> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.heymumble.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Your first dictation

> Hold Fn to dictate, release to insert. Double-tap Fn for Hands-free mode when you want to talk longer.

To dictate, click into any text field, hold **Fn** (or the key you chose), and speak. A small pill appears near the bottom of your screen while Mumble listens. Release the key and your words land at the cursor as clean text.

<Frame>
  <img
    src="https://mintcdn.com/naryaai-16a61dd2/04TVbn7541w0JttJ/images/dictation/recording-pill.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=04TVbn7541w0JttJ&q=85&s=a36c696ec9a095ff0ca6ca8936ec81eb"
    alt="The pill near the bottom of the screen while Mumble
listens"
    width="636"
    height="316"
    data-path="images/dictation/recording-pill.png"
  />
</Frame>

A few things that help on day one:

* **Talk naturally.** Mumble, ramble, correct yourself mid-sentence. The cleanup step removes fillers and false starts, so you do not need to speak like a newsreader.
* **Press Esc to cancel.** If you change your mind while recording, Esc throws the take away and nothing is inserted.
* **No text field focused?** If Mumble cannot find a place to type, your text is copied to the clipboard and a small panel shows it, so you can insert or paste it wherever you like.

## Hands-free mode

For longer thoughts, double-tap **Fn** instead of holding it. Mumble keeps recording with no key held down, and shows a timer on the pill. You can pause and resume from the pill while you think.

When you are done, press **Enter** or click **End & review**. Your text appears in a review panel where you can read it, edit it, or copy it. Press **Enter** again to insert it, or **Esc** to dismiss it without inserting.

<Tip>
  Hands-free mode has its own shortcut setting, so you can give it a different
  key than regular dictation. Find both under **Settings**. [See Settings and
  shortcuts](/dictation/settings)
</Tip>

## Where it works

Anywhere you can type: Mail, Slack, Notion, Google Docs, browsers, and code editors like Cursor or VS Code. There is no per-app setup. If a specific app does not receive the text, see [Troubleshooting](/dictation/troubleshooting).

## Related

* [AI Actions overview](/dictation/ai-actions)
* [Settings and shortcuts](/dictation/settings)
* [Troubleshooting](/dictation/troubleshooting)