The Halopen field guide · Obsidian
Dictate into
Obsidian on Mac.
Speak the thought while it’s fresh. Turn it into a note you can return to—with links, structure, and your own final edit.
No Obsidian plugin required · macOS 14.0+
No credit card. Then $19/month or $179/year.
A reading note / practice example
A smaller experiment
The next experiment should test the smaller sample first. Compare the result with yesterday’s notes before changing the plan.
[[Yesterday’s notes]]#research
01 / Pick your workflow
Your note is the destination.
Voice is the input.
Halopen is a separate Mac dictation app. Open an Obsidian note in editing mode, place the cursor in its body, and use your Halopen shortcut to dictate. Review the inserted text before connecting it to the rest of your vault.
This is live dictation. It does not import recordings, identify meeting speakers, or organize your notes for you.
02 / Set it up
One short paragraph
is the right first test.
Install and sign in to Halopen
Grant Microphone and Accessibility permissions and configure your shortcut using the download page. No Obsidian community plugin is required.
Open a note in editing mode
Use a new note or today’s daily note. Click in the body so the text cursor is visible.
Speak one short paragraph
Try: “The next experiment should test the smaller sample first. Compare the result with yesterday’s notes before changing the plan.”
Release and check the text
Correct names or punctuation if needed. Keep the first test short so you can see exactly where the text lands.
Connect the note
Type [[ to choose an existing note link, add a tag, or use Markdown for a heading. Review formatting in Obsidian.
Download Halopen and follow the permission and shortcut instructions. On-device transcription requires Apple Silicon and a downloaded model; Cloud transcription is available on supported Intel Macs.
03 / Make it useful
A thought, a note,
a next step.
Start with the example
In an empty note, speak the paragraph shown above. Release your shortcut and check what arrived. The example is a practice prompt, not a promise of an exact recognition result.
Then try your own material
A daily note can answer three questions: what changed, why does it matter, and what comes next? A reading recap can name the idea, explain it in your own words, and point to the source.
Keep the first attempt short. Add names and technical terms once you have confirmed that text lands in the intended editor.
04 / Give it structure
Speak the prose.
Add the connections.
| You want | After dictating | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| A note link | Type [[ and choose the intended note using Obsidian’s completion. | Confirm the link points to the right note. |
| A heading | Add Markdown heading syntax or use Obsidian’s editor controls. | Check the level and the rendered heading. |
| A tag | Type # and the tag you use in your vault. | Keep the spelling consistent with existing notes. |
| Exact code or identifiers | Review or type the exact characters after the spoken explanation. | Do not assume spoken punctuation produces valid syntax. |
05 / Processing & storage
A local vault does not
make dictation local.
Vault storage and speech recognition are separate decisions. Halopen’s Cloud mode sends audio for transcription, even when the note itself is stored only on your Mac.
On-device transcription processes speech on an Apple Silicon Mac after the model is downloaded. It does not send that recording to the cloud transcription service. Account, licensing, and update checks have separate network behavior. Usage reporting and enabled diagnostics can also use the network outside a local dictation.
A “(local)” dictation entry identifies the transcription route. The audit log is not a monitor of every network request made by your Mac or the app. Review your vault’s sync settings separately.
Read Halopen’s privacy details or return to the setup steps.
06 / When something gets in the way
Check the simplest
thing first.
No text appears
Switch the note to editing mode and click in its body. Confirm Halopen is signed in and has Microphone and Accessibility permissions. Try a harmless sentence in Apple Notes to separate an app setup problem from the Obsidian editor.
The shortcut does something else
Check Halopen’s configured shortcut and macOS keyboard settings. The download guide explains the fn/globe “Do Nothing” setting and permission checks.
The words need correction
Check the microphone, selected transcription mode, names, and technical terms. Review the transcript with cleanup off before deciding whether an optional editing mode helps.
A custom editor behaves differently
Try Obsidian’s standard note editor first. Community-plugin inputs can have different focus and insertion behavior. If the problem persists, contact Halopen support with the app versions and a description that contains no private note content.
07 / Questions
Before your first note.
How do I dictate into Obsidian on Mac?
Install Halopen, sign in, and grant Microphone and Accessibility access. Open a note in editing mode, click in its body, hold your shortcut, speak, and release. Check the transcript before continuing.
Do I need an Obsidian plugin?
No Obsidian plugin is required. Halopen is a separate Mac app using macOS text input. Custom plugin interfaces may need a different workflow; start with the standard note editor.
Can I create wikilinks and tags by voice?
Use the keyboard to enter [[ for a note link or # for a tag. Halopen inserts text; Obsidian handles completion. Review the result rather than relying on speech recognition for exact Markdown syntax.
Is dictation local because my vault is local?
No. Vault storage and speech recognition are separate. Halopen’s Cloud mode sends audio for transcription. On-device transcription on Apple Silicon keeps speech recognition on your Mac. Account, licensing, and update checks have separate network behavior.
Can Halopen transcribe a recording already saved in my vault?
This workflow is live dictation into the editor, not importing existing audio files. Use a tool designed for recording-file transcription if that is what you need.
What should I check if text does not appear?
Make sure the note is in editing mode and the cursor is in its body. Check Halopen’s sign-in and Microphone and Accessibility permissions, then try a short sentence in Apple Notes to separate setup problems from Obsidian editor behavior.
How much does it cost?
Halopen is free for 14 days, no credit card. Pro is $19/month or $179/year.
From a passing thought to a useful note
Start with a paragraph.
See where it takes you.
No credit card · macOS 14.0+ · Apple Silicon & Intel