Who this is for
You work at a Mac and want to dictate into any app, at your cursor, without switching to a separate window first. You want a hotkey, not a keyboard.
How it works
- Hold the Option key anywhere on your Mac.
- Speak. Release Option when you are done, or double-tap Option to lock hands-free and double-tap again to stop.
- Parlo transcribes and cleans the text on your Mac, then pastes it at your cursor in the app you were using.
If pasting fails because the app is not frontmost, the text stays on your clipboard and Parlo tells you.
Both apps install free from the beta page.
What makes it different
- A hotkey, not a window. Hold Option, speak, release. Text lands where your cursor already is, instead of a separate app you have to copy from.
- A searchable Notes window. Every dictation collects in a window you can search and edit, with the same on-device transforms as iPhone, such as Email and Bullets.
- An MCP server over your history. Settings installs an MCP server with one click so a connected tool like Claude Desktop can search your past dictations. It reads them over stdio, on Mac only.
Common objections, answered
Is it accurate enough compared with cloud dictation?
Parlo transcribes with Apple's on-device speech engine, the same engine behind the newest system dictation, then cleans the text with an on-device language model. It removes filler sounds and false starts and applies spoken commands like new paragraph. It is English-first and it is a beta, so expect rough edges and tell us about them.
Why not just use Apple's built-in dictation?
Apple dictation types what you say. Parlo also cleans it up and keeps a searchable Notes window of every dictation. It inserts into any app from a hold-Option hotkey without opening a separate window. History syncs through your private iCloud, end-to-end encrypted, and you can turn that off.
What permissions does Parlo for Mac need and why?
Parlo for Mac needs microphone access to record your dictation and Accessibility access to insert text into the app you were using. First-run onboarding walks through both permissions, plus the hotkey and launch at login, with a live check that shows Accessibility is granted.
Where does my audio go?
Nowhere. Audio is captured, transcribed on your device, and discarded. Parlo never stores a recording. The first run may download Apple's on-device speech model, and beta builds fetch prompt text once a day, carrying no user data. Your transcripts stay on the device, encrypted at rest. If history sync is on, they sync through your private iCloud, end-to-end encrypted.
Is a beta safe to rely on?
It is a beta. Dictation, cleanup, and the Mac hotkey work every day for our testers. Rough spots are listed on the beta page. Your notes are encrypted on the device and, if sync is on, in your private iCloud, so a bad build does not expose them. Parlo for Mac tells you when a new build is out. Download it again from the beta page, or enroll in automatic updates through /mac. If dictation goes quiet after an update, macOS may have dropped the Accessibility grant. Open System Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Accessibility, and toggle Parlo off and on to fix it. Send feedback by replying to beta@parlokey.com.
What does it cost?
Nothing during the beta. There is no account to create and no subscription. Download Parlo for Mac from the beta page, and install Parlo for iPhone from the public TestFlight link. Sync uses your own iCloud.
Frequently asked questions
How do I dictate on Mac with Parlo?
Hold the Option key, speak, then release. Parlo transcribes on-device and inserts clean text at your cursor in whatever app you were using.
Is Parlo for Mac a keyboard extension?
No. Parlo for Mac is a menu-bar app that uses a hold-Option hotkey. It is not a keyboard extension like the iPhone app.
Which Macs does it support?
Any Mac running macOS 26.
Is the Mac app free during the beta?
Yes. Download Parlo for Mac from the notarized download during the public beta at no cost, with no Parlo account required.
Can I search my past dictations on Mac?
Yes. The Notes window is a searchable list of your dictations with editing and the same transforms as iPhone, such as Email and Bullets.
Can Claude or another tool read my dictation history?
On Mac, an optional MCP server lets a connected tool search and read your dictation history over stdio. It is Mac only and installs from Settings.