The Subtle keyboard shows banners when dictation can't proceed. Here's what each one means and the fastest fix.
"Launch app to continue"
What it means: The Subtle keyboard extension needs the main Subtle app to be running (or recently launched) in the background to process dictation. If the app was fully closed or hasn't been opened in a while, this banner appears.
Fix:
- Open the Subtle app. Wait until the Home feed loads — this re-establishes the connection.
- Go back to your target app and try dictation again.
Prevent it: Briefly open Subtle once after restarting your iPhone before trying to dictate in other apps.
"Voicebuds unavailable"
What it means: The keyboard can't communicate with your Voicebuds — they may be disconnected, out of range, or out of battery.
Fix:
- Open the Subtle app → go to Earbud settings.
- Check the connection status and battery levels.
- If disconnected: place Voicebuds back in the case, close and reopen it near your phone, and wait for them to reconnect.
- If the battery is very low, charge before continuing.
- Retry dictation once Earbud settings shows Voicebuds as connected.
"You're offline"
What it means: Your iPhone has no internet connection. Cloud-based transcription and AI features are unavailable.
Fix:
- Check your Wi-Fi or cellular connection in iPhone Settings.
- Toggle airplane mode off if it's on.
- Once reconnected, return to your app and retry dictation.
See Offline mode: what works and what doesn't for details on what you can still do without a connection.
Banner appears but doesn't go away
If a banner persists after following the fix: force-close the Subtle app, reopen it, wait for Home to load, then retry. If the problem continues, contact support@subtle.co with a screenshot of the banner and your app version.