Help

Help

The basics of Teacup, and fixes for common problems. Teacup's Help section has the full guide. Can't find your answer? Email support@tryteacup.app.

Getting started

1. Download Teacup and open the installer. Teacup opens when it's done.
2. Follow the setup. You'll unlock Teacup, choose your language and allow two permissions.
3. Click in any text field, hold right ⌥, talk, and let go.

Your words land where your cursor is, cleaned up.

Coming from Wispr Flow? Setup can bring your dictionary and snippets over.

Permissions

Teacup needs two permissions. Setup asks for both.

• Microphone, so Teacup can hear you. It records only while you hold the key. If you set Mic stays on to keep the mic open, Teacup throws away what it hears between dictations.
• Accessibility, so Teacup can hear your dictation key in any app and paste where your cursor is. On macOS 27 this is called Device Control and Data Access.

To check them, open System Settings › Privacy & Security. Teacup should be switched on under Microphone, and under Accessibility (Device Control and Data Access on macOS 27).

If macOS turns one off, often after a macOS update, Teacup opens a window that names the switch to turn back on.

Microphones and Bluetooth headsets

For the most accurate dictation, use your Mac's built-in mic or wired headphones with a mic. Choose it in Teacup's Settings › Microphone. Built-in mic (recommended) is your Mac's own mic.

Headsets like AirPods work with Teacup, with two trade-offs:

• They take about a second to start. When you press the key, the pill shows "Opening mic…" until the headset is ready. Start speaking once Teacup is listening.
• Bluetooth sends lower-quality sound, so a few more words may come out wrong, especially somewhere noisy.

If you dictate many short things in a row, set Mic stays on in Settings to 30 seconds after dictating. Your next dictation then starts right away. While the mic is on, your Mac shows the orange mic dot, and Bluetooth headsets play sound at lower quality.

Languages

Live text shows your words while you talk. It's English only for now, and you can turn it off in Settings. In other languages, your text lands shortly after you let go. Beta languages work, and are less accurate for now.

Updates

Teacup installs updates by itself and keeps your permissions and settings. To check now, choose Check for updates in Teacup's menu bar menu.

Moving to a new Mac

One code unlocks one Mac at a time.

1. On your old Mac, open Teacup's Settings and press Move to another Mac….
2. On your new Mac, download Teacup and paste the same code when setup asks for it.

Old Mac gone, wiped, or moved with Migration Assistant? Email support@tryteacup.app with the last 4 characters of your code, and we'll free it.

Lost your code?

Open your Lemon Squeezy orders and enter the email you paid with. Lemon Squeezy emails you a sign-in link and shows every code you've bought.

Troubleshooting

Holding the key does nothing.Check that Accessibility is on for Teacup (see Permissions). If the menu bar says "Teacup is locked", choose Enter your code….

Teacup hears nothing.Check that your mic isn't muted, and that Teacup's Settings show the mic you're using.

Words come out wrong in a noisy place or with AirPods.Use your Mac's built-in mic or wired headphones (see Microphones). In English, you can also turn off Live text in Settings. Teacup then waits until you finish and transcribes everything at once. Your text appears less than a second after you stop.

My text didn't land.Press ⌃⌘V to paste it again. Your last 100 dictations are also on Teacup's Home page.

Right ⌥ types a letter instead.Some keyboards use right ⌥ for letters. In Teacup's Settings, choose another dictation key.

Teacup says my code is already in use.See Moving to a new Mac.

Still stuck?

In Teacup, open Help and press Report…. Teacup saves a diagnostics file and opens an email to us. It never includes your dictations, dictionary, snippets or history. Attach the file and send it.

Or email support@tryteacup.app.