Formatting Rules¶
Formatting rules automatically transform your transcription before it's inserted. They're more powerful than the dictionary and support regex.
Built-in Options¶
These toggles are available in Settings > Formatting Rules:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Trailing space | Adds a space after the transcription |
| Space before punctuation | Adds a space before ? and ! (French typography) |
| Text-to-number | Converts "vingt-trois" to "23", etc. |
Custom Rules¶
Create your own find-and-replace rules:
- Go to Settings > Formatting Rules
- Click "Add rule"
- Enter the text to find and the replacement
- Choose matching mode
Matching Modes¶
- Contains - Matches anywhere in the text
- Exact match - Matches the entire transcription
- Regex (v1.8.0+) - Full regular expression support
Regex Examples¶
Dictation commands in French:
| Pattern | Replacement | Effect |
|---|---|---|
(?i)ouvrez les guillemets |
" |
Voice command for opening quotes |
(?i)fermez les guillemets |
" |
Voice command for closing quotes |
(?i)nouvelle ligne |
\n |
Voice command for new line |
(?i)point d'interrogation |
? |
Voice command for question mark |
(?i)(six\|6\|si) joint(e)?(s)? |
ci-joint |
Fix common French homophone error |
Tip
(?i) at the start makes the pattern case-insensitive.
Rule Ordering¶
Rules are applied in order from top to bottom. You can drag and drop rules to reorder them (v1.8.0+).
This matters when one rule's output could be affected by another rule. For example, a "text-to-number" rule should run before a rule that formats numbers.
When to Use Rules vs Dictionary¶
| Use Case | Dictionary | Formatting Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Proper nouns (names, brands) | Yes | - |
| Multi-word replacements | - | Yes |
| Words with numbers | - | Yes |
| Regex patterns | - | Yes |
| Voice commands ("new line") | - | Yes |
| Simple word corrections | Yes | Yes |
Auto-Capitalization Behavior¶
By default, Parakeet capitalizes the first word and adds a period at the end. For short transcriptions (1-2 words used for inline corrections), this can be unwanted.
In v1.8.0+, a toggle removes capitalization and trailing punctuation for transcriptions under 3 words. This threshold is configurable.