Why is dictation not working on my iPad?

Apple's iPad pages point to four causes when dictation stops working: the feature is switched off, Voice Control has replaced it, your language or region is not covered, or the microphone is blocked. Start with the switch, because it takes seconds to check. Each cause below comes from Apple's iPad pages, and each has a fix you can try in order.

Turn on Enable Dictation first

Dictation is switched on in one place on an iPad. Open Settings, tap General, then tap Keyboard, and turn on Enable Dictation ¹. If the dictation key does not appear on your keyboard, Apple gives the same route as the fix ².

Once the switch is on, place the cursor in a text field and tap the onscreen keyboard or the dictation key where it appears.

Voice Control replaces standard dictation

Voice Control is the second cause to check. Apple says that while Voice Control is on, you dictate with Voice Control, and standard iPadOS Dictation is not available ³. A dictation key that seems to have vanished can mean Voice Control has taken over the feature. Turn Voice Control off in its settings if you want standard dictation back. The Voice Control glossary entry explains the difference between the two features.

Check your language and region

Apple says dictation on iPad may not be available in all languages or in all countries or regions, and that features may vary ⁴. If the switch is on and the key still does nothing, check that your language and region are covered. Apple does not list which languages run without a connection, so if dictation fails offline in one language, connect to the internet and try again to see whether that is the cause. Treat that test as a check, not a rule Apple states.

Clean the microphone and remove the case

If the settings are correct, check the hardware. Apple's first sound steps for an iPad are to check the volume and remove any screen protector, film or case ⁵. A thick case can cover the microphone openings, and a film can block them.

Then check the speaker and microphone openings for debris ⁶. Apple lists this as a quick troubleshooting step for sound problems. The same microphone records your speech, so debris there may also affect dictation. That link is our inference, not Apple's.

Dictation may stop by itself, which is not a fault

Sometimes dictation stops after you have started speaking. That is the feature's silence timeout. Apple says iPad dictation stops automatically after 30 seconds of silence ⁷. Tap the dictation key again to continue. If it stops before you have paused for 30 seconds, work through the steps above.

If a keyboard is attached, use the Shortcuts bar

With a Magic Keyboard or a Smart Keyboard, the onscreen dictation key may not be the route you expect. Apple says that with an external keyboard you tap the Dictation button in the Shortcuts bar at the bottom of the screen, then speak ⁸. If you cannot find the button, check the Shortcuts bar before you assume the feature is broken.

What to do if none of these fixes works

1. Confirm Enable Dictation is on in Settings, General, Keyboard.
2. Turn off Voice Control if it is on.
3. Confirm your language and region are covered, and test once with a connection.
4. Remove the case or film, and clean the speaker and microphone openings.
5. Restart the iPad, then try dictation in a simple note.
6. If it still fails, contact Apple Support.

This list covers the causes Apple's iPad pages name. We did not find an Apple article that lists every possible failure, so a problem that survives all six steps needs Apple's help rather than a guess.

For the full set of iPad steps, read our guide to dictation on iPad and Android tablets. For the iPhone version of the same checks, see why dictation is greyed out on an iPhone and our guide to iPhone dictation that is not working. The wider overview of dictation on phones and tablets covers the other devices. If your problem is Word rather than the iPad itself, see dictating in Word on a phone or iPad.