Voice Control in macOS 26.1: progress, but key bugs remain
After six weeks of waiting, Voice Control in macOS 26.1 has arrived — and it’s a story of progress mixed with frustration.
The good news: Apple has finally fixed long-standing issues with “delete that”, “lower case that”, and the missing in-sentence cursor. These are small but meaningful improvements for those who rely entirely on voice to use their Mac.
But two of the most basic commands still don’t work properly:
• “New paragraph” remains broken, particularly in the Mail app.
• “New line” still takes three to four seconds to respond.
These are not minor oversights — they’re fundamental to writing professional emails and documents by voice. For disabled people who Voice Control in macOS 26.1, such bugs can severely limit productivity.
Workarounds that add friction
Many Voice Control users have resorted to creating custom commands or dictating text in Notes or TextEdit before pasting it into Mail. For those already facing enough barriers, these workarounds add friction that shouldn’t exist.
Accessibility should be seamless, not improvised.
Apple moves fast on security — slowly on accessibility
Alongside these Voice Control fixes, macOS 26.1 introduces Background Security Improvements — lightweight updates that allow Apple to deliver security fixes between major releases. It’s a sensible move that strengthens protection without waiting for a full update.
But while Apple can now push security patches seamlessly, accessibility fixes remain tied to the slower system update cycle. Voice Control bugs reported in September are still unresolved in November — and may not be fixed for several more weeks.
It’s time for “Background Accessibility Improvements”
If Apple can deliver background updates for security, it can do the same for accessibility.
The company should introduce Background Accessibility Improvements — a new system to deliver accessibility fixes between major releases, so features like Voice Control can stay reliable for those who depend on them most.
Accessibility is no less vital for disabled people than security is for everyone else. Both protect independence, confidence, and access to technology.
Conclusion
macOS 26.1 is a welcome step forward for Voice Control, but the basics still need work. Apple’s new Background Security Improvements are a smart idea — now it’s time to give accessibility the same urgency.
Because for disabled people, reliability isn’t a luxury — it’s the feature that matters most.
