Microphones and audio
Choose which microphone Monologue uses and fix common Bluetooth or input problems.
Monologue can automatically choose an available microphone or follow the device priority you set. A clear input signal matters more than microphone brand or price.
Choose a microphone on Mac
Open Monologue → Settings → Mic & Audio, then choose Change microphone. You can let Monologue select a microphone automatically or arrange connected microphones in priority order. The live level meter shows whether the selected microphone can hear you.
When testing a new device:
- Connect it before starting dictation.
- Speak normally and confirm that the level meter moves.
- Record a short test in a plain text field.
If the meter does not move, confirm that Monologue has microphone permission under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone. Then reconnect the device or choose another microphone.
Bluetooth and AirPods
Bluetooth microphones may take a moment to switch into recording mode. If the beginning of speech is missing, connect the device before starting and wait for the recording indicator before speaking.
If quality suddenly drops:
- Reconnect the device.
- Check whether another call or audio app is using the microphone.
- Try the built-in microphone to separate a device problem from a Monologue problem.
Bluetooth headsets often change audio profiles while their microphone is active. If music quality drops during dictation, prefer the Mac’s built-in microphone while keeping the headset as the audio output.
Audio preferences
On Mac, Settings → Mic & Audio includes:
- Sound effects: Play a sound when dictation starts or stops.
- Music and videos: Keep other audio playing, mute it temporarily, or pause and resume it. You can also customize this behavior for individual audio outputs.
On iPhone and iPad, open Settings → Preferences to choose whether keyboard dictation uses the device microphone and whether other audio pauses while you dictate.
If Monologue cannot hear any device, follow Fix dictation and pasting.