> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hermesvoice.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Formatting Modes

> Customize how Hermes formats text for different apps and contexts.

## What are formatting modes?

Formatting modes let you customize how Hermes formats your dictation based on which app you're using. Each mode has its own style—casual for Slack, formal for email, minimal for code.

Hermes includes built-in modes, and you can create your own.

***

## Built-in modes

| Mode              | Apps included                                       | Style                                                 |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| **Messaging**     | Slack, Discord, Teams, iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram | Casual — lowercase OK, relaxed punctuation            |
| **Email**         | Mail, Gmail, Outlook, Spark                         | Formal — proper capitalization, professional tone     |
| **Coding**        | VS Code, Xcode, Cursor, Terminal, GitHub            | Minimal — preserves technical terms, light formatting |
| **Writing**       | Notes, Word, Pages, Notion, Obsidian                | Semi-casual — clear structure, proper formatting      |
| **AI Assistants** | ChatGPT, Claude, Grok                               | Casual — conversational prompts                       |
| **Disabled**      | (Your choice)                                       | No formatting — raw transcription                     |

### Web apps

Modes work with web apps too. When you're in a browser, Hermes detects the website:

* `mail.google.com` → Email mode
* `slack.com` → Messaging mode
* `github.com` → Coding mode
* `notion.so` → Writing mode
* `chat.openai.com` → AI Assistants mode

***

## Formatting styles

Each mode has a **formatting style** that controls how aggressively Hermes formats your speech:

| Style           | Behavior                                                                   |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Casual**      | Minimal corrections — slang preserved, no periods, contractions encouraged |
| **Semi-Casual** | Fix errors and spelling, keep contractions and natural tone                |
| **Formal**      | Full grammar, expand contractions, professional polish                     |
| **Custom**      | Your own rules via custom instructions                                     |

You can set a style when creating or editing a mode. If you choose **Custom**, your custom instructions define the formatting behavior entirely.

***

## Creating a custom mode

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Formatting Modes">
    Go to **Settings → AI Formatting → Modes**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Add Mode">
    Click **+** or **Add Mode**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name your mode">
    Give it a descriptive name like "Work Slack" or "Personal Notes".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add apps">
    Add the apps or websites that should use this mode:

    * For native apps: Select from the app list
    * For web apps: Enter the domain (e.g., `mycompany.slack.com`)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a formatting style">
    Pick **Casual**, **Semi-Casual**, **Formal**, or **Custom**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add instructions (optional)">
    Write specific formatting rules for this mode. Required if you chose **Custom** as your style.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Instructions

You can add specific rules to any mode. These are natural language instructions that Hermes follows when formatting.

### Examples

**For Email mode:**

```
Always start with a greeting.
Expand contractions (don't → do not).
End with a professional sign-off.
```

**For Slack mode:**

```
Keep messages under 50 words.
Use emoji sparingly.
Don't capitalize the first word.
```

**For Coding mode:**

```
Preserve all technical terms exactly.
Don't add periods at the end.
Keep variable names intact.
```

### Where to add instructions

Go to the **Instructions** section in Hermes to add rules for specific modes.

***

## Editing built-in modes

You can modify the built-in modes:

* **Add or remove apps** — Customize which apps use each mode
* **Add instructions** — Layer your own rules on top

Changes only affect your account. The original defaults remain available.

***

## The Disabled mode

The **Disabled** mode skips all AI formatting. Use it for apps where you want raw transcription.

To disable formatting for an app:

1. Go to **Settings → AI Formatting → Modes → Disabled**
2. Add the app to this mode
3. Dictation in that app will be unformatted

***

## Mode priority

If an app matches multiple modes, Hermes uses the most specific match:

1. **Custom URL match** — `mycompany.slack.com` beats `slack.com`
2. **Custom mode** — Your modes take priority over built-in ones
3. **Built-in mode** — Default modes as fallback

***

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="AI Formatting" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/features/ai-formatting">
    How context detection and formatting works.
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI Formatting Settings" icon="gear" href="/settings/ai-formatting">
    All AI formatting options.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>