Fact · Dictation on phones and tablets
Android's RecognizerIntent reference says that the default for EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE lets either network or offline engines be used, and that depending on the recognizer implementation these values may have no effect.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“The default is false, meaning that either network or offline recognition engines may be used. Depending on the recognizer implementation, these values may have no effect.”
RecognizerIntent (Android Developers reference), Google, Android Developers, n.d., EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE.
Open the original- What it measures
- Android's developer reference for RecognizerIntent, read on 2026-10-17. EXTRA_PREFER_OFFLINE is an optional boolean for the recognize-speech intent, the flow that opens the system recognizer.
- What it does not show
- The extra is a request to the recognizer, not a guarantee. An app that must keep audio off the network should check for an on-device recognizer instead.