Using Flow with Linux, WSL, and Terminal Applications
Last updated: April 30, 2026
Available on: Mac, Windows
Flow transcribes but nothing appears in your terminal? Text shows up in Flow but not in WSL? This guide covers which terminals support direct paste, how to use the Paste Last Transcript shortcut when they don't, and tips for dictating into terminal editors.
Quick checks
Is your terminal focused? Click into the terminal window before dictating — Flow pastes into the active window.
Did Flow transcribe successfully? Check Flow's interface for the transcribed text. If text is there but didn't paste, the problem is paste delivery, not transcription.
Does direct paste work in your terminal? Dictate a short phrase. If it appears, you're done. If not, press Shift+Alt+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Ctrl+V (Mac) to paste manually.
How to use Flow with terminals
Windows terminals
Flow pastes directly into Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Windows Terminal without any setup.
Open your terminal and click into it so it has focus.
Dictate using Flow.
Verify text appears in your terminal. If it doesn't, press Shift+Alt+Z to paste.
Mac terminals
Flow works with Terminal.app, Warp, and other Mac terminal applications once accessibility permissions are enabled.
Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and enable the toggle for Wispr Flow.
Open your terminal and click into it so it has focus, then dictate.
Verify text appears directly. If it doesn't, press Cmd+Ctrl+V to paste.
Note: Flow also requires Microphone permission, which is requested during initial setup. Your terminal app does not need any permissions — only Flow does.
WSL and virtual machines
Flow transcribes successfully but does not paste directly into WSL terminal windows or Linux VMs.
Dictate using Flow. Text appears in Flow's interface.
Press Shift+Alt+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Ctrl+V (Mac) to paste into your terminal.
Verify text appears in your WSL or VM terminal.
Warning: Flow's context-aware formatting (capitalization, spacing, punctuation) applies to terminals the same as other apps. This may cause unexpected transformations when dictating shell commands. Use the Paste Last Transcript shortcut if formatting is interfering.
Tip: For longer content like scripts or documentation, dictate in a supported app first, then copy to your terminal.
Terminal compatibility
Terminal | Direct paste | Notes |
Terminal.app (Mac) | Yes | No special setup required |
Warp (Mac/Windows) | Yes | No special setup required |
Ghostty (Mac) | Yes | No special setup required |
Hyper (Mac/Windows) | Yes | No special setup required |
PowerShell (Windows) | Yes | No setup required |
Command Prompt (Windows) | Yes | No setup required |
Windows Terminal | Yes | No setup required |
WezTerm (Windows) | Yes | No setup required |
Alacritty (Mac/Windows) | Yes | Recognized as a terminal app on both platforms |
Kitty (Mac/Windows) | Yes | Recognized as a terminal app on both platforms |
Cursor | Yes | Integrated terminal supported. Flow disables special code insertion commands in the terminal pane. Supports file tagging in editor panels. |
Windsurf | Yes | Integrated terminal supported. Flow disables special code insertion commands in the terminal pane. Supports file tagging in editor panels. |
VS Code | Yes | Integrated terminal supported. Standard paste — no special IDE commands (file tagging not supported). |
VS Code Remote SSH (Windows) | Yes | Works for remote development since VS Code is recognized by Flow. Use Paste Last Transcript if direct paste doesn't work in remote sessions. |
Claude Code (terminal) | Yes | Long dictations are automatically split into smaller chunks to keep text visible. Short dictations are unaffected. |
Codex (terminal) | Yes | Long dictations are automatically split into smaller chunks to keep text visible. Short dictations are unaffected. |
iTerm2 (Mac) | Varies | Use Paste Last Transcript if needed |
Termius (Windows) | No | Not recognized as a terminal app by Flow. Use Paste Last Transcript instead. |
WSL terminals | No | Use Paste Last Transcript (Shift+Alt+Z) |
SSH sessions, tmux, screen | No | Use Paste Last Transcript |
Tips for terminal use
Use native terminals when possible: Windows Terminal, PowerShell, and Terminal.app have better integration than third-party alternatives.
Enter insert mode first: When using Vim, Nano, or other terminal editors, switch to insert mode before dictating.
Paste Last Transcript without the keyboard shortcut: Use the tray menu ("Paste last transcript") or the Flow Bar context menu. On Mac, the app menu (Dictation → "Copy last transcript") copies the text to your clipboard instead of pasting it directly.
Remote development on Windows: If your SSH client doesn't support Flow's paste, try VS Code with the Remote SSH extension.
Non-QWERTY keyboard layouts: Flow automatically detects your keyboard layout for paste simulation, so AZERTY, Dvorak, and similar layouts are supported.
If paste fails: Flow either opens the Scratchpad with your transcribed text or shows a notification and copies the text to your clipboard so you can paste manually.
Note: Flow saves your clipboard contents before pasting and restores them after a successful paste (~500ms delay). If you cancel a paste, your clipboard is restored immediately.
FAQs
Why doesn't Flow paste into my WSL terminal?
WSL handles input from Windows differently, which prevents Flow's simulated paste keystroke from working. Press Shift+Alt+Z to paste your transcription manually.
Can I use Flow with Vim, Nano, or other terminal text editors?
Yes. Enter insert mode before dictating. If automatic paste doesn't work, use the Paste Last Transcript shortcut (Cmd+Ctrl+V on Mac, Shift+Alt+Z on Windows).
I granted accessibility permissions but Flow still won't paste. What do I do?
Try these steps:
Restart Flow and your terminal application.
Verify Accessibility permission is enabled for Wispr Flow (not the terminal) in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
Verify Microphone permission is also enabled for Wispr Flow in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
Test with a native terminal (Terminal.app on Mac, PowerShell on Windows). If it works there, the issue is specific to your third-party terminal.
Use the Paste Last Transcript shortcut if direct paste continues to fail.
Note: On Windows, if Flow can't paste into applications running as Administrator (such as an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell), try running Flow as Administrator as well. Windows security (UIPI) blocks paste operations between applications running at different privilege levels.
Why does my long dictation get cut off or hidden in Claude Code or Codex?
Claude Code and Codex can collapse large amounts of pasted text into a hidden block. Flow detects when you're dictating into either of these terminals and splits longer dictations into smaller pieces so all your text stays visible. Short dictations are unaffected.
Does Flow work on Linux?
Flow is not available as a native Linux application. If you're running Linux in WSL or a virtual machine on Windows or Mac, use the Paste Last Transcript shortcut to paste transcriptions.
Limitations and notes
Flow is available on Mac and Windows only — there is no native Linux application.
Direct paste is not supported in WSL terminals, SSH sessions, tmux, or screen. Use the Paste Last Transcript shortcut instead.
Some third-party SSH clients (like Termius) are not recognized as terminal apps by Flow. Use the Paste Last Transcript shortcut or VS Code with the Remote SSH extension instead.
If you accidentally revoke Flow's permissions, Flow notifies you and opens the relevant System Preferences pane so you can re-enable them.
Still stuck?
Reach out to support if:
Direct paste fails in a terminal listed as supported above, even after restarting Flow and re-checking permissions.
The Paste Last Transcript shortcut doesn't paste anywhere, including into a plain text editor.
You see an error message not covered in this guide.
Include your platform (Mac or Windows), the terminal name and version, and what you tried. Most terminal paste issues are resolved in one reply.