Fix text not pasting after dictation

Last updated: September 10, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android

If Flow transcribes your speech but text doesn't appear, pastes old clipboard contents, or only works in some apps, start here. Most issues resolve in under 2 minutes.

Note: On Mac and Windows, Flow temporarily uses your clipboard and restores your previous contents after a successful paste. If paste fails, your dictated text stays on the clipboard for Cmd+V / Ctrl+V, previous contents are not restored, and Flow shows a "select a text box and copy your message" notification.

Quick checks

  • Is there a blinking cursor? Flow needs an active text field — click inside one before dictating.

  • Did Flow show a "Click a textbox and use [shortcut] to paste" notification? Click into a text field and press Ctrl+Cmd+V (Mac) or Shift+Alt+Z (Windows); Cmd+V / Ctrl+V also works.

  • Does manual paste work anywhere? Press Cmd+V (Mac) or Ctrl+V (Windows) in any text field. If text appears, auto-paste didn't trigger — continue below. If nothing pastes, the problem is system-level, not Flow.

How to fix this

Mac

  1. Paste your last transcript with Ctrl+Cmd+V, or click the Wispr Flow mic icon in your menu bar (near the clock) and select Paste last transcript. Copy last transcript in the same menu copies without pasting.

  2. Grant Accessibility permission:

    1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.

    2. Find Wispr Flow and toggle it on. If it's already on, toggle it off and back on.

  3. Test in Notes by dictating a short phrase. If text appears in Notes but not your target app, that app is blocking paste.

  4. Restart the target app: quit it with Cmd+Q, reopen it, click inside a text field, and dictate again.

  5. Restart Flow: press Cmd+Q to fully quit, then reopen and dictate a short phrase. If text pastes, you're done.

Note: Virtualization, remote desktop, and enterprise security products can block clipboard access — see the Remote desktops section below.

Windows

  1. Paste your last transcript with Shift+Alt+Z, or open the system tray menu and select Paste last transcript.

  2. Check app-specific paste shortcuts. Terminals (Command Prompt, PowerShell) and some IDEs paste with Ctrl+Shift+V or right-click; there, use Paste last transcript or paste manually.

  3. Change your dictation shortcut if another app conflicts: Flow Settings → General → Shortcuts → Change.

  4. Update Flow by opening it and checking for updates.

  5. Test in Notepad by dictating a short phrase. If text appears there but not in your target app, that app may block clipboard access.

  6. Restart Flow: right-click the Flow icon in the system tray, select Quit, then reopen and dictate a short phrase. If text pastes, you're done.

Note: Remote desktop and virtualization products can block clipboard access — see the Remote desktops section below.

iOS

On iOS, Flow works as a keyboard: text appears directly in the text field without using the clipboard.

  1. Select the Flow Keyboard: tap the globe icon and choose Wispr Flow. It must be active when you dictate.

  2. Grant Full Access in Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Wispr Flow → Allow Full Access, then dictate again. No relaunch is needed.

  3. Grant Microphone access if prompted. Both Full Access and Microphone are required.

  4. Keep the Flow Keyboard visible until your text appears — dismissing it during processing can lose the transcript.

  5. Test in Notes. Some apps (banking, corporate, password managers) block third-party keyboards; dictate into Notes, then copy and paste into your target app.

  6. Restart the app and Flow: force quit both, reopen, and dictate a short phrase. If text appears, you're done.

Note: If Flow inserts text in the wrong place, undo removes exactly the inserted text — shake to undo, Cmd-Z on an external keyboard, or Edit ▸ Undo. In numeric, phone, decimal, email-address, and similar specialized fields, the Flow Keyboard switches to your previous keyboard; some apps disable automatic switch-back, and Flow shows a notice so you can switch manually. In Notion, multi-line text is inserted line-by-line.

Tip: Four Siri/app intents are available: "Dictate a Flow note" (saves to Flow Notes), "Quick dictation to clipboard", "Toggle Flow on/off", and "Open Flow notes". On iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, iPhone 16, and iPhone 17 models, the Action Button can start and stop Flow.

Android

The Flow Bubble inserts text directly in most chat, social, and productivity apps — including WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram, Teams, Signal, Slack, Discord, Snapchat, Google Messages, Gmail, LINE, WeChat, KakaoTalk, Notion, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Reddit, Claude, and ChatGPT — plus the Google search box. It appears only when a text field is focused and the on-screen keyboard is visible.

  1. Update Flow to the latest version.

  2. Use the Paste button on the Flow Bubble if text doesn't appear automatically, or its copy button plus your keyboard's paste option (long-press the field → Paste). The copy button dismisses itself shortly, so copy promptly.

  3. If the bubble doesn't appear at all, check overlay permission and whether it was snoozed. Dragging the bubble to the bottom target hides it for 10 minutes; shake your phone in a text field to bring it back — this doesn't work in banking apps.

  4. Distinguish error states: "Failed to paste" shows a Paste button, and tapping the Wispr icon dismisses the error while keeping your text on the clipboard. "Failed to transcribe" shows a Retry button that re-runs transcription on the saved audio; tapping the Wispr icon dismisses it and starts a new dictation. "Taking longer than usual. Your audio is saved in the app." means transcription is slow — wait for it to finish.

  5. Reconnect if you're offline: dictation is blocked without a connection. Failed recordings stay in your transcript history with a Retry button.

  6. Test in a notes app. Banking, financial, and certain sensitive apps hide the Flow Bubble for security; dictate into a notes app, then copy and paste.

  7. Re-grant overlay or accessibility permissions if prompted. If Flow loses its accessibility connection, tap the bubble's retry icon to reconnect or its warning triangle to open accessibility settings; you may need to switch back to your app manually.

Note: Flow does not activate in password, phone number, or numeric-only fields, except browser URL/omnibox bars and system notification reply boxes. Direct insertion is unreliable in OEM launcher search, Settings search, system quick-search, and in-call screens, and unsupported in the Chrome address bar and certain banking apps — use the bubble's copy button there. The Google app search box works reliably.

Important: In some apps, dictating with the cursor at the start or middle of an existing draft replaces that draft text. Dictate with the cursor at the end of any existing text.

Remote desktops (Citrix, RDP, VMware Horizon)

Flow runs on your local computer and pastes using your local clipboard, which conflicts with Citrix Workspace, Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDP), VMware Horizon, and other VDI solutions.

  1. Dictate with Flow on your local machine, outside the remote session.

  2. Wait for Flow to transcribe and copy text to your local clipboard.

  3. Paste manually inside the remote session (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V).

Tip: Install Flow on your local computer, not inside the virtual machine, and enable clipboard sharing in your remote desktop settings.

FAQs

Why does Flow paste into the wrong app?

Flow pastes into whichever app is focused when transcription finishes. Click inside your target text field before dictating, and avoid switching windows until text appears.

Can I recover text if paste fails?

Yes. On Mac and Windows, copy the last transcript with Ctrl+Cmd+C (Mac) or Shift+Alt+X (Windows). On Android, Flow attempts delivery to your original field automatically; otherwise tap the copy button on the Flow Bubble. On iOS, use your History in the Flow app.

What happens if I cancel a dictation?

Cancelling via Escape, the cancel button in the status window, or an error stops transcription immediately. Nothing is transcribed or pasted, your clipboard is unchanged, and you can start a new dictation right away.

What is the Scratchpad?

A floating text editor that opens near your cursor with Option+S (Mac) or Win+Alt+S (Windows) for quick capture. It has a Copy button and auto-closes after you paste. It does not show your last transcript — use the paste/copy shortcuts or the menu bar / system tray menu. The Hub also has a separate Scratchpad page, formerly "Notes", with Recents and "Shared with me" tabs.

Why does Flow work in Notes but not my other app?

Some apps block clipboard access or third-party keyboard input, including remote desktops, virtual desktops, banking apps, corporate apps, and password managers. Dictate into Notes and paste into the target app.

Why did iOS show an error instead of my text?

The Flow Keyboard names the cause: microphone access, network, audio engine, transcription, or processing. It shows a word-limit message if you've reached the free weekly limit.

Does Flow handle very long dictations?

Mac and Windows support roughly 6 minutes of continuous recording per session. iOS and Android cap sessions at 5 minutes; on Android a toast warns 1 minute before and the session auto-ends with "Session ended, 5-minute limit reached".

Where is my transcript history? Does it sync across devices?

Transcript history is stored locally on each device and does not sync between your phone and computer. Desktop history lives in the Hub Home page.

Still stuck?

Reach out to our support team if:

  • Flow doesn't paste into any app, including Notes or Notepad.

  • "Paste last transcript" also doesn't work.

  • You've verified permissions and restarted Flow.

Include your platform (Mac, Windows, iOS, or Android), which apps you've tested, and what you've already tried. Most paste issues are resolved in one reply.