# Your first few minutes

Start with a short dictation and a simple question. These instructions describe the macOS controls in the launch candidate; check [Nock overview](/nock/overview) for release availability.

## Get ready

Open Nock and follow its welcome steps. Grant the permissions requested for the features you want to try, then complete the account and access steps shown by your build. The guided demo has a limited allowance; ending the demo does not unlock unrestricted use.

The defaults below can be changed in **Settings → General**. If you already changed them, use the shortcuts shown in your settings and tour.

## Dictate into another app

1. Open a note or message and click inside its text field.
2. Hold **Fn / Globe** and say a sentence.
3. Release the key and wait for the words to appear.

Nock displays a live caption while you speak and inserts the finished text after release. Read the result before sending a message. If it landed in the wrong place, click the intended field and press **Control + Command + V** to paste your last transcript again.

## Ask Nock

Hold **left Control + left Option**, ask a short question, then release. For example: “Give me three ideas for organizing today's work.” The response appears in the notch and can be spoken aloud. A quick tap of those keys opens the chat box for typing.

## Add context

Highlight a sentence, then ask “Make this more concise.” For a visual question, hold the agent keys and circle the relevant part of your screen. Selected text and captured images may be sent to the model answering your request, so choose the context deliberately.

## If the first try fails

Check [microphone input](/nock/microphone) when no words appear, and [permissions](/nock/permissions) when keys or text insertion do not work. Press **Escape** to cancel a recording. Keep the first test short so it is easy to tell which step failed.

Continue with [dictation](/nock/dictation), [agent mode](/nock/agent-mode), or [onboarding](/nock/onboarding).