Superwhisper recording indicator for Mac

Is Superwhisper recording? Now you will know.

Superwhisper's recording indicator is small and easy to miss. Dictation Indicator puts a border around your Mac screen whenever Superwhisper is recording, so you never talk to a microphone that isn't listening.

Coming soon to the Mac App Store

The border lights up while you dictate and fades away when you stop. The small pill in the corner is all a dictation app shows on its own.

Superwhisper's recording indicator is easy to miss

Dictation Indicator was built because Superwhisper's recording indicator was barely visible while dictating. You press the shortcut, start talking, look at your document, and lose track of whether Superwhisper is still recording.

Sometimes it stopped and you kept talking. Sometimes you think it is off and it is still listening. A border around the whole screen makes the answer impossible to miss.

How Dictation Indicator shows when Superwhisper is recording

Lights up when Superwhisper uses the microphone

The border appears within about 0.1 seconds of Superwhisper starting to record and fades away when it stops. The mic icon in the menu bar turns the border color too.

Works with your Superwhisper shortcut

No shortcut to set up. It reacts to the microphone, not the keyboard, so it works with your shortcut, push-to-talk or a click, and stays in sync when you cancel with Esc.

Know when Superwhisper stopped recording

If Superwhisper stops on its own, the border fades away, so you notice before you keep talking to nothing.

No permissions, nothing to configure

Dictation Indicator never records or listens to audio, so macOS never asks it for microphone access. Superwhisperis on the list from the start.

A Superwhisper indicator you can see from across the room

Around the edges of the screen, on top of everything. Only your dictation apps trigger it, so Zoom calls and screen recordings don't.

Eight presets plus a full color picker. Hover a color to try it.

  • Width from 2 to 40 pt
  • Opacity from 20 to 100%
  • Corners from 0 to 40 pt
  • Optional pulse while recording
  • Main display or all displays
  • Hidden from screen recordings
  • On top of full-screen apps
  • Clicks pass straight through
  • Every change previews live

Private by design

Dictation Indicator only checks which app is using the microphone. Nothing leaves your Mac.

  • No audio recorded
  • No network access
  • No account
  • No analytics

Requirements

  • macOS 14 Sonoma or later
  • A Mac with Apple Silicon

Not only Superwhisper

Dictation Indicator also works with Wispr Flow, MacWhisper, VoiceInk and Apple Dictation, and any other app you add in one click. See the Wispr Flow recording indicator.

Always know when Superwhisper is recording

A border around your screen while Superwhisper records. Nothing to set up.

Coming soon to the Mac App Store

Superwhisper and Dictation Indicator: questions

Does Dictation Indicator work with Superwhisper?

Yes. Superwhisper is built in. When Superwhisper starts recording, a border appears around your Mac screen within about 0.1 seconds, and it fades away when recording stops. The welcome guide finds Superwhisper if it is installed, so there is nothing to set up.

Do I need to set up a shortcut for Superwhisper?

No. Dictation Indicator does not read the keyboard. It reacts to the microphone, so it works however you start Superwhisper: your shortcut, a click or push-to-talk. It stays correct when you cancel with Esc or Superwhisper stops on its own.

Does it need microphone access?

No. Dictation Indicator never records or listens to audio, so macOS never asks it for microphone access. It only checks which apps are using the microphone.

Will Zoom calls or screen recordings trigger the border?

Not by default. Only the dictation apps on your list, like Superwhisper, trigger it. You can switch to showing the border whenever any app uses the microphone.

Will the border show up in my screen recordings?

No, not by default. The border is hidden from screenshots and screen recordings, so it does not appear in videos you record.

Is Dictation Indicator made by Superwhisper?

No. Dictation Indicator is an independent Mac app and is not affiliated with Superwhisper. It works alongside Superwhisper by watching which app is using the microphone.

What do I need, and when can I get it?

A Mac with Apple Silicon running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Dictation Indicator is coming soon to the Mac App Store.

Superwhisper is a trademark of its owner. Dictation Indicator is an independent app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Superwhisper.