Talk Instead of Typing — Voice Dictation on Your Phone

Your phone can type what you say — free, already built in.

On an iPhone

With Dictation, you can dictate text anywhere you can type it.

You can use typing and Dictation together.

The keyboard stays open during Dictation.

So you can switch between touch and voice.

Turn it on:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Keyboard.
4. Turn on Enable Dictation.
5. If a prompt appears, tap Enable Dictation.

Dictate:

1. In a text field, tap to place the insertion point where the text should begin.
2. Tap the microphone key on the onscreen keyboard.
3. When the microphone appears near the insertion point, begin speaking.

The microphone key can also appear in a text field.

Dictation is processed on the iPhone itself in many languages.

No internet connection is required.

One exception: when you dictate into a search field, the dictated text may be sent to the search engine to process the search.

Dictation may not be available in all languages or in all countries or regions.

Features may vary.

Cell data charges may apply when using Dictation.

Saying punctuation:

While dictating you can say punctuation and formatting commands.

Say “period” for a full stop.

Say “exclamation point” for “!”.

Say “cap” to capitalize the next word.

In some languages Dictation adds some punctuation automatically as you speak.

On an Android phone (Gboard)

On an Android phone or tablet you can talk to write in most places where you can type with a keyboard.

Some steps work only on Android 7.0 and up.

Talk-to-text does not work with all languages.

Google says that when you use Gboard's talk-to-text, your voice is sent to Google to be turned into text.

Talk to write:

1. Install Gboard (Google's keyboard) if the phone does not have it.
2. Open any app you can type in, like Gmail or Keep.
3. Tap an area where you can enter text.
4. At the top of the keyboard, tap the Microphone.
5. When you see “Speak now,” say what you want written.

Saying punctuation:

Add punctuation by saying it.

You can say “period.”

You can say “comma.”

You can say “exclamation point.”

You can say “question mark.”

You can say “new line.”

You can say “new paragraph.”

Punctuation might not be available in all languages.

Fix one word:

1. Touch and hold the word.
2. Tap the Microphone at the top of the keyboard.
3. Say the new word.

If the microphone does not appear:

If the microphone does not appear or voice typing will not start, the setting can be checked.

1. Open an app you can type in.
2. Tap a text field.
3. Tap Settings at the top of the keyboard.
4. Tap Voice typing.
5. Turn on Voice typing.

The phone may also ask permission for Gboard to use the microphone.

Allow it while using the app.

On a Samsung Galaxy phone

For long text entries, use the voice input feature.

1. Tap the microphone icon at the top of the keyboard.
2. Speak the text you want to enter.
3. Tap the microphone icon again to stop.

Choose the voice engine:

On a Galaxy phone you can choose the voice engine.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General management.
3. Tap Samsung Keyboard settings.
4. Tap Voice input.
5. Choose Samsung voice input or Google Voice Typing.

Samsung voice input works with the Samsung Keyboard.

Good to know

If your screen looks a little different from these steps, look for the same words — Microphone, Keyboard, Voice typing — in your phone's settings.

Speak slowly and clearly, in a quiet place, and read the words back before you send them.