Starting Your First Dictation on Android

Last updated: August 31, 2026

Available on: Android 13 and later

Tap into any text field, tap the Flow Bubble, and speak — your words appear as text in any app. First dictation takes about 30 seconds, plus device-specific setup on some Android phones.

Quick checks

  • Is the on-screen keyboard open? The Flow Bubble only appears once the keyboard opens.

  • Is Flow up to date? Below the minimum supported version, the app blocks usage until you update from the Play Store.

  • Which manufacturer made your phone? Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, OPPO, Vivo, Realme, Huawei, Honor, and Motorola devices need extra permissions — see Device-specific setup. On Pixel and other stock Android devices, a missing bubble is almost always accessibility permission — see the FAQs.

How to start your first dictation

  1. Tap into any text field — Messages, WhatsApp, Gmail, Notes, or anywhere you type — so the on-screen keyboard opens.

  2. Look for the Flow Bubble along the left or right edge of the screen. If it isn't there, go to Device-specific setup.

  3. Tap the Flow Bubble to start recording.

  4. Speak at a natural pace. Flow adds punctuation and formatting automatically.

  5. Tap the checkmark to insert your text. When your words appear in the field, you're done — the transcript is also saved as a card in the Wispr Flow app.

Note: A warning triangle on the bubble means accessibility permission was revoked — tap it to open the repair screen and re-enable Flow. A retry icon means Flow stopped responding — tap it to reconnect. A spinner means Flow is reconnecting on its own and becomes tappable after about a minute.

Tip: Flow inserts text directly into the focused field in most apps; if insertion fails it copies your text to the clipboard and shows a Paste action on the bubble.

Where the Flow Bubble appears

  • In-app text fields: Messages, WhatsApp, Gmail, Notes, and most apps where you can type.

  • Notification reply boxes: Inline reply fields in the notification shade, such as replying to a WhatsApp message.

  • Browser address bars: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Samsung Internet, Opera, and other major browsers, for dictating URLs or search queries.

Note: The bubble does not appear in password, PIN, or numeric-only fields, is disabled in banking and financial apps for security, and requires the on-screen keyboard to be visible.

Device-specific setup

Some Android manufacturers restrict background apps aggressively, which stops the Flow Bubble from appearing. After completing the steps for your device, the bubble appears whenever the on-screen keyboard opens.

Note: Flow restarts itself after a reboot or app update and the bubble returns, as long as accessibility is still enabled. If you force-stop Wispr Flow, Android blocks that restart — open the app once to bring the bubble back. On OnePlus, Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO, Vivo, and Samsung devices, the system may silently revoke Flow's accessibility permission; the bubble then shows a warning triangle and you'll get a notification — tap either to re-enable Flow.

Pixel / stock Android

Usually one battery setting is all that's needed:

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Battery.

  2. Set battery usage to Unrestricted.

  3. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

Samsung

Keep Flow running in the background:

  1. Open Settings → Battery → Background usage limits.

  2. Add Wispr Flow to "Never sleeping apps."

  3. Disable "Put unused apps to sleep" in Battery settings.

  4. Open Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Battery and set it to Unrestricted.

  5. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO

Follow the on-screen accessibility setup, including any extra confirmation prompts, then:

  1. Enable autostart for Wispr Flow.

  2. Add Wispr Flow to the battery saver exemption list (set to No restrictions).

  3. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps.

  4. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

Vivo

Grant the battery exemption when Flow prompts you during setup, then:

  1. Open Settings → More Settings → Applications → Autostart.

  2. Enable Wispr Flow.

  3. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps (swipe down on the app card).

  4. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

Transsion (Tecno / Infinix / itel)

Enable autostart and disable battery optimization:

  1. Open Security → Permissions → Autostart and enable Wispr Flow.

  2. Open Settings → Battery → Battery optimization and set Wispr Flow to Don't optimize.

  3. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps.

  4. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

Motorola / Lenovo

Disable battery optimization for Flow:

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Special app access → Battery optimization.

  2. Set Wispr Flow to Don't optimize.

  3. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps (swipe down on the app card).

  4. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

OPPO

Complete all of the following:

  1. Enable Auto-Launch for Wispr Flow.

  2. Allow Background Activity for Wispr Flow.

  3. Add Wispr Flow to the power saving exception list.

  4. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

Realme

Complete all of the following:

  1. Set battery optimization for Wispr Flow to Not optimized.

  2. Enable Auto Launch for Wispr Flow.

  3. Allow background activity for Wispr Flow.

  4. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

OnePlus

Complete all of the following:

  1. Disable battery optimization for Wispr Flow.

  2. Enable App Auto-Launch for Wispr Flow.

  3. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps.

  4. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

Huawei / Honor

Honor devices follow the same steps as Huawei:

  1. Open Settings → Apps → App launch → Wispr Flow.

  2. Set Wispr Flow to Manage manually and enable all three toggles.

  3. Open Settings → Apps → Special access → Battery optimization.

  4. Set Wispr Flow to Don't allow.

  5. Open any text field. If the Flow Bubble appears at the edge of your screen, you're done.

FAQs

What's the difference between Tap Mode and Hold Mode?

Tap Mode: Tap the bubble once to start recording, then tap the checkmark — or wait for transcription to finish — to insert your text. Best for longer dictations.

Hold Mode (Push-to-Talk): Press and hold the bubble to record, release to insert. Best for quick messages. A cancel X appears shortly after transcribing starts, returning you to idle while transcription finishes in the background.

The bubble appears but nothing happens when I tap it

Open Settings → Accessibility → Wispr Flow, turn Use Wispr Flow on and the Wispr Flow shortcut off. A gray bubble means the device is offline. Restart your phone if the bubble still doesn't respond.

The bubble doesn't appear in a specific app

Update the app to its latest version. See Where the Flow Bubble appears for the field types and app categories where the bubble is intentionally disabled.

I just finished onboarding but I don't see the Flow Bubble

Tap into a text field so the on-screen keyboard opens — the bubble appears at the edge of the screen.

Can I move or snooze the Flow Bubble?

Yes. Drag the bubble anywhere on screen — it snaps to the nearest edge, and vertical position is preserved across rotations. In Hold Mode, you can drag it while dictating.

With a text field focused and the bubble in its Ready state, drag it to the snooze target near the bottom center of the screen to snooze for 10 minutes. Snooze can't be started while the bubble shows a repair state, and it ends automatically if the accessibility service breaks. When snooze ends, the bubble returns to its default position docked on the right. To wake it early, shake your phone or tap the "End snooze now" card on the home screen.

How do I change the Flow Bubble size?

Open the side navigation drawer → Settings → Flow Bubble Size. The slider offers four preset sizes and a Reset button; the default is the second-smallest preset.

Shrink the bubble when not in use minimizes the bubble after a short period of inactivity — tap it to restore it and start recording immediately. Enabling it unlocks two sub-options, Shrink to a dot and Shrink the bubble in search fields (which takes effect with no delay). All three are off by default.

My dictated text isn't being inserted

Make sure the target text field is still active and Wispr Flow has accessibility permission (Settings → Accessibility → Wispr Flow). If insertion still fails after retries, Flow copies your text to the clipboard and shows a Paste button on the bubble — tap it, or long-press the field and tap Paste.

Why did Flow ask for notification permission during setup?

Notifications deliver getting-started reminders and tips plus important alerts, such as the Flow Bubble losing its connection. If you skipped this during onboarding, enable it in Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Notifications.

Why did a failed transcript card only show Retry and Delete?

Failed transcriptions can only be retried or deleted from the transcript card. Normal cards offer copy and report options.

What happens if my dictation reaches the 5-minute limit?

You'll get a warning about a minute before the cap. At the cap, Flow submits your audio for transcription automatically. Tap the Flow Bubble again to start a new dictation.

Can I use Flow offline?

No — dictation requires an internet connection. Offline, the bubble turns gray and tapping or holding it shows an offline message. If the network degrades mid-session, Flow shows "Taking longer than usual. Your audio is saved in the app." If transcription fails, you'll see "Failed to transcribe. Saved in the app." and a Retry button on the bubble; you can also retry from your transcript history in the app.

I see a warning card about permissions on the home screen

Cards such as "We can't hear you," "Enable Flow bubble on screen," "Flow can't insert text," "Keep Wispr Flow running," "Bubble is snoozed," "Flow Bubble Disabled" (with Turn Back On), and "Flow isn't responding" (with Restart Flow) indicate a missing permission or service state. Tap the card to be guided through it; the home screen re-checks permissions when you return and clears the warning.

What happens if I revoke microphone permission on Android 14+?

The bubble stays visible, but recording is disabled until you re-grant it. Open Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Permissions → Microphone and set it to Allow.

Where do permission and service alerts appear?

Alerts arrive on the "Accessibility Status" notification channel (Android Settings → Notifications → Wispr Flow). If notifications are denied, Flow shows on-screen messages instead — for example, "Re-enable accessibility for Wispr Flow to keep working." or "Wispr Flow isn't responding. Open the app to restart it."

Limitations and notes

Warning: Deleted transcripts cannot be recovered. Copy anything important before deleting a card.

  • Wispr Flow requires Android 13 or later, and an internet connection for transcription.

  • Dictation sessions are capped at approximately 5 minutes.

  • Dictation start and stop sounds always play on Android — there's no toggle — and follow the system sonification volume.

  • Transcript history is stored locally on your device and does not sync across devices.

  • Subscriptions cannot be purchased in the Android app — plans are managed on the web, and the Android app only displays your plan label.

  • Custom Dictionary, Snippets, and Writing Styles are not yet available on Android.

  • Dictating with the text cursor placed in the middle or at the start of an existing draft can replace that draft text in some apps. For best results, dictate with the cursor at the end of the field or into an empty field.

Still stuck?

Reach out to our support team if:

  • The Flow Bubble doesn't appear after the device-specific setup steps.

  • Dictation consistently fails to transcribe despite a stable internet connection.

  • You see an error message not covered in this guide.

Include your device model, Android version, and the steps you've already tried. Most issues are resolved in one reply.