Guide to Using Voice Dictation on Your Phone.
When speaking is easier than writing, both Android and iOS offer solutions.
With the growing popularity of AI assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Gemini, talking to our devices has become routine. What you might not know is that you can use the voice dictation feature in any text input box. This is useful in numerous situations, such as when your hands are full with shopping, you're holding onto a handrail on the subway, or your phone is out of reach and the screen is damaged.
It's not about choosing between writing or speaking, but rather switching between both options as needed. Here's how to use this feature on Android and iOS devices.
Android
On Pixel phones and many other Android devices, the default keyboard is Gboard. When it appears on screen, simply tap the microphone icon in the right corner to activate voice dictation. If you need more space on the screen, you can tap the downward arrow to the left of the microphone.
What you dictate will depend on the application you are in. You can use commands like "delete" to erase the last word and "clear all" to empty the text box. Similarly, the commands "next" and "previous" allow you to navigate between text fields, and you can also name emojis directly (for example, "thumbs up emoji").
When your text is ready, suggestions will be offered on what to say next, depending on the application you're using. In messaging apps, it typically suggests that you indicate "send," while in a photo gallery, you may have to say "search." If you need more help with voice commands, tap the small "i" icon to the left of the toolbar. To continue using voice dictation in other applications, just double-tap the microphone.
If dictation is not working, ensure it is enabled in the settings: go to Settings on Android, select System > Keyboard > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Voice typing. From this screen, you can also enable offline access and adjust automatic punctuation pauses.
The dictation process is similar on other Android phones, although it may vary slightly. On Galaxy phones, Samsung's keyboard is the default, and the microphone is located in the bottom left corner. To ensure voice dictation is enabled, select Settings > General management > Samsung keyboard > Voice input.
iOS
On iPhone, you also have access to voice dictation wherever you need it. The default keyboard is Apple's, although you can also use Gboard or other alternatives. Whenever text needs to be entered, you can tap the microphone button at the bottom right to start speaking instead of writing.
You can use various commands while dictating, such as naming an emoji (for example, "heart emoji") or mentioning the punctuation mark you want to add (for example, "exclamation mark"). Additionally, you can divide text using commands like "new line" and "new paragraph," making it easier to draft lengthy messages. You can also say "undo" or "redo" to correct what you dictated.
When dictating on iOS, the cursor will show a blue microphone. Your device also allows commands like "select sentence" and "delete paragraph," giving you greater control over the text you are editing. While accuracy may not be perfect, you should be able to draft most of your messages this way.
However, unlike Android, the iPhone does not provide a simple method to send the dictated text, although some searches may trigger automatically when you stop speaking. Generally, you need to stop the dictation (by tapping the microphone or saying "stop dictation") and then press the corresponding button to send or present your text. This should be set up by default, but if it's not working, you can check it in Settings > General > Keyboard and ensure that the Enable dictation option is turned on. Other settings, such as automatic punctuation, also apply when you speak or write.
