Fact · Dictation on phones and tablets

Apple says that on iPhone you place the insertion point in a text field, tap the onscreen keyboard or the field where the dictation key appears, and then speak.

Checked against its source on October 17, 2026

In the source's own words

“Tap on the onscreen keyboard (or in any text field where it appears).”

Dictate text on iPhone, Apple Inc., Apple Support, iPhone User Guide, n.d., Dictate text on iPhone, steps under Dictate text.

What it measures: Apple's steps for starting Dictation on iPhone. The sentence comes after the instruction to tap in a text field to place the insertion point. Apple's article uses an icon in place of the words 'the dictation key', which the text extraction does not show.
What it does not show: The quote covers where Dictation starts, not which apps allow it. When the key is missing, Apple's steps send you to Settings to turn on Enable Dictation, so a missing key points to a settings check.