Hold (default)
Records while you hold a recording shortcut, stops when you release. Best for short bursts, and it cannot leave a recording running by accident.Tap
One press starts recording, the next press stops it and inserts the text. Releases are ignored, so nothing depends on how long you hold the keys. Best for long-form dictation or dictating hands-free.Stopping and cancelling
Esc is the default Cancel shortcut on Windows and macOS. It only acts
while something is running, like a recording or a reply being read aloud, so
other apps keep their Esc the rest of the time. Cancel is not available on Linux
yet.
To change or turn off Cancel, click its keys on the Home page or in Settings → Shortcuts. The editor that opens has “Use default” and “Turn off”. The conversation shortcut can also be turned off from there.
On a Mac, set System Settings → Keyboard → Press 🌐 key to to Do
Nothing, or the globe key opens the emoji picker as well. Macs that were on
the older Option-based defaults keep them after updating.