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    Dictation Setup Helper

    Stop typing — talk. Five-minute setup, plus the punctuation trick most people never learn.

    Pick your device

    Turn it on

    1. 1Settings → General → Keyboard → "Enable Dictation" → ON.
    2. 2When asked, allow it to use the microphone.
    3. 3Tap into any text box (Messages, Notes, Mail).
    4. 4Tap the microphone icon to the left of the spacebar.
    5. 5Speak. Tap done when finished.

    Trigger

    Tap the microphone on the keyboard. Or hold the home button (older iPhones) and ask Siri to write a message for you.

    Say this — get this

    The trick most people never learn: dictation does not auto-punctuate. You speak the punctuation.

    period→.
    comma→,
    question mark→?
    exclamation point→!
    new line→a line break
    new paragraph→a paragraph break
    cap dad→"Dad" (capitalised)
    all caps yes→"YES"

    Tricks worth knowing

    • •iOS 17 and later keep dictation on while you tap to fix words — type, then keep dictating.
    • •Long-press the dictation key for language options if you want Spanish or French.
    • •Speak normally — pause briefly after each sentence. iPhone is good at where to break.

    Related

    Voice Assistant Setup

    Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant.

    Voice Command Cheat Sheet

    All the voice tricks in one place.

    Low-Vision Setup

    Turn the screen into the listener too.

    Quick Tip: dictation is twice as accurate after the first day. Your phone learns your voice.

    Dictation Setup Helper — TekSure