Firefox voice typing: how to dictate in Firefox on Mac and PC

Firefox has no voice typing of its own, and most web-based dictation tools don't work in it. The fix is to dictate one level down: macOS Dictation on a Mac, or WindowsH on Windows, both type into any Firefox text field as if you were using the keyboard.

Below: why the browser-level options fail, the steps for each system, and what to check when nothing comes out.

#Why voice typing tools break in Firefox

Most "type with your voice" websites and many extensions are built on the browser's speech recognition interface, SpeechRecognition from the Web Speech API. Mozilla's own MDN compatibility data lists Firefox support as preview-only, so the Firefox you use every day doesn't have it. Chrome, Edge and Safari do.

Google Docs is the most common place people notice. Google's voice typing help lists the latest Chrome, Edge and Safari as supported, and Firefox isn't on the list. Tools › Voice typing won't help you here.

Both sources checked November 2026.

#Dictate in Firefox on a Mac

macOS Dictation works in Firefox because it doesn't depend on the browser at all.

1. Open System Settings › Keyboard and scroll to Dictation. Turn it on and click Enable if asked.
2. Under Languages, check that the language you speak is listed.
3. Note the Shortcut. Pressing fn twice is common; on external keyboards without an fn key, Press Control Key Twice is easier.
4. In Firefox, click into a text field: a comment box, a webmail reply, a Google Doc, even the address bar.
5. Press the shortcut and talk. Press Esc or the shortcut again to stop.

In supported languages, Dictation adds commas, periods and question marks on its own. It stops by itself after about 30 seconds of silence, per Apple's Dictation guide. The menu paths above are the same on macOS 14 Sonoma, macOS 15 Sequoia and later.

#Dictate in Firefox on Windows

1. Click into a text field in Firefox.
2. Press WindowsH.
3. Speak, then stop it from the voice typing bar that appears.

Microsoft's voice typing page says it needs an internet connection because it uses online speech recognition. Sayburst, which we cover below, is Mac-only, so on Windows this is the tool to use.

#When nothing gets typed

The shortcut does nothing on a Mac. Check that Press 🌐 key to (higher up on the Keyboard page) isn't set to open the emoji picker or change input source, which swallows the fn press. Our guide to Mac dictation not working has the full list.

Dictation listens but Firefox gets no text. Make sure the cursor is actually blinking in a field. Clicking a page doesn't focus a text box; clicking inside the box does. Try the address bar: if text appears there, the problem is the page's editor, not Firefox.

A website's own mic button fails. That's a different path. The site is asking Firefox for the microphone, and two permissions must allow it: Firefox's (Settings › Privacy & Security › Permissions › Microphone, or the icon at the left of the address bar) and the Mac's (System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone, with Firefox switched on). Even with both, a site that relies on browser speech recognition still won't transcribe in Firefox.

Wrong language comes out. Add or switch languages in Keyboard › Dictation › Languages. If you switch languages often, see Mac dictation in the wrong language.

#About Speechify and "read aloud"

Speechify turns up in Firefox voice searches, but it does the opposite job: it reads text aloud. A listing called Speechify — Text to Speech is on Firefox Add-ons; its listing doesn't show a description or publisher, so look at who made it before you install. If you want to speak and have text appear, you need dictation, not text to speech.

#When the built-in way is enough

For a search, a quick reply or a form field, macOS Dictation in Firefox is free and fine. It doesn't need anything installed in the browser, and on Apple silicon many languages run on the device.

It starts to drag on longer writing. Every "um" and false start lands in the text, it can't learn the names you use, and it stops after a pause while you think.

#A Mac dictation app that works in every Firefox tab

Sayburst is a Mac app, so like macOS Dictation it never asks Firefox for anything and works on every site. The difference is what you get back. Hold fn, talk, let go: speech is transcribed on your Mac, cleaned up, and inserted at your cursor. Many people pick Firefox because they care where their data goes; Sayburst fits that, since your audio is never uploaded.

Set your webmail to the Email writing mode and a dictated reply comes out shaped like an email. Here's one spoken into Proton Mail in Firefox:

"hi Jonas, thanks for the draft. Um, I read it last night. The section on pricing works, but the intro is, uh, too long, can you cut it in half? Also we should send it on Monday, actually, Tuesday, since Monday's a holiday. Best, Ines"

With the optional on-device Sayburst Writer, the reply box gets:

Hi Jonas,

Thanks for the draft. I read it last night. The section on pricing works, but the intro is too long. Can you cut it in half?

Also, we should send it on Tuesday, since Monday's a holiday.

Best, Ines

The fillers are gone, Monday became Tuesday because you corrected yourself, and the email has its greeting, paragraphs and sign-off. Nothing went to a server to make that happen.

A few Firefox-specific notes:

• Address bar and search fields work too. Sayburst types wherever the cursor is.
• Tab switching won't lose your words. If you click away mid-dictation, Sayburst keeps the text, and ⌃⌥⌘V pastes it.
• Pages that block pasting won't accept it. Sayburst inserts by pasting and then restores your clipboard, so a field that refuses paste refuses Sayburst too.

More examples are on Sayburst in Firefox. If you also use Chrome, our look at speech to text Chrome extensions covers what works there. Sayburst needs an Apple silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later and costs $29 once.

Questions people ask

Does Firefox have built-in voice typing?

No. Firefox doesn't include a dictation feature, and release versions don't support the speech recognition part of the Web Speech API, which MDN lists as preview-only. Use your operating system's dictation instead; it types into Firefox like a keyboard.

Is there a Speechify extension for Firefox?

Speechify is a text to speech tool: it reads text aloud rather than typing what you say. A listing called Speechify — Text to Speech appears on Firefox Add-ons; check the developer before installing. For voice typing, use your system's dictation or a dictation app.

Why doesn't Google Docs voice typing work in Firefox?

Google lists only the latest Chrome, Edge and Safari as supported browsers for Docs voice typing. In Firefox, put the cursor in the document and use macOS Dictation, Windows voice typing, or a Mac dictation app instead.

How do I dictate in Firefox on Windows?

Click into a text field in Firefox and press Windows key + H to open Windows voice typing. It needs an internet connection because it uses Microsoft's online speech service.