Guide
macOS 27 dictation on M1 and M2 Macs
macOS 27 made Apple's dictation more accurate, but only on newer Macs. If yours has an M1 or M2, or 8 GB of memory, here is what changed for you and what you can use instead.
Short answer: The improved dictation in macOS 27 needs an M3 or later with at least 12 GB of memory. M1 and M2 Macs, and M3 Macs with 8 GB, keep the dictation they had. For better results on those Macs, use an app that brings its own speech engine, such as Precis, VoiceInk or Spokenly.
| Your Mac | Runs macOS 27 | Gets the improved dictation |
|---|---|---|
| M3, M4 or later, with 12 GB of memory or more | Yes | Yes |
| M3 with 8 GB of memory | Yes | No |
| M1 and M2, any memory | Yes | No |
| Intel | No | No |
Requirements from the MacRumors macOS 27 roundup and the MacStories macOS 27 review, read on 17 October 2026.
What changed in macOS 27
macOS 27 came out on 14 September 2026. Its dictation uses a more capable on-device model with better language understanding, so it makes fewer mistakes with spelling, punctuation and capitalisation. Nothing changes in System Settings: Macs that qualify get it automatically.
The catch is the hardware. The improved dictation needs an M3 or later chip with at least 12 GB of memory. In MacStories' side-by-side test, an M1 Max Mac Studio without it made frequent errors with fast or quiet speech, while an M4 Max MacBook Pro got the words right.
What to use on an M1 or M2 Mac
- Apple Dictation, as it was. It's free and still there: System Settings, then Keyboard, then Dictation. On Apple silicon it can run on your Mac for supported languages. It types what it hears, with no clean-up.
- An app with its own speech engine. These download a speech model and run it on your Mac, so an M1 gets the same model as an M4. Older chips take longer per sentence. Precis, VoiceInk, Spokenly and Superwhisper's free plan all work this way.
- Google AI Edge Eloquent. It's free and on-device, built on Google's Gemma 4 12B model. Google points to the model card for hardware requirements, so check your Mac's memory before you count on it. How it compares with Precis.
Where Precis fits
Precis runs on any Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 26.5 or later, macOS 27 included. Speech recognition uses NVIDIA Parakeet (English and 24 European languages) or Whisper (99 languages), downloaded once and run on your Mac. Styles, which shape the text for the app you're in, use Apple Intelligence, which Apple supports on M1 and later.
Honest limit: my timings are from an M4, where Parakeet takes 0.08 to 0.17 seconds a sentence. I haven't published M1 or M2 timings yet. The 7-day trial, with no card, is the real test on your Mac.
Questions
Does macOS 27 improve dictation on M1 Macs?
No. The improved dictation in macOS 27 needs an M3 or later chip with at least 12 GB of memory. M1 and M2 Macs run macOS 27 but keep the dictation they had.
Does my M3 MacBook Air get the new dictation?
Only if it has 12 GB of memory or more. Check Apple menu, then About This Mac.
Is Apple Dictation on-device on an M1 Mac?
On Apple silicon, Apple Dictation can run on your Mac for supported languages. The improved macOS 27 model is the part M1 and M2 Macs don't get.
What's the best dictation app for an M1 or M2 Mac?
For free, Apple Dictation. For better accuracy, an app that brings its own speech engine, such as Precis, VoiceInk, Spokenly or Superwhisper. Precis also shapes the text for each app.
Does Precis work on an Intel Mac?
No. Precis needs Apple silicon and macOS 26.5 or later.
Try Precis free for 7 days
Hold ⌥ Space in any app and talk. No card and no account, then $39 once for 2 Macs.
Free for 7 days, no card. Needs macOS 26.5 on Apple silicon.