Official documentation guide
Why does Mac Dictation stop after 30 seconds of silence?
Short answer
Apple says Dictation stops automatically after 30 seconds of silence. Start Dictation again when you are ready to continue.
What the documentation establishes
- Mac Dictation stops after 30 seconds of silence.
- The user can restart Dictation with the configured shortcut or menu command.
Scope and limits
Documentation synthesis; no hands-on testing was performed. Behavior can change with software version, language, permissions, focus, device, and application configuration.