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Dictate text on iPhone

With keyboard dictation on iPhone, you can dictate text anywhere you can type it.

On supported models, general text dictation (for example, composing messages and notes) can be processed on your device in many languages, and no internet connection is required. (Dictation in a search field is processed on a server.) When you’re using dictation on a device, you can dictate text of any length without a timeout. You can stop dictation manually, or it stops automatically when you stop speaking for 30 seconds.

If you need to control your device using your voice, use Voice Control. See Use Voice Control to interact with iPhone.

Note: Dictation may not be available in all languages or in all countries or regions, and features may vary. Cellular data charges may apply. See View or change cellular data settings on iPhone.

Turn on Dictation

  1. Go to Settings  > General > Keyboard.

  2. Turn on Enable Dictation.

Dictate text

  1. Tap the Dictate key on the onscreen keyboard, then speak.

    If you don’t see the Dictate key, make sure Enable Dictation is turned on in Settings  > General > Keyboard.

  2. When you finish, tap the Keyboard key.

    The onscreen keyboard showing the Dictate key (in the bottom-right corner), which you can tap to begin dictating text.

To insert text by dictating, tap to place the insertion point where you want to insert text, tap the Dictate key, then speak. You can also replace selected text by dictating.

Add punctuation or format text

While dictating text, say the punctuation or formatting.

For example, “Dear Mary comma the check is in the mail exclamation mark” becomes “Dear Mary, the check is in the mail!” Punctuation and formatting commands include the following:

  • period

  • comma

  • exclamation point

  • question mark

  • dollar sign

  • open parenthesis … close parenthesis

  • quote … end quote

  • new paragraph

  • new line

  • colon

  • semicolon

  • cap—to capitalize the next word

  • caps on … caps off—to capitalize the first character of each word

  • all caps—to make the next word all uppercase

  • all caps on … all caps off—to make the enclosed words all uppercase

  • no caps on … no caps off—to make the enclosed words all lowercase

  • no space—to eliminate the space between two words (not available for all languages)

  • no space on … no space off—to run a series of words together (not available for all languages)

  • smiley—to insert :-)

  • frowny—to insert :-(

  • winky—to insert ;-)

  • hash tag

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