8 Easiest Ways to Fix iPhone Speech to Text Not Working

Why Is My iPhone Speech to Text Not Working?

It can be frustrating to meet the issue of iPhone speech to text not working, which can affect your ability to conveniently convert spoken words into text. Here are some common reasons why the iPhone speech-to-text feature doesn’t work:

Network Connection Issues: An insufficient or unstable Internet connection may prevent the speech-to-text feature from functioning, as this feature typically relies on cloud-based processing.
Microphone Problems: If the microphone on your iPhone is damaged, your iPhone may have difficulty accurately capturing your voice, which can affect speech-to-text performance.
Software Glitches: Software bugs or malfunctions within iOS can disrupt various features, including speech-to-text.
Language Settings: Incorrect language settings may result in inaccurate speech-to-text conversion.
Background Noise Interference: Excessive background noise during voice input may cause the speech-to-text feature to be misinterpreted.

How to Fix iPhone Speech to Text Not Working - 8 Easy Ways

By considering these potential causes, you can follow this section to systematically troubleshoot and fix the “iOS voice to text not working” issue. Please keep reading!

Way 1. Confirm Dictation is Enabled on iPhone

To use the voice input feature on the iPhone keyboard, ensure the dictation feature is activated in Settings. Here is how to check it:

Step 1: Navigate to General in Settings > Access the Keyboard menu.

Step 2: Check the Dictation feature:

• If disabled, turn on the Enable Dictation switch and then disable it.
• If enabled, disable the Dictation feature, and then re-enable it.

Way 2. Verify Siri & Dictation Restrictions

If the dictation button on the iPhone keyboard does not appear, it may be due to a limitation in the Siri & Dictation feature. To resolve this issue, you need to:

Step 1: Launch Settings on your iPhone > Access Screen Time and proceed by the Content & Privacy Restrictions option.

Step 2: Select Allowed Apps > Turn off the toggle next to the Siri & Dictation option.

Way 3. Verify and Activate Dictation Language

For Apple Keyboard’s speech-to-text to function seamlessly, the supported languages must be enabled in keyboard settings. If Dictation isn’t cooperating with your chosen language, it might need a little configuring.

Step 1: Navigate to Settings > General > Keyboard on your iPhone > Select Keyboards and confirm if your desired Dictation language is added.

Step 2: If missing, tap Add New Keyboard > Choose the Keyboard (language) you desire and tap Done.

After that, go to Settings > General > Keyboard. Then, tap Dictation Languages and confirm your preferred Dictation language is selected.

Way 4. Examine Microphone Issues

Why is my talk to text not working? The culprit may be an issue with the microphone. To test and fix this issue, you can record audio in another app ( like Voice Memos). If the playback is silent, investigate for a rogue Bluetooth connection. A quick remedy is to disable Bluetooth (Go to Settings > Bluetooth).

Way 5. Disable Low Power Mode

The issue of speech to text not working on iPhone may be due to the activation of low power mode. Resolve this issue by turning off the low power mode and assessing the feature.

Navigate to Settings, and select Battery on your iPhone > Switch off the toggle next to Low Power Mode.

Alternatively, you can access the Control Center and disable low power mode if the corresponding button is included in your Control Center settings. Thus, you may fix some iPhone issues including iPhone dim on full brightness, iPhone speech to text not working, etc..

Way 6. Use the Default Apple Keyword

Although third-party keyboards like Grammarly, Gboard, etc., support the Dictation feature, occasional errors may arise on their end. To troubleshoot this, switch to the default Apple keyboard and observe whether Dictation resumes functionality.

Way 7. Keep iPhone Software Up to Data

Occasionally, the speech to text not working issue may stem from a bug in the existing iOS version. Rectify this by ensuring your iOS is updated to the latest version. Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is accessible, select Download and Install to initiate the installation process.

Way 8. Reset All Settings

If all the above ways to fix the problem of speech to text not working on your iPhone prove futile, consider a full reset of your iPhone settings. This action will reset various parameters, including permissions and Wi-Fi configuration, to their original defaults.

Step 1: Open the Settings app, and scroll down to access the General section.

Step 2: Find and select the Transfer or Reset iPhone option > Choose Reset and then tap Reset All Settings.

Step 3: Input your iPhone’s passcode, and after confirmation, tap Reset All Settings once more to finalize the restoration to factory default settings.

Bonus: Backup iPhone Before Fixing Speech to Text Not Working

Before fixing the issue of iPhone speech to text not working (especially resetting all settings on the iPhone), you’d better back up your iPhone to avoid any data loss. For Apple lovers, the simple and straightforward way is to use iCloud to make an iPhone backup. However, some user have reported that their iPhone won’t backup to iCloud due to a poor network connection or insufficient storage space.

If you are looking for a fast and easy way to back up your iPhone, FoneTool is strongly recommended. It is a safe and reliable iOS backup Tool that does not require WIFI or cellular data. With FoneTool, you can make a full or selective backup of your iPhone. Here is a full guide on how to make a full iPhone backup using FoneTool:

Step 1: Free download and install FoneTool on your PC > Connect your iPhone to your Windows PC with a USB cable.

Step 2: Begin by selecting Phone Backup on the home page > Hover over Full Backup and initiate the process by clicking Get Started.

Step 3: Encrypt backup for iPhone by enabling backup encryption > Choose a designated storage location for the backup and click Start Backup.

The Bottom Line

While The Speech to Text feature on iOS 16/17 is a noteworthy addition, some users have reported the issue of iPhone speech to text not working. In this post, there are 8 easy and effective ways, and you can try them one by one to fix this issue. Most importantly, it’s vital for you to make a full iPhone backup before trying these fixes, as you may easily lose your important files during the fixing process.

FoneTool is an excellant iPhone backup and transfer tool that can help you back up your iPhone easily and allow you to one-click transfer iPhone to iPhone without iCloud. What are you waiting for? Download and use FoneTool right now!