In most cases, Dictation should work right away. However, some errors can occur depending on your device, system settings, language, or network conditions.
Please note that Dictation is available in Screens 5.8.6 or later.
Here are the most common errors and how to resolve them.
Speech recognition access denied
Screens needs access to Speech Recognition to turn your voice into text.
On iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Apps > Screens.
- Make sure Speech Recognition is enabled.
- Make sure Microphone access is also enabled.
On Mac
- Open System Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security > Speech Recognition.
- Make sure Screens is enabled.
- Go to Privacy & Security > Microphone.
- Make sure Screens is enabled.
If Screens does not appear in the list, try using Dictation again so the system can ask for permission.
Microphone access denied
Screens needs access to your device’s microphone to listen to your voice.
On iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to Apps > Screens.
- Make sure Microphone is enabled.
- Make sure Speech Recognition is also enabled.
On Mac
- Open System Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security > Microphone.
- Make sure Screens is enabled.
- Go to Privacy & Security > Speech Recognition.
- Make sure Screens is enabled.
If Screens does not appear in the list, try using Dictation again so the system can ask for permission.
No microphone or input audio device is available
Screens couldn't find a microphone or audio input device to record your voice.
What to check
- Make sure a microphone is connected and powered on
- Go to System Settings > Sound > Input and select the correct device
- Ensure Screens has access in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone
- Quit and reopen Screens after making changes
Speech recognition restricted
Your device is preventing Screens from using Speech Recognition.
This usually happens because of Screen Time restrictions, device management settings, or parental controls.
What to try
- Check Screen Time restrictions.
- If this is a work or school device, contact your administrator.
- Make sure Dictation and Speech Recognition are allowed on your device.
- Restart Screens and try again.
If the restriction is enforced by your organization, Screens cannot override it.
Speech recognizer is currently unavailable
Speech Recognition is currently unavailable on your device.
Dictation in Screens requires iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, or visionOS 26 or later.
What to try
- Make sure your device is running a supported system version.
- Make sure Speech Recognition is enabled in system settings.
- Make sure your device is connected to the internet.
- Restart Screens and try again.
- Restart your device if the issue continues.
This error can also occur temporarily if Apple’s speech recognition service or the local speech recognition system is unavailable.
Speech recognition isn’t available or installed for your language
Speech Recognition may not be available for the language you selected, or the required language support may not be installed on your device.
Apple provides Speech Recognition support for many languages, but not all languages are supported on all devices or system versions.
What to try
- Make sure your device is connected to the internet.
- Try again later so the system can download the required language support.
- Try using another supported language.
- Make sure your device is running the latest available system version.
If Apple does not currently support Speech Recognition for your selected language, Screens cannot enable it on its own.
Audio setup failed
Screens could not configure the audio system required for Dictation.
What to try
- Make sure no other app is currently using the microphone in a way that could interfere.
- Quit and reopen Screens.
- Restart your device if the issue continues.
- Make sure Microphone access is enabled for Screens.
Couldn’t recognize speech
Screens could not start or complete speech recognition.
What to try
- Make sure your device is connected to the internet.
- Try dictating again.
- Speak clearly and close enough to the microphone.
- Make sure the selected language matches the language you are speaking.
- Quit and reopen Screens if the issue continues.
Speech recognition interrupted
Something caused Dictation to stop before it could complete.
This can happen if another app starts using the microphone, the system interrupts audio input, the connection changes, or Dictation is stopped too quickly.
What to try
- Try dictating again.
- Make sure no other app is using the microphone.
- Quit and reopen Screens.
- Restart your device if the issue continues.
No speech detected
Screens could not detect enough speech to turn into text.
What to try
- Try dictating again.
- Speak clearly and close enough to the microphone.
- Make sure your microphone is not muted or blocked.
- Make sure the selected language matches the language you are speaking.
- Avoid background noise when possible.