Bass Plus / Guides
Pause browser music while dictating on Mac
Dictation Pause lets compatible music in Chrome or Safari get out of the way when you start using your microphone. Bass Plus fades and pauses supported browser playback, then resumes only playback it paused after the microphone is released.
It responds to microphone activity without recording your voice or recognizing what you say.
Dictation Pause is included in the full 7-day trial and lifetime purchase. Requires macOS 14.4 or later, browser setup and macOS Automation permission.
How automatic music pause works
Start compatible music in your selected browser. When the microphone becomes active, Bass Plus looks for supported playing media, fades it and pauses it. After microphone activity ends, it can restore the playback it paused.
This is a browser playback feature, not a universal pause command for every Mac app. Microphone use by another app can trigger it too; the feature does not distinguish speech from other microphone activity.
If you change playback manually, Bass Plus may leave it as you set it rather than resume it automatically.
Set up Dictation Pause in Chrome
- Open Bass Plus and its Dictation Pause settings. Select Google Chrome.
- In Chrome, open View - Developer - Allow JavaScript from Apple Events and enable the setting.
- Use Bass Plus to connect to the selected browser. When macOS asks, allow Bass Plus to control Chrome.
- Confirm that Dictation Pause is enabled in Bass Plus.
- Start a compatible music or video player in Chrome, then briefly use dictation and release the microphone.
The browser setting allows the app's automation commands to work with supported media players. It does not install a Chrome extension. Only enable browser automation for an app you choose to trust.
Set up Dictation Pause in Safari
- In Safari, open Settings - Advanced and enable Show features for web developers if the Develop menu is hidden.
- Open Develop - Allow JavaScript from Apple Events and enable it.
- Open Dictation Pause settings in Bass Plus and select Safari.
- Connect from Bass Plus and allow the macOS Automation request to control Safari.
- Start compatible playback in Safari and test a short dictation session.
Menu wording can vary with browser and macOS versions. If a menu differs, use the setup instructions shown by the current app and browser.
Check macOS permissions
In System Settings - Privacy & Security - Automation, check that Bass Plus is allowed to control the browser you selected. If permission was previously denied, enable the matching browser entry when it is available, then try connecting from Bass Plus again.
The system audio permission used for EQ is separate from browser Automation. The audio permission alone does not authorize browser playback control.
Supported playback and important limits
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Situation | What to expect |
|---|---|
| A compatible playing media element in the selected Chrome or Safari browser | Bass Plus can fade and pause supported playback |
| Microphone activity ends | Playback paused by Bass Plus can resume |
| A player was already paused or you changed playback manually | Automatic resume may not occur |
| Music in a native app outside the selected browser | This browser feature does not provide universal control |
| Calls, live streams, WebRTC or media inside some third-party frames | Not supported as controlled playback |
| A browser other than Chrome or Safari | Not supported by this feature |
A call may activate your microphone and trigger pausing of compatible background music. That does not mean Bass Plus can pause, process or manage the call itself.
Troubleshoot music that does not pause
First confirm that the selected browser is the one playing the media. Check that Dictation Pause is enabled, Automation access is allowed and Allow JavaScript from Apple Events is on in that browser.
Then try a normal on-demand player without a call or live stream. Test one playing source so you can tell which playback changed. If that player is unsupported, changing EQ settings will not add browser compatibility.
Troubleshoot music that does not resume
Release the microphone and check whether another app is still using it. Automatic resume applies to playback Bass Plus paused and still owns. Manual playback changes or unsupported media can prevent it.
If you removed AirPods or changed outputs, check the player and the Mac's current output before assuming Dictation Pause retained a pause. Start playback manually if needed and repeat a short test with one browser player.
If the problem continues, use Bass Plus support. Include your macOS and browser versions, the player involved and whether the microphone indicator remained active. Do not include recordings of private speech.
Dictation Pause questions
Does Bass Plus listen to or record my dictation?
The feature detects microphone activity. It does not record your voice or recognize the words you dictate.
Will it pause Spotify or Apple Music native apps?
It controls compatible playback in Chrome or Safari. It does not promise pause control for the native Spotify or Music app. Browser versions of services depend on the actual player and its compatibility.
Does it turn off FaceTime audio ducking?
No. Automatically pausing supported browser media is a different task from disabling macOS or FaceTime audio ducking.
Will music resume if I paused it myself?
Bass Plus resumes playback it paused and still owns. It should not override a manual pause by treating every stopped player as its own.
Does Bass Plus transcribe my voice?
No. Use your usual dictation tool to enter text. Dictation Pause responds to microphone activity and controls compatible browser playback; it is not a transcription service.
Is the browser setup required only for EQ?
No. The JavaScript from Apple Events and Automation steps are for browser playback control. EQ uses the separate macOS system audio permission.
Set up a quieter dictation workflow
Try Dictation Pause with the browser and player you use. The full trial also includes Mac EQ controls and bass adjustment.
Free download. Activate the 7-day trial through Apple, then continue with one lifetime purchase. No subscription or automatic charge when the trial ends.