Documentation

Current for ahsk 6.7.4 on macOS. Shortcuts that changed are marked below.

What changed in 6.7

• Renamed — Voice › Output language is now Spoken language, and it is finally sent to the transcriber (it never was before). Default is Auto-detect; name your language for better accuracy with an accent.
• Added — onboarding asks for your spoken language and the language Fn + Shift translates into, with a live try-out. Nothing about the gestures changed.

What changed in 6.5

• Changed — while an answer card is open, Fn no longer starts a new dictation. Hold it (or Option) to ask a follow-up; Return inserts the answer, Esc closes.
• Changed — the microphone defaults to Automatic (wired first, built-in, Bluetooth last). Pin a mic from the menu-bar Microphone submenu or Voice › Input.
• Changed — the free tier is your first 10,000 dictated words, counted from this release; Pro is unlimited. Credits are no longer shown.
• Moved — notifications are one switch under Voice › Preferences; the tab is gone.
• Since 6.2 — Fn + Space is retired; a quick tap of Fn starts hands-free dictation instead, and hands-free ends after 30 seconds of silence.

Installation

Getting started with Ahsk is simple. Follow these steps to install and set up the app on your Mac:

1. Download the Ahsk.dmg file from the homepage
2. Open the .dmg file and drag Ahsk to your Applications folder
3. Launch Ahsk from Applications
4. Grant necessary permissions when prompted (Accessibility, Screen Recording, Microphone)

Note: Ahsk requires these permissions to detect text selection, capture screenshots, and enable voice input across all your apps.

Getting Started

Once installed, Ahsk runs quietly in your menu bar, ready to assist you anytime. There are two primary ways to interact with Ahsk:

• Text Selection: Select any text anywhere on your Mac and the Actions menu will automatically appear with AI-powered actions
• Voice Input: Use keyboard shortcuts and voice commands to access features directly without selecting text

Quick Tip: Hold Fn (Globe) to record and release to paste at your cursor — or tap the same key to keep listening hands-free, and tap again to finish. Both work in any app on your Mac.

Free Trial: New users get 10,000 free words to explore all of Ahsk's features. Try voice typing, AI search, translations, and more to see how Ahsk can enhance your workflow.

Spotlight LauncherNEW IN 5.3

A Cmd+Space style launcher that brings everything to your fingertips. Redesigned in v5.1 with a cleaner layout and improved readability. Search clipboard history, expand snippets, find files, kill processes, run system commands, search the web, and query AI — all from one unified interface.

Feature	How to Use
Clipboard History	Search and paste from your clipboard history
Snippet Expansion	Type `;keyword` or `!keyword` to expand saved snippets
File Search	Type `find` or `open` + filename
Process Kill	Type `kill` + app name to force quit
System Commands	Type `sleep`, `lock`, or `empty trash`
Web Search	Type keyword + space + query (e.g., `g best mac 2026`)
URL Bookmarks	Type keyword + Enter (e.g., `gm` → Gmail)
AI Query	Any unmatched text shows "Ask AI" — press Enter to chat

There's a ton more inside the app. The features listed above are just the defaults. You can fully customize the Spotlight launcher — add your own web search engines, create custom snippets, set up URL bookmarks, and more. Everything is configurable in Settings.

CapturesNEW IN 5.3

Captures lets you save text and AI responses for later review. Whenever you come across something useful — a generated response, a piece of text, or any output — add it to your Captures and revisit it anytime.

Feature	Description
Save Text	Save any text or AI response to your Captures collection
Review Later	Browse and revisit all your saved captures anytime
Quick Access	Access your captures directly from the app for fast reference

SnippetsNEW IN 5.3

Create reusable text snippets and expand them instantly from the Spotlight launcher. Perfect for emails, signatures, code templates, and frequently typed text.

Creating Snippets

Create snippets in Settings → Snippets tab.

Field	Example
Keyword	`;email`
Expansion	Thanks for reaching out. I'll get back to you shortly.

Placeholders

Placeholder	Result
`{date}`	Inserts current date
`{time}`	Inserts current time
`{clipboard}`	Inserts clipboard content

Example: ;sig → Best regards, Jithin - Sent on {date}

Create as many as you need. There's no limit to the number of snippets you can create. Build your own library of email templates, code snippets, signatures, addresses, and anything you type frequently.

Web SearchNEW IN 5.3

Search 18+ engines directly from the Spotlight launcher. Type keyword + space + query.

Search Engines

Keyword	Engine	Example
`g`	Google	`g best mac 2026`
`yt`	YouTube	`yt swift tutorials`
`r`	Reddit	`r macbook reviews`
`gh`	GitHub	`gh swiftui components`
`so`	Stack Overflow	`so swift async await`
`tw`	X / Twitter	`tw apple event`
`npm`	npm	`npm framer-motion`
`w`	Wikipedia	`w machine learning`
`amz`	Amazon	`amz usb c hub`
`hn`	Hacker News	`hn startup funding`

AI Engines

Keyword	Engine
`ps`	Perplexity
`gpt`	ChatGPT
`gem`	Gemini
`cl`	Claude

Social & Google

Keyword	Engine
`pin`	Pinterest
`li`	LinkedIn
`tf`	TikTok
`img`	Google Images
`drive`	Google Drive
`maps`	Google Maps

URL Bookmarks

Add keyword-only shortcuts in Settings → Web Searches. Leave %s out of the URL to create a bookmark instead of a search.

Keyword	Name	URL
`gm`	Gmail	https://mail.google.com
`cal`	Calendar	https://calendar.google.com

Tip: Type gm + Enter to open Gmail directly. No search term needed for bookmarks.

Utility ActionsNEW IN 5.3

Quick system actions available directly from the Spotlight launcher.

Command	Example
`kill <app>`	`kill Slack` — force quits Slack
`find <file>`	`find report.pdf` — searches and opens file
`open <file>`	`open notes.txt` — same as find
`sleep`	Puts Mac to sleep
`lock`	Locks the screen
`empty trash`	Empties the Trash

AI Fallback: Any text that doesn't match a keyword shows an "Ask AI" option at the bottom of the results. Press Enter to chat with AI in the agent sidebar.

Voice Input Modes

Every voice feature in ahsk starts from the same key. Hold Fn to talk, tap it to go hands-free, or add a second key for questions, translation, and screen-aware answers:

Feature	Activation	Description
Push-to-Talk	`Hold Fn (Globe)`	Hold to record, release to transcribe and paste at cursor
Hands-Free	`Tap Fn (Globe)`	Keeps listening after you let go - tap Fn again to stop and paste
AI Search	`Fn + Control`	Voice-activated web search with streaming responses
Translation	`Fn + Shift`	Speak in one language, paste in your second language
Respond	`Fn + Option`	Ask about what is on your screen, answer pasted at your cursor
Follow-up (answer card open)	`Hold Fn` or `Hold Option`	Ask the next question in the same conversation; release to send
Insert answer	`Return`	Pastes the answer where your cursor is; `Cmd + C` copies it instead
Close answer	`Esc`	Dismisses the answer card

Push-to-Talk

The fastest way to voice type anywhere on your Mac. Simply hold the Fn (Globe) key, speak naturally, and release. Your transcribed text appears instantly at your cursor position. Perfect for quick messages, notes, or filling out forms.

Hands-Free

Ideal for longer dictation when you don't want to hold a key. Tap Fn once and ahsk keeps listening after you let go. Speak as long as you need, then tap Fn again to stop and transcribe. If it hears nothing for thirty seconds it stops on its own. Great for writing emails, documents, or taking meeting notes.

Deprecated: Fn + Space

Before 6.2, hands-free dictation was a separate shortcut, Fn + Space. It has been removed — one key now covers both gestures, so there is nothing extra to learn or press. If you have muscle memory for it, tap Fn on its own instead.

AI Search (Fn + Control)

Get instant answers to any question using your voice. AI Search combines voice recognition with web search to deliver concise, AI-powered answers in real-time. No need to open a browser or type out your query.

How to Use

• Press Fn, then Control while holding Fn to start recording
• A globe icon appears during recording to indicate AI Search mode
• Speak your question naturally and release to get web-sourced answers
• Follow-up questions: Hold Option key to ask follow-up questions and continue the conversation (up to 10 turns)
• Press ESC to close the search window

Pro Tip: AI Search is perfect for quick fact-checks, looking up definitions, getting current information, or researching topics while you work - all without leaving your current app.

Respond (Fn + Option)NEW

Respond answers a question about whatever is on your screen and pastes the answer where your cursor is. It captures the window in front of you, listens while you speak, and writes the reply straight into the app you are working in — no window to read, nothing to copy.

How to Use

• Hold Fn + Option — ahsk captures the window in front of you
• Ask your question out loud while holding both keys
• Release to get the answer pasted at your cursor
• Requires Screen Recording permission, the same one Screenshot Analysis uses

Good for: replying to a message thread you are looking at, filling in a form from a document on screen, or explaining an error without leaving your editor.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Access Ahsk's features instantly with these keyboard shortcuts. All shortcuts work system-wide, so you can use them in any application.

Default Shortcut	Action	Description
`Hold Fn`	Voice Typing	Hold to record, release to transcribe and paste
`Tap Fn`	Hands-Free Dictation	Keeps listening after you let go — tap Fn again to finish
`Fn + Control`	AI Search	Ask a question by voice, get a web-sourced answer
`Fn + Shift`	Voice Translation	Speak, paste in your second language
`Fn + Option`	Respond	Ask about your screen, answer pasted at your cursor
`⌘ Space`	Spotlight Launcher	Search, snippets, clipboard history, and utilities
`⌥⇧S`	Screenshot + AI	Capture screen area and analyze with AI
`⌥⇧D`	Download Video	Download from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, X
`⌥⇧T`	Translate	Translate selected text
`⌥ (hold)`	Voice Follow-up	Hold Option in chat windows for voice follow-up

Customization: All shortcuts can be customized in Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts to match your existing workflow and preferences.

ActionsNEW

Actions is a customizable bubble menu that appears when you select text in any application. It gives you quick access to AI-powered actions right where you work — and it's built to be extended with plugins over time.

Action	Description
Ask	Ask AI a question about the selected text
Rewrite	Rewrite the selected text with AI
Copy	Copy text to clipboard
Translate	Translate to your preferred language
Dictionary	Add selected word to your custom dictionary for improved voice detection accuracy

Plugin Support Coming Soon: Actions is designed with a plugin-ready architecture. More actions and custom workflows will be available as plugins in upcoming releases.

Force Actions Menu

Some applications may not trigger the Actions menu automatically due to how they handle text selection. For these apps, you can configure a "Force Bubble" key:

• Set a Force Bubble key in Settings (None by default)
• Options: None, Control (⌃), Option (⌥), Command (⌘), Shift (⇧)
• After selecting text, press your chosen key to force the Actions menu to appear

Voice Input Settings

Customize how voice input works to match your preferences. Access these settings from the Ahsk menu bar icon → Settings.

Setting	Options	Description
Voice Input Key	Fn (Globe), Option+Shift+V, Command+Shift+V	Choose which key activates voice recording
Voice Mode	Informal, Formal, Mail, or your own	Shapes how dictation is written — shorthand and symbols, full words, or a formatted email
Microphone	Built-in, or any connected input	Pinned for ahsk only — your Mac's own input device is never changed
Force Actions Menu	None, ⌃, ⌥, ⌘, ⇧	Key to manually trigger the Actions menu after text selection

Voice modes apply to dictation only. Questions you ask through AI Search, Respond, or Ask and Rewrite are sent exactly as you said them, so a mode like Mail can never reshape a question before ahsk reads it.

Screenshot Analysis (⌥⇧S)

Capture any part of your screen and get instant AI-powered analysis. Perfect for understanding complex visuals, debugging user interfaces, extracting text from images, or getting explanations of diagrams and charts.

How it works: Start the shortcut, drag to capture, and Ahsk opens an AI response view with context from the screenshot.

You can continue with follow-up questions to inspect details in the same captured image.

How to Use

1. Press Option + Shift + S from anywhere
2. Click and drag to select the screen area you want to analyze
3. AI instantly analyzes the captured image and provides insights
4. Ask follow-up questions about the screenshot to dive deeper

• Analyze images, diagrams, flowcharts, or any visual content
• Get detailed explanations and insights about what you're seeing
• Extract and understand text from images or screenshots
• Debug user interfaces by having AI analyze error messages or UI elements

Video Download (⌥⇧D)

Download videos from popular social media platforms directly to your Mac. Save videos for offline viewing, reference, or archiving without needing third-party websites or browser extensions.

How it works: Ahsk reads the copied URL, validates the source, then downloads directly to your chosen folder.

The flow is optimized for quick save-and-continue without leaving your current task.

Supported Platforms

• YouTube
• TikTok
• Instagram
• X (Twitter)

How to Use

1. Copy the video URL to your clipboard from any browser
2. Press Option + Shift + D
3. The URL auto-fills from your clipboard
4. Choose your preferred quality and click download

Translation (⌥⇧T)

Translate any text on your Mac to your preferred language instantly. Whether you're reading foreign articles, communicating with international colleagues, or learning a new language, Ahsk makes translation seamless.

How it works: Select text, trigger translation, and Ahsk returns localized output immediately in your preferred language.

Set a default target language in Settings to skip manual language selection every time.

How to Use

1. Select the text you want to translate in any app
2. Press Option + Shift + T or click the Translate button in the Actions menu
3. Choose your target language from the list
4. View the translation and easily copy it to your clipboard

Tip: Set your default translation language in Settings to skip the language selection step and get instant translations.

Voice Chat Windows

When you use Ask or Rewrite features, a chat window opens where you can continue the conversation. Instead of typing follow-up questions, you can use your voice for a more natural interaction.

• Voice Follow-up: Hold the Option key to record a voice follow-up question
• Visual Feedback: A waveform animation shows your recording status so you know when you're being heard
• Conversation Memory: The AI maintains context throughout the conversation for up to 10 turns, so you can have natural back-and-forth discussions
• Close Window: Press ESC at any time to close the chat window

Window Controls

Simple keyboard controls for managing Ahsk windows:

Key	Action
`ESC`	Close any active Ahsk window (Assistant, Chat, Search, etc.)
`Option (hold)`	Record a voice follow-up in chat windows

System Requirements

Ahsk is designed to run smoothly on modern Macs. Here's what you need:

• macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later - Ahsk supports all recent macOS versions
• Microphone access - Required for voice input, transcription, and AI search features
• Accessibility permissions - Enables text selection detection and automatic pasting of transcriptions
• Screen recording permission - Required for the screenshot analysis feature

Note: You'll be prompted to grant these permissions when you first launch Ahsk. You can also manage permissions later in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

Privacy

Your privacy is our priority. Ahsk is designed with privacy in mind:

• Local Storage: All your data, including transcription history and settings, is stored locally on your Mac
• Minimal Account Data: We only store your email address for authentication purposes
• No AI Training: Your queries and transcriptions are never used to train AI models

Troubleshooting

Having issues? Here are solutions to common problems:

Actions menu not appearing when I select text

First, ensure Accessibility permissions are granted: Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and make sure Ahsk is enabled.

If the menu still doesn't appear in certain apps, try configuring a Force Actions Menu key in Settings. After selecting text, press your chosen key to manually trigger the menu.

Voice input not working

Make sure Microphone permissions are granted: Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and enable Ahsk. You may need to restart the app after granting permission.

Fn + Space stopped working

That shortcut was removed in 6.2. Hands-free dictation is now a quick tap of Fn on its own — tap once to start, tap again to stop and paste.

Pressing Fn opens the emoji picker

macOS claims the Fn (Globe) key by default. Open System Settings → Keyboard and set Press globe key to → Do Nothing. ahsk's setup walks you through this, and you can re-run it any time from the menu bar icon.

Screenshot analysis not working

Screen Recording permission is required: Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording and enable Ahsk. A restart may be required after granting this permission.

Need more help?

Contact our support team at support@ahsk.app - we're happy to help!