1. Use the Dictation shortcut configured on your Mac
Ulysses says its Dictation feature uses Apple’s system feature. Open a sheet, place the insertion point in the editor, and trigger the shortcut currently shown under System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation.
Ulysses’ help page illustrates the Fn-twice setting, but Apple lets the shortcut change. Read the value on the Mac in front of you rather than assuming every keyboard uses the same trigger.
2. Confirm the sheet before speaking
Ulysses is a library of sheets, groups, projects, notes, and material. Dictation inserts at the active text cursor; it does not decide which project or sheet should receive the words.
Open or create the intended sheet, click the exact insertion point, dictate a short unsent paragraph, stop, and review it before continuing. Keep research material separate from publishable prose when the distinction matters.
- Name or identify the sheet before a long session.
- Check the active project, group, or Notes location.
- Review proper nouns, punctuation, paragraph breaks, and repeated phrases.
3. Add Markdown XL structure after the prose is correct
Ulysses uses Markdown XL by default. It represents headings, emphasis, lists, links, comments, annotations, code, and other structure with markup rather than a word processor’s final visual formatting.
Dictate the prose first, then review and apply the intended markup with the Markup bar, menu, shortcuts, or direct tags. Do not assume a spoken formatting phrase produced valid Markdown XL or the export semantics you want.
4. Choose local or synchronized storage deliberately
Ulysses says texts synchronize through iCloud by default. It also provides Notes stored On My Mac when local Notes are enabled. External Folders live outside the standard library and have different storage and markup behavior.
This storage choice is separate from speech recognition. Inspect Apple’s current Dictation processing disclosure for the configured language, then decide whether the resulting sheet should synchronize through iCloud, remain On My Mac, or live in an external folder.
5. Export the reviewed sheets—not the microphone session
Ulysses can export sheets to formats including Plain Text, Rich Text, Markdown, TextBundle, TextPack, PDF, DOCX, HTML, and ePub. The export preview and selected sheets determine what leaves the library.
Finish dictation and markup review before export. Check whether material sheets should stay excluded, whether multiple sheets are selected, and whether the destination preserves the structure and privacy you intend.
6. Troubleshoot editor focus separately from library sync
If Dictation produces no text, test the same shortcut in TextEdit. If it fails there too, inspect Keyboard → Dictation, the configured shortcut, language, microphone input, and current processing requirements.
If TextEdit works, return to a normal Ulysses sheet, click the editor, and try a short paragraph. A sync problem, external-folder limitation, export issue, or wrong active sheet can make the workflow look broken even when speech recognition worked.
7. Add IraVoice only for a distinct cross-app need
IraVoice 0.7.1 is a separate option for macOS 26+ Apple-silicon Macs when the same held-key workflow should create editable text across supported Ulysses, email, browser, and developer fields. Speech recognition and supported formatting run on the Mac after model setup; paid continuation needs one Gumroad key check.
IraVoice does not read the Ulysses library, choose a sheet, understand Markdown XL state, manage iCloud, create backups, select exports, or publish writing. It targets the focused editable field and falls back to the clipboard when insertion is uncertain.