Why is my dictation language not showing on iPhone?

On an iPhone, a dictation language does not appear on its own. It comes with a keyboard. If your language is missing, check three things in this order: whether the keyboard for that language is added, whether Enable Dictation is on, and whether Apple's Dictation list includes that language and region on your version of iOS. The first two are settings on your phone, and the third depends on Apple's list.

Adding a keyboard is what brings a language into Dictation

Apple says you can add keyboards "for writing or using Dictation in different languages" ¹. Dictation then works in that language too, because when you use a keyboard for another language, you can use Dictation in that language as well ².

To add a keyboard, open Settings, tap General, tap Keyboard, then tap Keyboards. Tap Add New Keyboard, and choose a keyboard from the list ³.

Dictation must be turned on before any language appears

On the same Keyboard screen, turn on Enable Dictation, and confirm the prompt if one appears ⁴. Dictation stays off until you do this, so a correct keyboard list alone does not make the language appear.

Apple's Dictation list decides the rest

Apple's iOS and iPadOS feature page lists Dictation by language and region, so one language can appear several times, once for each region ⁵. Apple also says Dictation may not be available in all languages or in all countries or regions ⁶. The entry you need is the one that matches your language and your region.

Here is one example from the page as read on 2026-10-17. Hindi (India) is in the general Dictation list, but it is not in the separate On-Device and Modeless Dictation list ⁷. A language can be on Apple's page without appearing in every Dictation mode. The question on Hindi and Indian languages covers that case in detail.

It depends on your iOS version and your region

Apple's list changes with each iOS release, so an answer that holds for one version may not hold for the next. The list is also split by region. English (India) and English (Australia) are separate entries, and the one you need is the entry for your own language and region ⁵.

Read the on-device list if you need Dictation without a connection. Apple says Dictation is processed on the iPhone in many languages, and that no internet connection is required ⁸. The page does not say how a language on the general list behaves when it is missing from the on-device list, so test it with the network off before you rely on it.

What to check, in order

1. Confirm the keyboard for your language is in the Keyboards list, and add it if it is not.
2. Confirm Enable Dictation is turned on.
3. Confirm your language and region are on Apple's Dictation list for your iOS version.

If all three are right and the language still does not appear, the sources checked for this answer do not name another cause. Contact Apple Support with your iOS version, language and region, and ask why the language is missing. The guide to dictation languages on iPhone and Android covers the same checks alongside the Android side. For the basic setup, see how to use dictation on iPhone, and for wider failures, see iPhone dictation not working.

Two related questions are whether iPhone dictation can use two languages at once and why iPhone dictation types in the wrong language. For the whole subject, see dictation and voice to text on iPhone and Android.