Understanding the Pill Overlay
The pill overlay is a small, dark floating indicator that appears on your screen during dictation. It tells you what TalkWriter is doing at every moment so you never have to guess whether your voice is being captured.
What Is the Pill?
The pill is a rounded, compact overlay that floats above all other windows. It stays out of your way while giving you real-time feedback about dictation status. Think of it as a traffic light for your voice: it tells you when to go, when to wait, and when something needs attention.
The pill always uses a dark appearance regardless of your system theme. This ensures it is visible on any background.
Pill States Reference
| State | Appearance | Meaning | What to Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idle | Dark pill, microphone icon | TalkWriter is running but not recording | Press Fn to start dictating |
| Listening | Dark pill, animated waveform | TalkWriter is actively recording your voice | Keep speaking naturally |
| Processing | Dark pill, spinning indicator | Your speech is being transcribed and polished | Wait a moment for results |
| Pasting | Dark pill, checkmark flash | Polished text is being inserted at your cursor | Text appears momentarily |
| Error | Dark pill, warning icon | Something went wrong (no internet, mic issue) | Check your connection or mic |
| Word Count Warning | Dark pill, counter badge | You are approaching your weekly word limit (Free plan) | Consider upgrading to Pro |
Pill Behavior by Dictation Mode
| Behavior | Push-to-Talk (PTT) | Live Mode |
|---|---|---|
| When pill appears | When you hold Fn | When you toggle Fn on |
| When pill disappears | When you release Fn and text is pasted | When you toggle Fn off and text is pasted |
| During silence | Pill stays active (still holding Fn) | Pill stays active (listening for speech) |
| Audio feedback | Waveform animates with your voice | Waveform animates with your voice |
Pill Position and Customization
The pill appears at a fixed position on your screen. You can adjust its behavior in Settings > Appearance:
- Show pill overlay — Toggle the pill on or off entirely.
- Pill position — The pill appears near the top of your screen by default.
Even if you hide the pill, TalkWriter still works normally. The pill is a visual aid, not a requirement.
Reading the Waveform
When TalkWriter is in the Listening state, the pill shows an animated waveform. This gives you real-time visual feedback:
- Tall peaks — TalkWriter is clearly hearing your voice. Keep speaking.
- Flat line — TalkWriter is not detecting audio. Speak louder or check your microphone.
- Small fluctuations — Background noise is present but no clear speech detected. Move to a quieter location or speak closer to your microphone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move the pill to a different position on the screen? The pill position is set by TalkWriter. It is designed to stay out of the way of common UI elements.
The pill is not appearing when I press Fn. Why? Make sure TalkWriter is running (check for its icon in the menu bar). Also verify the pill overlay is enabled in Settings > Appearance.
Can I make the pill bigger? The pill size is fixed to remain unobtrusive. It is designed to be noticeable without blocking your work.
Does the pill consume battery? The pill overlay uses minimal resources. It has negligible impact on battery life.
Was this helpful? Let us know at support@talkwriter.ai