Your first dictation

Once setup is done, dictating takes one hotkey.

1. Click into any text field — Notepad, your browser, an email draft.
2. Press and hold your dictation hotkey (set during setup).
3. Speak naturally. The floating pill shows that Kalam is listening.
4. Release the hotkey. Kalam transcribes, polishes if enabled, and types the text at your cursor.

If nothing happens

• Check the status bar at the bottom of the Kalam window — dictation must be on and a speech mode must be ready.
• See Troubleshooting for microphone and hotkey issues.

Next steps

• How dictation works — what happens between speaking and typing.
• Voice actions — notes, search, copy, and optional press-enter on the same hotkey.
• Speech-to-text modes — pick local, cloud, or hybrid.
• Modes — tailor behavior per app.