If tapping the mic does nothing, or dictation starts but captures no audio, work through these steps.
Check microphone permission
- Open iPhone Settings → Subtle.
- Confirm Microphone is toggled ON.
- If it was off: enable it, return to Subtle, and retry.
Check Speech Recognition permission
- In iPhone Settings → Subtle, also confirm Speech Recognition is ON.
- Both Microphone and Speech Recognition are required for dictation to work.
Restart the Subtle app
Force-close Subtle (swipe up in the app switcher), reopen, and retry dictation.
Check Voicebuds connection
Open Earbud settings in Subtle. If Voicebuds show as disconnected, reconnect them before dictating. Some dictation modes require an active Voicebuds connection.
Test with the native iOS mic
Try using iOS's built-in dictation (the mic key on the standard iOS keyboard). If that also fails, the issue may be at the iOS level — try restarting your iPhone.
Contact support
Email support@subtle.co with: iOS version, Subtle app version, a screenshot of the permissions in Settings → Subtle, and whether iOS native dictation works.