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Quick check: Is your Mac’s microphone working in other apps like Voice Memos? If not, this is a system issue, not an Alter issue.

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What’s happening?

You’re holding the microphone button or pressing your voice hotkey, but:
  • Nothing happens when you speak
  • The dictation starts but no text appears
  • The recording indicator shows but stays blank

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Common causes

Missing Permissions

Alter doesn’t have permission to access your microphone

Wrong Voice Processor

Local voice models aren’t downloaded or configured

Language Mismatch

Automatic language detection isn’t working for your accent

Wrong Input Device

Alter is using the wrong microphone or system default isn’t working

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How to fix it

1

Check Microphone Permissions

  1. Open System Settings on your Mac
  2. Go to Privacy & Security → Microphone
  3. Make sure Alter is enabled in the list
  4. If it’s already on, try toggling it off and back on
2

Select the Right Input Device

By default, Alter uses your system default microphone, but macOS doesn’t always handle this correctly:
  1. Look for the control block in Alter’s interface (or check the menu bar)
  2. Click to open the device selector
  3. Choose your specific microphone from the list
  4. Try speaking again
This fixes issues like:
  • Alter not picking up any audio despite permissions being granted
  • Meeting recordings capturing only the other participant and not you
  • Low quality or intermittent audio input
3

Verify Voice Processor Settings

  1. In Alter, open Settings (Cmd + ,)
  2. Go to the Dictation tab
  3. Check that Voice Processor is set to:
    • Cloud (for best accuracy)
    • Local (Apple) (for privacy)
    • Or download a Whisper model if you want offline processing
4

Set Language Explicitly

If automatic detection isn’t working:
  1. In Settings → Dictation
  2. Change Dictation Language from “Automatic” to your specific language
  3. Try dictating again
5

Test Both Modes

Try both ways of voice input:
  • Hold to speak: Hold Fn (or your voice hotkey), speak, then release
  • Click to dictate: Click the mic icon once to start, click again to finish

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Did it work?

Try this quick test:
  1. Hold your voice hotkey (default is Fn)
  2. Say “Hello, this is a test”
  3. Release the key
  4. Success: You should see “Hello, this is a test” appear in the prompt box
Still having issues? Try restarting Alter after granting permissions. Sometimes macOS needs a fresh start to recognize new permissions.