How to Configure Polish Shortcuts and Custom Prompts
Last updated: May 31, 2026
Available on: Mac, Windows
Important: Transforms (Polish) is currently behind an inactive feature flag and may not be visible in your version of Wispr Flow.
Highlight any text and rewrite it instantly with a custom AI rule — fix grammar, shift tone, translate, or reformat with a single keystroke. This guide walks you through creating your first Polish shortcut in under 2 minutes.
How to set up a Polish shortcut
Open Flow settings. Click the Flow icon in your menu bar (Mac) or system tray (Windows), then click Settings.
Open the Hub and go to the Transforms page in the sidebar.
Click Create New (or the Create your own card with the + icon). This option is hidden once all custom transform slots are filled.
Name the shortcut — for example, "Fix Grammar" or "Make Formal."
Write a custom rule in the Customize prompt field describing how Flow should rewrite the selected text. See How to write effective rules below for tips.
Assign a keyboard shortcut. Click the shortcut field (it reads "Click to add a shortcut") and press your desired key combination. Recording starts on the first click.
Verify it works. Highlight any text in a text field and press your shortcut. The text is replaced with the polished version. If nothing happens, see Still stuck? below.
Note: Changes to the name and prompt auto-save about 2 seconds after you stop typing — an indicator in the top-right shows the save status. Shortcut changes save immediately. The shortcut is active once the name, prompt, and keyboard shortcut are all set.
Warning: Shortcuts must include at least one modifier key (Cmd, Ctrl, Opt, Alt, Shift, or Fn on macOS), use at most 3 keys, and not conflict with another assigned shortcut. Mouse buttons (middle click, Mouse 4–10) can satisfy the modifier requirement on their own. Left- and right-click are not allowed, and a shortcut cannot use both the left- and right-versions of the same modifier at once. Invalid combinations show an error toast.
How to write effective rules
Be specific: "Rewrite this in a professional tone for a client email" works better than "Make it better."
State the output format: If you want bullet points, a single paragraph, or a specific structure, say so in the rule.
Include constraints: Add limits like "Keep it under 50 words" or "Don't change technical terms" to get exactly what you need.
Use one rule per task: Create separate shortcuts for grammar fixes, tone changes, and translations instead of combining them.
Default and custom rules
The base Polish configuration includes the following toggleable default rules:
Make more concise
Reword for clarity
Reorder for readability
Add structure for readability
Maintain your tone
Two additional Pro-only rules are available:
Clarify main point
Refine phrasing for impact
Each rule can be toggled independently. You can also add up to 5 custom rules (max 50 words each) in the base Polish configure modal.
How to manage your transforms
Edit a transform: Click the transform card on the Transforms page to update its name, prompt, or shortcut. Changes save automatically.
Add writing samples: Each custom transform supports up to 5 writing samples (50–500 words each) for voice personalization. Configure them in the transform's modal after the name, shortcut, and prompt are set.
Reset to defaults: Click Reset to defaults on the Transforms page. A confirmation modal appears before built-in transforms are restored.
Turn off transforms: Toggle Opt in off on the Transforms page to disable the feature and hide the Polish wand button from the Flow Bar. Re-enabling the toggle restores the button and your custom prompts.
Open the Auto-Polish picker: Click the wand bubble on the Flow Bar (visible in the Ready and Context Menu states). The picker contains an Auto-Polish toggle, the default Polish option, Prompt Engineer, your saved custom transforms, and a Configure Transforms link.
Warning: Resetting to defaults permanently removes all of your custom transforms and cannot be undone. Turning the Opt in toggle off does not delete custom transforms — they return when you re-enable the toggle.
Examples
Fix grammar and spelling
Rule: "Fix all grammar and spelling errors. Keep the original tone and meaning."
You highlight: "Their going to the meeting tommorow and there not prepared."
Flow outputs: "They're going to the meeting tomorrow and they're not prepared."
Make text more formal
Rule: "Rewrite in a professional, formal tone suitable for a business email."
You highlight: "Hey, just wanted to check if you got the thing I sent over."
Flow outputs: "I wanted to follow up to confirm you received the document I shared."
Translate to Spanish
Rule: "Translate this text to Spanish. Maintain the original meaning and tone."
You highlight: "The meeting has been moved to 3 PM."
Flow outputs: "La reunión se ha movido a las 3 PM."
Common issues
Bugs fixed in recent updates
The following Polish issues were resolved in recent versions of Wispr Flow:
Polish wand button visible after turning off transforms: The button could still appear when transforms were disabled. It now correctly hides when transforms are turned off and reappears when they are turned back on.
Links and URLs changed or removed during polishing: Polish would sometimes alter or strip URLs and hyperlinks. It now preserves all URLs, hyperlinks, and Markdown or HTML link formatting exactly as written.
Adding a new shortcut required two clicks to start recording: Clicking the shortcut field opened the selector but didn't begin recording until a second click. Recording now starts on the first click.
Polished text not appearing — "paste your last transcript" prompt shows instead: Polished text was silently dropped instead of being inserted into the active text field. Affected apps included VS Code, ChatGPT, Word, Outlook, Cursor, and Chrome on both Mac and Windows.
Flow Bar stuck on a loading spinner after using a Polish shortcut: An empty response from a Polish rule left the Flow Bar in a loading state. It now dismisses correctly in all cases.
To get the fixes:
Update Wispr Flow to the latest version.
Restart Flow after updating.
FAQs
How many Polish shortcuts can I create?
You can create up to 8 custom transforms. Including the built-in Polish and Prompt Engineer presets, the Transforms page shows up to 10 cards total. The Create New button is hidden once all custom slots are used.
Can I edit a shortcut after creating it?
Yes. Go to the Transforms page, click the transform card, then update the name, prompt, or keyboard shortcut. Changes save automatically — there is no Save button.
Why is the Polish wand button missing from the Flow Bar?
The Polish wand button is hidden when transforms are turned off. To restore it, turn the Opt in toggle back on from the Transforms page.
Does Polish work in every app?
Polish works in most text fields where Flow can detect selected text. Some apps with custom text editors may not be supported.
Will Polish change the links in my text?
No. Polish preserves all URLs, hyperlinks, Markdown link syntax [text](url), and HTML anchor tags <a> exactly as written.
How do I review or undo a polish?
When polishing finishes, the Flow Bar shows "Done." with a clickable "See changes" link. Clicking it opens the diff viewer, which shows:
An "N Changes" pill
Additions in purple
Removals struck through
An Undo button labeled "← {shortcut} to Undo"
Copy, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, and Retry actions
Re-polish presets available from the diff viewer are Prompt Engineer, Turn to list, Translate to English, and Empathize.
Limitations and notes
Polish is available on Mac and Windows only.
Polish accepts up to 1,000 words at a time. Longer selections show a notification and are not transformed.
You can create up to 8 custom transforms. Including the built-in Polish and Prompt Engineer presets, the Transforms page shows up to 10 cards total.
Polished text is auto-pasted into the active text field. There is currently no user-facing toggle to change this.
Still stuck?
Reach out to support if:
Your shortcut saves but does nothing when pressed, even with text selected.
Polish output is consistently ignoring your custom rule.
A specific app you rely on isn't recognizing selected text.
Include your platform (Mac or Windows), the app you're using Polish in, and the rule text you've written. Most issues are resolved in one reply.