How to Dictate in Slack on Mac with Hearsy
Dictate Slack messages instead of typing them
Slack doesn't have a built-in dictation feature on desktop. You can record audio clips, but there's no way to convert speech to text directly in a message field. Hearsy solves this by running a local transcription engine on your Mac. Press a hotkey, speak, and your words appear as text in any Slack channel, thread, or DM. No browser extension, no Slack app integration, no audio sent to the cloud.
Step-by-step setup
- 1
Open Slack on your Mac
Launch the Slack desktop app or open Slack in your browser. Navigate to the channel, thread, or DM where you want to send a message.
- 2
Click the message input field
Place your cursor in the message box at the bottom of the conversation. Hearsy pastes text wherever your cursor is positioned.
- 3
Press your Hearsy hotkey
Trigger recording with your configured keyboard shortcut (default: Fn twice or a custom hotkey). A small indicator appears in your menu bar to confirm Hearsy is listening.
- 4
Speak your message
Talk at your normal pace. Say what you'd type: your standup update, a reply to a question, a quick acknowledgment. Hearsy handles punctuation and capitalization for you.
- 5
Press the hotkey again to send
Tap the hotkey once more. Hearsy transcribes your speech on-device, optionally cleans it up with AI enhancement, and pastes the result into Slack's message field. Review it and hit Enter to send.
Works in Every App on Your Mac
Hearsy pastes transcribed text wherever your cursor is — Gmail, Cursor, Claude, Slack, and hundreds more.
Why use Hearsy for Slack?
Slack moves fast. Channels fill up, threads branch off, and DMs pile up. Typing replies to all of them is slow, especially when you're switching between conversations every few minutes. Speaking is roughly three times faster than typing for most people, and with Hearsy you can dictate a response in seconds without lifting your hands off what you're working on.
Hearsy processes your voice entirely on your Mac. That means your messages, project names, internal discussions, and everything else you say stays on your machine. No audio is uploaded to any server. For teams working on confidential projects or under NDA, this is a meaningful difference from cloud-based dictation.
The optional AI enhancement feature is particularly useful for Slack. Casual speech often comes out messy as raw text, but AI enhancement cleans it up into clear, well-punctuated messages. Your standup update sounds professional. Your thread reply reads like you actually thought about it. And it all happens locally in under a second.
When to use voice dictation in Slack
Daily standups
Instead of typing out what you did yesterday, what you're doing today, and any blockers, just say it. Hearsy with AI enhancement turns your spoken update into a clean, formatted message.
Quick thread replies
Threads move fast and demand quick responses. Dictating a reply takes a fraction of the time it takes to type one, so you can keep up with multiple conversations without falling behind on actual work.
Channel announcements
When you need to post a detailed update to a team or project channel, speaking it out is significantly faster than composing it by hand. AI enhancement ensures the result is polished and well-structured.
Cross-timezone DMs
When teammates are in different time zones, you often need to leave detailed, self-contained messages. Dictating lets you explain context thoroughly without spending ten minutes typing it all out.
Accessibility
For anyone dealing with repetitive strain injuries or conditions that make typing painful, voice dictation removes the physical barrier to staying active in Slack conversations throughout the day.
Tips for better results
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Turn on AI enhancement for standup messages. It transforms rambling speech into structured, readable updates that your team will actually read.
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Dictate thread replies without context-switching. Click into a thread, hit the hotkey, speak your response, and you're done in under five seconds.
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For quick acknowledgments like 'sounds good' or 'I'll take a look,' dictation is faster than reaching for the emoji reaction menu.
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Switch languages from the menu bar when messaging teammates in other languages. Parakeet supports 25 languages, Whisper supports 99+.
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Dictate while you're in a Huddle or on a call. Hearsy picks up your microphone input independently, so you can speak a message while listening to a conversation.
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Use dictation for longer Slack posts in channels. Speaking a three-paragraph project update takes about 30 seconds compared to several minutes of typing.
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When replying to a specific message, use Slack's thread view so the compose field stays in one place and doesn't jump around while you're dictating.
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Keep Slack's compose field focused while recording. If you switch to another window mid-session and come back, dictation may have stopped or the cursor may have moved.
Frequently asked questions
Does Slack have built-in voice dictation on desktop?
No. Slack lets you record audio clips, but it doesn't convert speech to text in the message field. On mobile, you can use your phone's keyboard dictation, but Slack's desktop app has no native voice-to-text. Hearsy adds this functionality.
Do I need to install a Slack integration or bot?
No. Hearsy works at the macOS system level by simulating a paste into whatever app has focus. It doesn't interact with Slack's API and doesn't require admin approval, bot installation, or any permissions in your Slack workspace.
Is my message content sent to any external server?
No. Hearsy transcribes your voice entirely on your Mac using local AI models. Your audio never leaves your computer. This applies to both the Parakeet and Whisper engines, as well as the local AI enhancement option.
Can I dictate into Slack threads and DMs, not just channels?
Yes. Hearsy pastes text wherever your cursor is placed. If your cursor is in a thread reply, that's where the text goes. Same for DMs, channel messages, the search bar, or even the custom status field.
How fast is the transcription?
The Parakeet engine transcribes speech in about 200 milliseconds. You finish speaking, press the hotkey, and text appears almost immediately. The Whisper engine takes 1-2 seconds but supports 99+ languages.
Does it work with Slack in the browser and the desktop app?
Yes. Hearsy works with both. It operates at the operating system level and pastes into any active text field, regardless of whether Slack is running as a native app or in Safari, Chrome, Arc, or any other browser.
More workflows
Ready to Try Voice Dictation?
Hearsy is free to download. No signup, no credit card. Just install and start dictating.
Download Hearsy for MacmacOS 14+ · Apple Silicon · Free tier available