If your dictation is frequently inaccurate, these steps address the most common causes.
Step 1 — Check your earbud fit
A loose earbud dramatically reduces mic pickup quality. Before anything else, reseat your Voicebuds and try a different ear tip size if needed. See Fit and comfort: choosing the right ear tips.
Step 2 — Review your speaking style
- Speak at a natural, steady pace — not rushed, not exaggerated
- Use short phrases with brief natural pauses between sentences
- Avoid trailing off or mumbling at the end of words or sentences
- Spell out acronyms, proper nouns, and technical terms if accuracy is critical
Step 3 — Check your environment
- Background noise, music, and other voices all degrade accuracy
- Wind noise outdoors is particularly problematic — cup your hand or find shelter
- A slow or unstable internet connection can also reduce cloud transcription quality
Step 4 — Restart the app
If accuracy suddenly drops without an environmental change, force-close and reopen Subtle. This refreshes the audio session.
Step 5 — Check for firmware updates
Firmware updates sometimes improve audio processing. Open Earbud settings → About to check for available updates.
Set realistic expectations
No voice transcription system is 100% accurate. Subtle's Terms of Use require you to review transcripts and AI outputs before relying on them. Names, numbers, and domain-specific terms are particularly prone to errors.
Contact support
If accuracy is consistently poor even in ideal conditions, email support@subtle.co with a short screen recording showing a spoken phrase and the resulting transcript.