Ask in Place for Mac
Ask Viora questions about selected or nearby context without leaving the Mac app where you are working.
By the Viora team - Last updated June 16, 2026.
Ask in Place is Viora's context question workflow for Mac. Select text, hold the shortcut, ask a question, and Viora can answer near the content you are already reading or editing.
What Ask in Place does
Ask in Place helps when the next step is understanding, summarizing, or checking the content in front of you. Instead of copying text into a separate chat window, you keep the question close to the source.
Use it for:
- Explaining a selected paragraph.
- Summarizing a long note or customer message.
- Finding the key limitation in a product doc.
- Pulling action items from nearby text.
- Checking tone before you rewrite a reply.
How it fits Viora
Viora is a macOS voice AI assistant built around four workflows: write, edit, ask, and do. Ask in Place is the ask workflow. It complements dictation and selected-text editing, but it solves a different job.
| Workflow | Main job |
|---|---|
| Write | Speak into the current app and insert polished text |
| Edit | Select text and rewrite it by voice |
| Ask | Ask about selected or nearby context |
| Do | Run supported small agent tasks |
Privacy and limits
Viora is cloud-assisted. It should not be described as fully offline or local-only. Viora's privacy materials say desktop task content may be processed through Viora backend systems and Fireworks AI when large-model processing is needed.
Ask in Place is also not a guarantee that every Mac app behaves the same way. App permissions, focused text areas, and product version can affect the exact workflow. Always review answers before using them.
FAQ
What is Ask in Place?
Ask in Place is Viora's context question workflow. You select text or stay near the relevant content, speak a question, and review an answer near the current Mac workflow.
Is Ask in Place the same as dictation?
No. Dictation turns speech into text. Ask in Place answers questions about selected or nearby context.
Is Ask in Place fully offline?
No. Viora is cloud-assisted, not fully offline or local-only.
Try Ask in Place
Ask in Place is a good fit when you already work on a Mac and want voice to help explain, summarize, or check nearby context. To evaluate it, install Viora, try it with a low-risk note or draft, and confirm the current plan before making it part of a regular workflow.