Dictating in Notification Reply Boxes and Browser Address Bars

Last updated: June 6, 2026

Available on: Android

Reply to messages from your notification shade or dictate URLs and searches straight into your browser's address bar — no need to open the app or tap into a text field first. The Flow Bubble appears in both surfaces automatically.

What it is

The Flow Bubble is the Android floating overlay that appears whenever you focus a supported text field, letting you start dictating right away.

Two surfaces are now supported: inline reply boxes in system notifications (for example, replying to a WhatsApp message from the notification shade) and browser address bars across Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Samsung Internet, and other major Android browsers.

When to use it

Use the Flow Bubble in these surfaces when you want to:

  • Reply to a WhatsApp, SMS, or other app notification straight from the notification shade — without opening the app.

  • Dictate a URL or search query into your browser's address bar.

  • Send a quick reply or run a quick search when your hands are full.

How it works in Flow

Overview

When you tap into a supported field, the Flow Bubble appears automatically. Both surfaces follow the same activation pattern as any other text field — no extra setup.

Key behaviors

  • Notification inline replies: Expand a notification to reveal its reply box, and the Flow Bubble appears so you can dictate your reply. Works on Pixel, Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Asus, and other major Android devices.

  • Browser address bars: Tap the address bar in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, or Samsung Internet, and the Flow Bubble appears. Speak a URL or search phrase and Flow types it in.

  • Chrome and Chromium search boxes: Dictating into the Google search box in Chrome — including the search bar on Google's homepage and Chrome's new tab page — inserts text directly. This works in Chrome stable, Beta, Dev, Canary, and Chromium.

  • Pre-typed text is preserved: If you've already typed something into a notification reply box before activating Flow, that text is kept. Dictated text is inserted at your cursor position.

  • Reliable insertion in messaging apps: Dictated text is reliably inserted into WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Signal, and Slack.

  • No new setup required: If Flow is running, these surfaces activate automatically using the permissions you already granted during initial setup.

Warning: Avoid dictating sensitive information into notification replies. In some notification reply contexts, fields that would otherwise be excluded — such as PIN or password fields — may be reachable.

Examples

Replying to a WhatsApp notification from the notification shade

Scenario: A WhatsApp message appears as a notification and you expand it to see the inline reply box.

What you do: Tap the reply field. When the Flow Bubble appears, activate Flow and say "Sounds good, I'll be there at 7."

Result: Flow types your reply into the notification reply box. Tap Send — no need to open WhatsApp.

Dictating a URL into a Chrome address bar

Scenario: You want to navigate to a website without typing.

What you do: Tap the address bar in Chrome. When the Flow Bubble appears, activate Flow and say "wispr dot ai".

Result: Flow types the URL into the address bar. Press Enter to navigate.

Running a voice search from the browser address bar

Scenario: You want to search the web without switching to a search box.

What you do: Tap the address bar in Firefox or Edge. When the Flow Bubble appears, activate Flow and say "best noise cancelling headphones 2025".

Result: Flow types your search phrase into the address bar. Press Enter to run the search.

Dictating a search into the Google search box in Chrome

Scenario: You open Chrome and want to search Google using the search box on google.com or the new tab page — not the address bar.

What you do: Tap the Google search box. When the Flow Bubble appears, activate Flow and say "best running shoes for beginners".

Result: Flow types your search directly into the search box. Press Enter to run the search.

Common issues

Dictation didn't work in Chrome or Chromium search boxes

In earlier versions of Wispr Flow, dictation could fail to insert text in Chrome and Chromium search boxes (including the Google search bar on google.com and the new tab page). This was fixed in version 2.0.1.

  1. Update Wispr Flow to version 2.0.1 or later from the Play Store.

  2. Restart Flow after updating.

FAQs

Which browsers support the Flow Bubble in the address bar?

Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Samsung Internet, Opera, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo, Kiwi, UC Browser, and Yandex are supported. Browsers not on this list may still work as long as they use a standard URL input field.

Does dictation work in the Google search box in Chrome, not just the address bar?

Yes, as of version 2.0.1. Dictating into the Google search box on google.com and Chrome's new tab page inserts text directly. The Chrome address bar at the top of the browser is a separate field and is also supported.

Which notification reply boxes does this work with?

Any app that provides a standard inline reply box in the system notification shade — such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Signal, and Slack. The Flow Bubble appears when you focus the reply field.

What happens if I've already typed something in the reply box before using Flow?

Your existing text is preserved. If you've placed your cursor inside the existing text, Flow inserts dictated text at the cursor. On the first tap of a notification reply field, before you've moved the cursor, dictated text is appended to the end of any existing draft.

Do I need to change any settings to enable this?

No. If Flow is running, the Flow Bubble appears in these surfaces automatically — using the permissions you granted during initial setup.

The Flow Bubble isn't showing up — what should I check?

Confirm Flow is running, and that the field you're focused on isn't a password, PIN, phone-number, or numeric-only field. If it still doesn't appear, contact support.

What if Flow is paused by my device?

If your device or its battery manager pauses Flow, Flow shows a notification and routes you to an in-app recovery screen the next time you open it. Once Flow reconnects, a "Flow Bubble reconnected" toast appears.

Limitations and notes

  • Address bar support covers Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Samsung Internet, Opera, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo, Kiwi, UC Browser, and Yandex. Browsers that don't use standard URL input fields may not show the Flow Bubble.

  • The Google search box on google.com and Chrome's new tab page is supported across Chrome stable, Beta, Dev, Canary, and Chromium. Requires version 2.0.1 or later.

  • Notification inline reply support is confirmed on Pixel, Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, Vivo, Asus, and other major Android devices. Apps with custom notification UIs may not be supported.

  • The Flow Bubble does not appear in password, PIN, phone-number, or numeric-only fields.

  • The Flow Bubble does not appear in banking or financial apps, regardless of field type. Inside these apps, a toast appears: "Flow Bubble is disabled inside banking apps."

  • These surfaces cover the browser's address bar specifically. Text fields inside web pages — including compose fields like Gmail in Chrome — are handled by Flow's normal text-field support and will generally show the Flow Bubble.

  • Dictation has a built-in time limit: a warning appears at about 4 minutes and dictation stops automatically at about 5 minutes. This applies in notification replies and address bars just as anywhere else.

  • The permissions granted during initial setup must remain enabled. No new permissions are required.