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Dictation and music on Mac

What dictation apps do to your music on a Mac

Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and other dictation apps each handle background music in their own way. Here is what each one does, checked against its own documentation, and how to keep your music playing at a quieter level while you speak.

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Auto Ducking status panel in dark mode lowering the Mac volume from 80% to 10% while an AI assistant uses the microphone.

01dictation apps and background music on Mac

Can music keep playing, just quieter, while you dictate?

Yes. On a Mac, Wispr Flow can mute your whole sound output while you dictate, and its paid plans add an experimental pause. Superwhisper can keep playing, pause, mute, lower or muffle music, and pauses it by default. Auto Ducking works next to any dictation app: when the microphone turns on, it fades your Mac volume down to the level you choose, from 0 to 20%, and fades it back after your restore delay. Auto Ducking only checks whether the microphone is in use and never records, transcribes or uploads audio.

02Checked 2026-10-27

Music settings in dictation apps, side by side

Each row comes from the app’s own documentation, checked on 2026-10-27. Dictation apps update often, so check the linked page for the latest wording.

App Music options while you dictate By default Where to set it Source
Wispr Flow (Mac) Mute all audio while dictating, which mutes the whole default output device. Pause, an experimental option for personal subscriptions and trials. Music keeps playing at full volume (mute is off on a Mac) Settings > System > Sound Wispr Flow docs: Auto-mute music while dictating on macOS
Superwhisper Keep Playing, Pause, Mute, Lower and Muffle (Muffle needs macOS 14.2 or later). Music pauses Sound while recording, for every mode or one mode Superwhisper docs: Essential settings
Auto Ducking Lower to any level from 0 to 20%, with fade down, fade back and a restore delay. Works with every app that uses the microphone. Music keeps playing, lowered while the microphone is on Settings > Ducking, per sound output and preset Auto Ducking: Lower Mac volume when the microphone is active

03Dictation and music on Mac

Wispr Flow: mute or pause

Wispr Flow’s Mac setting is called Mute all audio while dictating, in Settings > System > Sound. It is off by default on a Mac. When it is on, Flow mutes the whole default output device while you dictate and restores it when you stop.

Pause is an experimental option for personal subscriptions and trials. It pauses supported players and resumes them when dictation ends.

04Dictation and music on Mac

Superwhisper: five choices per mode

Superwhisper’s Sound while recording setting has five choices: Keep Playing, Pause, Mute, Lower and Muffle. Pause is the default. You can set it once for every mode, or give a mode its own choice.

05Dictation and music on Mac

Auto Ducking: your level, every dictation app

Auto Ducking reacts to the microphone itself, so it works the same way with Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, macOS Dictation and any other speech-to-text app. You choose the exact level, the fades and how long to wait before the volume comes back, and each sound output remembers its own setting.

Presets keep separate setups for dictation, recording or your own workflow, and global shortcuts let you pause Auto Ducking, Restore Now or lower the volume by hand from any app.

FIG.01

Set up quieter music for dictation

  1. 01

    Leave music to Auto Ducking

    In your dictation app, keep its own sound option on Keep Playing (Superwhisper) or leave Mute all audio while dictating off (Wispr Flow), so only one app changes the volume.

  2. 02

    Choose the Lower to level

    In Auto Ducking, pick how quiet music gets while you speak, from 0 to 20%. Speakers, headphones, displays and AirPods each keep their own level.

  3. 03

    Set the fades and restore delay

    Fade down as you start, wait a moment after the microphone turns off, then fade back, so short pauses between sentences keep the volume steady.

  4. 04

    Pick the apps

    Use App Rules to let every microphone app lower the volume, or only the dictation apps you choose.

Auto Ducking Ducking settings with the Lower To level, Restore Delay and the During Calls switch.

Keep your music while you dictate

Every feature is free for 7 days. After that, a one-time Lifetime Unlock keeps automatic lowering on.

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Related Auto Ducking pages

Keep music playing, quieter, while you dictate with Wispr Flow

Where Wispr Flow’s mute and pause settings are on a Mac, what they do to your music, and how to keep music playing at a quieter level with Auto Ducking.

Lower music instead of pausing it in Superwhisper

What Superwhisper’s Sound while recording choices do to your music, and how to set the exact level, fades and restore delay with Auto Ducking.

Use background music during Mac dictation

Keep music playing while you dictate on a Mac, just quieter, and bring it back when you finish.

Adjust the ducking level on Mac

Choose how quiet background audio gets while the microphone is on, with fades, presets and shortcuts.

Auto Ducking

A Mac menu bar app that lowers background audio when the microphone turns on, then restores your volume.

Sources, checked 2026-10-27

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