The Subtle keyboard puts voice dictation one tap away in every app — Messages, Mail, Safari, anywhere you can type.
Switch to the Subtle keyboard
With any text field open, touch and hold the globe on your keyboard and choose Subtle. (Not listed? Finish Set up the Subtle keyboard first.)
Dictate
- Tap where you want text.
- Hold the mic button on the Subtle keyboard.
- Speak — or whisper. You'll see a waveform while Subtle listens.
- Release. Your words appear at your cursor.
You can keep typing normally between dictations — it's a full keyboard with suggestions, and Undo / Redo buttons sit in the toolbar if a dictation didn't land the way you wanted.
What the toolbar is telling you
The strip above the keys doubles as a status line:
| You see | It means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Mic button | Ready — hold it to dictate | |
| "Enable Subtle dictation" | The keyboard needs Full Access | Tap it and follow the walkthrough |
| "Sign in to use Subtle dictation" | You're signed out of the Subtle app | Open the app and sign in |
| "Open Subtle to enable dictation" | No active membership linked yet | Open the app; claim your Voicebuds or sign in |
| "Connecting to server..." | No connection to Subtle yet | Give it a moment; check your internet |
| "Enable microphone access to dictate" | Phone-mic dictation needs mic permission | Settings → Subtle → Microphone |
| Waveform | Recording | Release to insert |
| "Recording saved" + retry | Delivery failed — the audio is safe | Tap retry; nothing is lost |
Full list with fixes: Keyboard error messages: what they mean and how to fix them.
With or without Voicebuds
- Voicebuds connected: dictation uses the in-ear microphones — whisper quietly anywhere. See Whisper dictation.
- No Voicebuds: the mic button still works using your iPhone's microphone — speak at a normal volume. Some starts need the Subtle app opened first; the button takes you there. See Dictating without your Voicebuds.
Tips
- Dictate in full phrases; pause, then release — don't release mid-thought.
- A Live Activity shows your dictation session on the Lock Screen while it runs.
- If the text lands in the wrong field, tap the right field first — insertion follows your cursor.
- Inside the Subtle app itself, text fields use the system keyboard — custom keyboards are blocked there by design.