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Microphone not working / dictation won't start

Updated

If tapping the mic does nothing — or there's no mic to tap — the fix depends on where you're dictating. Start with your situation below.

On a Mac? See Dictate in any app on Mac — this article covers iPhone.

Dictating with the Subtle keyboard

The keyboard tells you what's wrong in the strip above the keys — the message is the diagnosis:

  • "Enable microphone access to dictate" — go to iPhone Settings → Subtle and turn Microphone on.
  • "Connecting to server..." — no connection to Subtle yet; check your internet, open the Subtle app once, then switch back.
  • "Open Subtle to enable dictation" or a button that opens the app — tap it; dictating with the phone mic sometimes needs the app awake first. Turning on the Keyboard dictation switch on the Subtle Home screen keeps it ready.

Every message is covered in Keyboard error messages: what they mean and how to fix them.

Dictating inside the Subtle app (notes and chat)

  • No mic button at all? You're offline — the note and chat mics hide without a connection. Check Wi-Fi or cellular, then look again. See Offline mode: what works and what doesn't.
  • "Unable to Start Recording" — read the message under it:
    • "The microphone is unavailable…" — your Voicebuds aren't connected, or another app is using the microphone. Reconnect the buds (below), or close the other app that's recording (a call, a voice memo) and retry.
    • "Subtle took too long to start the recording…" — usually a slow connection. Check your internet and try again.
    • "…still getting ready" — your Voicebuds or microphone are still starting up. Wait a moment and tap the mic again.

If you're using Voicebuds

  1. Check the Voicebuds icon Voicebuds settings icon in the top-right of the app — a small dot means connected. Tap it to open Voicebuds settings and confirm it says Connected.
  2. If disconnected: put both buds in the case, close the lid, reopen it near your phone, and wait a few seconds.
  3. Connected but your words aren't being picked up? Reseat the buds — a loose fit is the most common cause of missed speech. See Fit and comfort: choosing the right ear tips.

If you're using the phone microphone (no Voicebuds)

  1. iPhone Settings → Subtle → Microphone must be ON.
  2. Speech Recognition (same screen) powers on-device transcription — needed for dictating offline. Turn it on too.
  3. Speak at normal volume, reasonably close to the phone — the phone mic can't hear a whisper the way Voicebuds can.

Still stuck?

  1. Force-close Subtle (swipe up in the app switcher), reopen, retry.
  2. Try iOS's built-in dictation (the mic key on the standard iOS keyboard). If that fails too, the problem is at the iOS level — restart your iPhone.
  3. Email support@subtle.co or submit a request with: where you were dictating (keyboard, note, chat), the exact message you saw, your iOS and Subtle app versions, and whether iOS native dictation works.
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