Mostly, on a modern Mac. On Apple Silicon (M1 and later), standard dictation runs on-device for supported languages and works offline. But two caveats matter: audio can still fall back to Apple's servers for requests the local model can't handle confidently, and the 'Improve Siri & Dictation' setting shares recordings for human review unless you opt out.
What stays on your Mac
On Apple Silicon, the speech models run on the Neural Engine, so converting speech to text in most apps happens locally — no network round-trip, and it works on a plane. Downloading the on-device language (the same step that enables offline dictation) is what keeps recognition local. On older Intel Macs there's no on-device path: audio is sent to Apple's servers, so dictation needs a connection.
What can still leave it
Two things. First, Apple states that requests the on-device model isn't confident about may be routed to its servers — and it doesn't publish exactly which, so 'on-device' isn't an absolute guarantee for every utterance. Second, and more within your control, the 'Improve Siri & Dictation' option lets Apple store and human-review a sample of your audio. Turning it off is the single biggest privacy win most people can make in thirty seconds.
Make Mac dictation more private (30 seconds)
Turn off audio sharing in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements → Improve Siri & Dictation, make sure your language is downloaded for on-device processing, and, if privacy is the priority, choose a dictation tool that says plainly where your audio and any voice model live rather than leaving it to a setting you have to hunt for.
How Clavio handles it
Clavio was built privacy-first: your voiceprint — the model that lets hands-free and wake-word modes respond to you and not to a voice in the room — is created and stored only on your Mac, and the wake-word listening runs on-device. Audio is used solely to produce your text and isn't retained afterward. Clavio for Mac is free — 3,000 words a month, no card, macOS 14+ on Apple Silicon.
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Common questions
Does Mac dictation work offline?
On Apple Silicon Macs (M1 and later), standard keyboard dictation runs on-device for supported languages and needs no internet connection. Older Intel Macs send audio to Apple's servers, so they require a connection.
Does Apple Dictation send my voice to servers?
Usually not, on Apple Silicon — supported-language dictation is processed locally. But Apple notes some requests the on-device model can't handle confidently may be routed to its servers, and Apple doesn't publicly document exactly which. Separately, the 'Improve Siri & Dictation' option shares audio samples for human review unless you turn it off.
How do I make Mac dictation more private?
Turn off 'Improve Siri & Dictation' (so no audio samples are stored for review), download the on-device language so recognition stays local, and prefer a dictation tool that states plainly where audio and any voiceprint live.
Where does Clavio process my voice?
Clavio's voiceprint is created and stored only on your Mac, and wake-word listening happens on-device — the Mac responds to your voice, not the room. Audio is used solely to produce your text and isn't kept afterward.