Why your dictation was cancelled: tap vs. hold and interrupted starts

Last updated: September 22, 2026

Available on: Mac and Windows

If Flow seems to start but no text appears, the dictation was dismissed before any audio was captured. A short notification tells you whether to change how you hold the shortcut or simply try again.

What each message means

Notification

Why you see it

What to do

Don't tap. Hold down {shortcut}

You tapped the shortcut, or released it before the microphone finished starting.

Press and hold the shortcut for the whole phrase, then release.

Dictation cancelled

Another key was pressed while the dictation was starting.

Hold only your dictation shortcut, with no other keys, and try again.

Max duration reached

A recording ran long enough for Flow to stop it automatically.

Nothing — Flow transcribes what you said, pastes it, and saves it in History.

How often these reminders appear

The hold-don't-tap nudge appears at most once an hour, so it returns if the same thing happens on a later day. The silent "Dictation cancelled" message appears at most once a minute, so a run of mistaken presses produces one reminder rather than a stream.

Turning the reminders off

"Dictation cancelled" belongs to the Tips & Suggestions notification category; turn that category off in Flow's notification settings to stop it. The max duration notification is not in that category and continues to appear.

Dictating without dropped attempts

  1. Press and hold your dictation shortcut — don't tap it.

  2. Wait for the Flow bar to show that recording has started, then speak.

  3. Keep other keys clear while the dictation starts, including modifiers and typing.

  4. Release the shortcut when you finish speaking. Your text is inserted where your cursor is.

FAQs

I got a notification but no text — was my audio lost?

Dictations dropped at the start end before any usable audio is captured, so there is nothing to recover. Dictate again.

Can I dictate again straight away?

Yes. A dropped dictation returns Flow to idle immediately, so you can press and hold the shortcut again right away.

What happens if I stop just before the limit?

Your stop is honoured: Flow finishes the recording, transcribes it and pastes your text as usual.

Still stuck?

Contact support if:

  • You hold the shortcut correctly and dictations still end with no text.

  • A long dictation ends without pasting your text.

Include your platform, the shortcut you use, and the exact notification you saw.