TypeSeer

Mac writing guide · Updated 18 October 2026

Speak one language.
Write in another, on your Mac.

TypeSeer combines dictation and translation in your usual Mac apps. Choose a supported output language and see translated text where you are writing.

How dictation with translation works

TypeSeer turns your speech into text on your Mac, then translates it into the output language you choose. The translation appears at your cursor in Word, Mail, Notes and other supported apps.

Both steps run locally using macOS speech recognition and Apple’s translation languages. Download the required language packs before using them offline.

Set up your speech and output languages

  1. Turn on dictation. Open TypeSeer Settings → Dictation on an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 26 or later.
  2. Choose the language you speak. Complete any language download requested by macOS.
  3. Choose an output language. Select a supported language under “Type it in”. Download its translation resources if prompted.
  4. Click where you want to write. Press ⌃⌥D and speak. Read the translated text as it appears.
  5. Stop and review. Press ⌃⌥D again. Check meaning, names, numbers and tone before sending.

Press ⌃⌥L for a quick language picker. It shows the speech and output languages ready to use on your Mac.

Check your language pair first

Speech recognition and translation have different language support. A language available for dictation is not automatically available for translation.

The available choices in TypeSeer’s settings are the best guide for your Mac. Check both languages and try a short paragraph during the free trial.

TypeSeer’s multilingual autocomplete dictionaries are a separate feature. Their language list does not describe which speech-to-text or translation pairs are available.

Use it for everyday correspondence

  • Draft an email. Speak your reply in a familiar language and review the translated draft in Mail.
  • Prepare document text. Dictate a paragraph into Word, then check its wording alongside the rest of the document.
  • Write a short message. Translate at the cursor, review the result, then send it yourself.

This feature helps you write your own speech in another language. It is not a meeting interpreter or a call-recording tool.

Keep control of the result

For a preview before insertion, turn off “Type as I speak” in Settings → Dictation. Use your suggestion-accept keys to insert the translated text.

Translation can change a name or miss a nuance. Review important details and ask a fluent reader to check consequential wording when needed.

Privacy and offline use

TypeSeer does not send your voice or translated text to us or an AI provider. It does not save an audio recording. The text is inserted into the destination app.

That app may save or sync text according to its own settings. Local translation does not change how your email or document service works.

Language downloads require internet access. After downloading them, speech recognition and translation work offline. Paid licenses need an online check within seven days of the last successful check.

Questions about spoken translation

Can TypeSeer translate speech without the internet?

Yes, for supported language pairs after the required language packs are downloaded. Speech recognition and translation run on your Mac. Paid licenses still need periodic online checks.

Does translation require macOS 26?

Yes. TypeSeer dictation and translation require macOS 26 or later on an Apple Silicon Mac. They are not available in TypeSeer for Windows.

Is translation included in the personal Mac license?

Yes. Supported dictation and translation are included in every personal Mac plan and in the free 14-day trial. There is no separate translation plan.

Read next

Explore offline Mac dictation, follow the Word dictation guide, or compare TypeSeer and Apple Dictation.

Try it with your own writing

Every Mac feature free for 14 days. No account or card. Dictation and translation require macOS 26 or later.

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