Download
Hold the function key. Speak.
Halopen runs in the menu bar. One disk image — Apple Silicon and Intel together — ready in five minutes.
Apple Developer ID signed · Apple-notarized · macOS 14.0 (Sonoma)+ · 14 days free
Or install from the terminal:
brew install --cask meriaapp/halopen/halopen Installs the same Apple-notarized build. Updates arrive through Halopen itself.
Want to know when the Windows version drops? Email us and we’ll let you know.
On a phone?
Halopen is a Mac app.
Which makes this the wrong device to install it on. Give us an address and the download link will be waiting on your Mac.
One email with the link. Nothing else unless you ask.
Universal binary
Apple Silicon & Intel
One file. Halopen runs natively on M-series Macs and on the last generation of Intel Macs.
macOS 14 Sonoma+
Modern only
We support the current and previous macOS versions. Older systems don’t have the AVAudio and Accessibility APIs we depend on.
Signed & notarized
Trusted by macOS
Developer ID signed and notarized by Apple. macOS Gatekeeper launches Halopen without warning prompts.
Setup
Five steps. Most people are dictating within five minutes.
- 01
Drag Halopen to Applications.
Open the disk image, drag the Halopen icon onto the Applications folder shortcut, eject the disk image.
- 02
Grant Microphone & Accessibility.
On first launch, macOS prompts for Microphone access — click Allow. Then turn on Accessibility for Halopen so it can type at your cursor.
- 03
Tell macOS the fn key does nothing.
Open System Settings → Keyboard. Find Press 🌐 key to or Press fn key to and choose Do Nothing. This control is on the Keyboard settings page. It stops the Emoji picker from opening when you press the dictation key. Apple’s Keyboard settings guide shows the available options.
- 04
Sign in.
Click the Halopen icon in the menu bar and choose Sign in…. Sign in with Apple, Google, or email — whichever you prefer. Your 14-day trial starts the moment you sign in — no credit card.
Why a sign-in: transcription happens server-side and your trial usage and Pro entitlement are anchored to your account. The first fn press without a signed-in account surfaces a calm Sign in to use Halopen pill in the menu bar; this step gets you past it.
- 05
Try one sentence in Notes.
Open a new note in Apple Notes and click in the body. Hold fn and say “This is my first note with Halopen.” Release the key and check the text. Once that works, try a sentence in the app where you usually write.
No text? Check that Halopen is running and signed in. In System Settings → Privacy & Security, enable Halopen in both Microphone and Accessibility. Confirm your shortcut in Halopen, then click back into the note and try again. Still stuck? Email Halopen support with your macOS version and what appeared when you pressed the shortcut.
Ready?
Five minutes from here to first dictation.
Apple Developer ID signed. Apple-notarized. 14 days free — no credit card.
.dmg · Universal · macOS 14.0+