses the microphone.
Will the border show up in my screen recordings?
No, not by default. The border is hidden from screenshots and screen recordings, so it does not appear in videos you record.
Is Dictation Indicator made by MacWhisper?
No. Dictation Indicator is an independent Mac app and is not affiliated with MacWhisper. It works alongside MacWhisper by watching which app is using the microphone.
What do I need, and when can I get it?
A Mac with Apple Silicon running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Dictation Indicator is coming soon to the Mac App Store.
MacWhisper is a trademark of its owner. Dictation Indicator is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by MacWhisper.