Which HoldSay dictation mode should you use?

Choose Raw cleanup or a deeper local Polish.

HoldSay can either clean a dictation lightly or polish it more deeply.

The default keeps close to what you said while improving readability. Polish mode does more work on phrasing and presentation when you want a more finished draft.

Raw drops the fillers and keeps everything as said. On longer dictations, Polish also keeps only what you corrected yourself to.

Start with the result you need

You may be about to dictate a quick reply, capture a personal note, or prepare the first draft of something another person will read. In each case, you want the spoken idea to remain yours, but the amount of editing you need is different. HoldSay Output mode lets you choose between a close cleanup of your speech and a more edited draft.

For everyday writing, the useful question is whether you need to preserve the natural order and wording of the thought, or whether you need text that is easier to present immediately. The default cleanup is intended for the first case. Polish mode is intended for the second.

A finished dictation is placed where the cursor is already active.

HoldSay is a local desktop app for Mac and Windows. When you dictate, the floating card handles both held key dictation and REC recording. The default shortcut is Right Option on Mac and Right Ctrl on Windows. Your selected Output mode determines how HoldSay prepares the dictation after you finish speaking.

Use the default cleanup for faithful everyday dictation

The default mode is designed for dictation that should remain close to the way you expressed it. In Settings, this mode is labeled Raw, but it is not an unedited transcript. Raw applies HoldSay's normal cleanup while keeping your argument, examples, and tone in place.

Raw shows the continuous transcript without invented speaker names or formatting.

That cleanup can remove obvious filler, add punctuation, divide one long thought into paragraphs, and format common numbers or percentages. These changes make spoken text easier to scan without trying to replace the content or recast the point you were making. If you say a message in your own voice and want it to arrive quickly with basic readability improvements, Raw is the appropriate starting choice.

Use Raw for messages, notes, prompts, and other writing where the details and sequence of your thought matter more than a refined presentation. For example, a personal note may include a list of observations in the order you remembered them. The default cleanup can make that note readable while leaving the underlying thought intact.

When you review a completed note in History, available views can include Raw, Speakers, Polish, or Summary when the view applies to that source. For a default dictation, check that punctuation and paragraph breaks help readability while the argument and examples still match what you said.

Use Polish mode for a cleaner first draft

Polish mode is for text that needs more than basic cleanup before it is shared or added to a document. It starts from the meaning you dictated, then can smooth awkward spoken phrasing, improve structure, and make the result easier to read. This is useful when speaking is the fastest way to create a draft but the reader expects more finished writing.

Polish produces a cleaner first draft while keeping the dictated meaning.

A client email, a document draft, or text for a larger group are common reasons to choose Polish. Spoken language often includes restarts, loosely connected thoughts, and phrasing that works aloud but reads less clearly on screen. Polish mode does deeper work on those areas without requiring a second writing tool.

Polish mode preserves the meaning you gave it, but it is still a deeper edit than the default cleanup. Read important names, numbers, commitments, and examples before you send or rely on the result. This final read is especially important when a detail has consequences outside the draft, such as a percentage or a commitment made to a client.

For dictations longer than 30 seconds, Polish applies its deeper local AI pass. If your goal is to see the distinction clearly, use a paragraph long enough to exceed that threshold and include wording that sounds natural when spoken but could be organized more clearly in writing.

Choose Raw or Polish in Settings

Set the mode before you begin the dictation you want to compare. HoldSay keeps this choice under Dictation in Settings, where the control is named Output mode. Raw is the normal cleanup option, and Polish is the more finished draft option.

Choose the everyday cleanup or the deeper Polish mode before dictating.

1. Open Settings in HoldSay.
2. Find Output mode under Dictation.
3. Select Raw when you want normal cleanup that stays close to your spoken wording, or select Polish when you want a more presentable first draft.
4. Dictate into the text field where you normally write, then review the result before using it.

To make the choice based on your own writing rather than an abstract rule, dictate the same short paragraph twice, once with Raw selected and once with Polish selected. Use the same text field for both attempts. Compare whether the default result retains the spoken rhythm you want and whether the Polish result gives the draft the structure and phrasing you need.

• With Raw, verify that filler is reduced and punctuation, paragraphs, numbers, or percentages are easier to read.
• With Polish, verify that the meaning, names, numbers, and commitments are still correct.
• If the dictation is longer than 30 seconds, look for the deeper Polish treatment of phrasing and structure.

Match the mode to the job at hand

Choose the mode according to what happens next to the text. A quick message or prompt usually benefits from the default cleanup because you are often trying to keep the wording close to the thought you just spoke. The cleanup gets basic formatting out of the way while preserving your voice and the directness of the message.

Personal notes are also a strong fit for Raw. Notes often contain specific details, examples, and an order that reflects how you are thinking through a subject. The default mode can make those notes readable without turning them into a differently shaped draft.

Compare the same short dictation in both modes before choosing a default.

For a client email or document draft, start with Polish mode when presentation matters. It can make the first pass easier to read by smoothing spoken phrasing and improving structure. That does not remove the need to check the final details. Review the text with particular attention to proper names, figures, and promises before you share it.

You do not need to treat either choice as permanent. Select Raw when faithful capture is the priority, then select Polish for a later dictation when you need a more refined first pass. The comparison is most useful when you judge each result in the place where you normally write and read it as your recipient would.

Common questions

Does HoldSay change what I said?

The default cleanup is designed to preserve your meaning while removing obvious filler and improving punctuation, paragraphs, and number formatting. Polish mode makes a deeper edit, so review important details before sending.

What does HoldSay Polish mode do?

Polish keeps the normal cleanup and, for dictations longer than 30 seconds, runs a deeper local AI pass to smooth spoken phrasing and improve structure while preserving the meaning.

Which dictation mode should I use?

Start with the default cleanup for messages, prompts, and notes. Use Polish mode when presentation matters and you want a more refined first draft.

If a label on this page does not match the app, email support@holdsay.com. Include Mac or Windows and the HoldSay version shown in Settings.