Open Settings > General > Keyboard and turn Enable Dictation on or off. When enabled, you can tap the microphone-shaped Dictate button on the iPhone keyboard and speak into a text field. When disabled, that button is removed from the keyboard. This controls keyboard Dictation, not Siri or the microphone permission for every app.
For a reply you type repeatedly, iPhone Text Replacement offers a separate shortcut that inserts a saved phrase. It is a typing tool rather than a promise that spoken shorthand will expand during Dictation.
Dictation is available in many languages, but its features and network needs can vary. Apple says it is processed on the iPhone in many languages without an internet connection; dictated text in a search field may be sent to the search engine to process the search. Review About Dictation & Privacy on the Keyboard settings screen if that distinction matters to you.
Enable Dictation
- Open Settings and tap General.
- Tap Keyboard, then find Enable Dictation.
- Turn the switch on. If an explanation appears, read it and tap Enable Dictation to continue.
- Open an app with a text field, tap where you would normally type, and look for the Dictate button on the keyboard.
Tap Dictate, speak your text, then tap the button again or say “Stop dictation” when finished. The keyboard can remain available while you dictate, so you can correct a word by typing. Try a short note first so you can see how the feature handles your voice and the selected keyboard language.
Turn Dictation off
Return to Settings > General > Keyboard and turn Enable Dictation off. Confirm if prompted. Open a text field again to verify that the keyboard's Dictate button is gone. You can turn the same switch on later without changing your normal keyboard layout.
If the microphone icon remains in one app, it may be that app's own voice-input control rather than Apple's keyboard Dictation button. Check its position and the app's help before changing more iPhone settings. Likewise, turning off Dictation does not disable Siri voice activation. For a watch, the separate steps are in our guide on how to turn off Siri on Apple Watch. Apple also says standard Dictation is not available while the Voice Control accessibility feature is on, so see how to turn Voice Control on or off on iPhone if that applies to you.
Punctuation and common problems
You can say a punctuation mark such as “exclamation point”, or say “new line” or “new paragraph” to control formatting. In supported languages, iPhone can insert some punctuation automatically. If you prefer to say every mark yourself, open Settings > General > Keyboard and turn Auto-Punctuation off. That is separate from the Enable Dictation switch.
If the Dictate button is missing, check that Enable Dictation is on and that a supported keyboard language is selected. If Dictation starts but recognizes the wrong words, try a quieter place, speak a short sentence, and edit the result before sending it. Do not assume every language has identical punctuation and editing commands. A symbol that Dictation does not produce can be typed instead; for example, see how to type a degree symbol on the iPhone keyboard.
Use Dictation where typing is available
After enabling Dictation, open a text field, such as a new note or message, and tap the microphone on the keyboard. Speak a short sentence and watch whether words appear. Review the text before sending it: names, technical terms, and punctuation can be transcribed incorrectly. If the keyboard microphone is absent, confirm Dictation is enabled in Keyboard settings and check whether the app or managed device restricts it.
Dictation is not the same as a voice message. Dictation converts speech into editable text; a voice message sends an audio recording. Choose the one the recipient needs. If Dictation does not hear you, check microphone access, microphone hardware, and the language selected for the keyboard. Try a quiet place before changing unrelated settings.
For other typing controls, see our guide to iPhone keyboard settings. Apple's Dictate text on iPhone guide documents enabling, disabling, punctuation, and the current privacy qualifications.
Want to dictate in another language? First add a keyboard for that language on iPhone.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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