iPhone users
iPhone Dictation Not Working? Fixes to Try, and a Better Keyboard
When the microphone button does nothing, or dictation stops after a few words, the cause is usually a setting, a permission or the connection. Work through these in order.
Check the basics
Make sure dictation is on. Open Settings, then General, then Keyboard, and turn on Enable Dictation.
Check the microphone permission for the app you are typing in. Open Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Microphone, and make sure that app is allowed.
Check your connection. Some dictation sends audio to Apple's servers and stops when the signal drops.
Remove anything covering the microphone, such as a case or a screen protector edge, and restart the phone.
If it still mishears
Pick the right language. Dictation uses the language of the keyboard you have selected.
Speak your punctuation, or use a keyboard that adds it for you.
Dictate in shorter bursts and pause between sentences.
When Apple's dictation is not enough
A dictation keyboard such as DictaWiz transcribes on the device by default, so it keeps working without a connection, adds punctuation and paragraphs, and can rewrite or translate the text after you speak. Enable it in Settings, then General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards, and turn on Allow Full Access.
