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.
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" — the alert lists the two usual causes: 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.
If you're using Voicebuds
- Check the Voicebuds icon
in the top-right of the app — a small dot means connected. Tap it to open Voicebuds settings and confirm it says Connected.
- If disconnected: put both buds in the case, close the lid, reopen it near your phone, and wait a few seconds.
- 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)
- iPhone Settings → Subtle → Microphone must be ON.
- Speech Recognition (same screen) powers on-device transcription — needed for dictating offline. Turn it on too.
- Speak at normal volume, reasonably close to the phone — the phone mic can't hear a whisper the way Voicebuds can.
Still stuck?
- Force-close Subtle (swipe up in the app switcher), reopen, retry.
- 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.
- 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.