Setup Wispr Flow on Android (Android Settings)

Last updated: September 10, 2026

Available on: Android

Just installed Wispr Flow on Android? Grant a few permissions, then confirm dictation works. Most setups take under 3 minutes.

Note: Flow is a floating bubble above your existing keyboard whenever you focus a text field. Keep your usual keyboard and tap the Flow Bubble (or long-press for push-to-talk) to dictate.

Quick checks

  • Is Flow installed? Download Wispr Flow from the Google Play Store.

  • Are you signed in? Open Flow and sign in before configuring system settings.

  • Is your Android version supported? Open Settings → About phone. Flow requires Android 13 or later; on Android 12 or earlier it won't run — stop here.

How to set it up

These permissions let the bubble appear above your apps and insert dictated text into text fields.

Note: The Flow Bubble appears only after onboarding is complete. Onboarding is tracked per signed-in account, so a second account on the same device must complete it again.

  1. Sign in with your Google, Apple, Microsoft, or SSO account in the in-app browser tab, then tap Open Wispr Flow on the confirmation page.

  2. Grant Display Over Other Apps so the bubble can appear above your keyboard. Tap Go to Settings once; Flow detects the grant and returns to the foreground.

  3. Grant Accessibility Service so Flow can insert text into other apps: tap Open settings, enable Wispr Flow in Android's Accessibility Settings, then return to Flow. The bubble appears the next time you tap into a text field.

  4. Choose a privacy option on the Privacy Notice step: Improve the model for everyone (pre-selected) or Don't share data. This controls whether your audio, transcripts, and edits may be used to improve Wispr's AI models.

  5. Grant Microphone when Android prompts you on your first tap of the bubble — tap Allow, then choose "While using the app" or "Only this time." If you denied it, enable Microphone in Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Permissions.

  6. Exempt Flow from battery optimization using the device steps below, or skip it during onboarding. On Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, OnePlus, and Huawei devices, Flow prompts you — tap Allow.

  7. Follow the Picture-in-Picture guide if shown, so onboarding tips display correctly. On devices without PiP support, Flow opens system Settings instead.

  8. Allow Notifications (recommended) so Flow can alert you about word-limit warnings, permission changes, tips, and account updates. See the notifications FAQ below for channel management.

Note: The first tap on Open settings shows a one-time consent screen (Agree / Not now). Not now skips accessibility and proceeds to the Privacy Notice: onboarding finishes, but the bubble won't insert text until you grant accessibility later. Samsung labels the first accessibility step Installed apps; Vivo and Motorola show Wispr Flow. Enabling the Accessibility Shortcut instead of the Accessibility Service shows an Oops, something isn't right screen captioned Make sure this shortcut is turned off.

Some manufacturers require additional steps. Pick your device below.

Google Pixel and stock Android

No manufacturer-specific setup beyond the core permissions above.

  1. Set Wispr Flow's battery usage to Unrestricted in Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Battery.

  2. Open any app with a text field. The Flow Bubble appears above your keyboard.

  3. Tap the bubble (or long-press for push-to-talk) and dictate a short phrase. If text appears in the field, setup is complete.

Samsung (One UI)

One UI's battery manager closes Flow in the background unless you mark it Unrestricted. One UI can also silently turn Flow's accessibility service off; Flow posts a "Wispr Flow needs attention" notification, and a "Flow Bubble reconnected." toast when it recovers.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above (Overlay, Accessibility, Microphone).

  2. Add Wispr Flow to Never sleeping apps via Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → Never sleeping apps.

  3. Set Wispr Flow's battery usage to Unrestricted in Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Battery.

  4. Disable Put unused apps to sleep under Background usage limits.

  5. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO (MIUI / HyperOS)

MIUI and HyperOS require several separate steps for Flow to keep running in the background.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above (Overlay, Accessibility, Microphone).

  2. Tap Allow when Flow prompts you to disable battery optimization; Flow re-prompts if the setting changes. During onboarding these devices instead offer No restrictions / Battery saver (recommended) with an Open settings button.

  3. Enable Autostart for Wispr Flow in Settings → Apps → Manage apps → Wispr Flow → Autostart.

  4. Lock Wispr Flow in Recent Apps (swipe down on the app card).

  5. Set Battery saver to No restrictions on the Battery Details screen for Wispr Flow.

  6. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Warning: Both Autostart and the Battery saver setting are required — skipping either causes Flow to disconnect when you switch apps.

Huawei and Honor

These devices close background apps unless App launch and battery optimization are configured for Flow.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above.

  2. Tap Allow when Flow prompts you to disable battery optimization; Flow re-prompts if the setting changes.

  3. Open Settings → Apps → App launch → Wispr Flow, switch it to Manage manually, and turn on all three toggles (Auto-launch, Secondary launch, Run in background).

  4. Set Wispr Flow's battery optimization to Don't allow.

  5. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Oppo

Oppo devices use a different set of toggles to keep Flow running in the background.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above.

  2. Tap Allow when Flow prompts you to disable battery optimization; Flow re-prompts if the setting changes.

  3. Open Settings → App Management → App List → Wispr Flow and enable Allow Auto-Launch and Allow Background Activity.

  4. Disable power saving mode, or add Wispr Flow to its exceptions.

  5. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

OnePlus

OnePlus devices need battery exemption, App Auto-Launch, and Flow locked in recent apps.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above.

  2. Tap Allow when Flow prompts you to disable battery optimization; Flow re-prompts if the setting changes.

  3. Enable App Auto-Launch for Wispr Flow.

  4. Set Wispr Flow's battery optimization to Don't optimize.

  5. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps so it isn't closed when you swipe it away.

  6. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Motorola / Lenovo

Motorola and Lenovo devices use the same setup: battery exemption plus locking Flow in recent apps.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above.

  2. Set Wispr Flow's battery optimization to Don't optimize.

  3. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps so it isn't closed when you swipe it away.

  4. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Transsion (Tecno, Infinix, itel)

Transsion devices require Autostart and locking Flow in recent apps in addition to battery exemption.

  1. Enable Autostart for Wispr Flow in Settings → Security → Permissions → Autostart.

  2. Complete the core permission steps above.

  3. Set Wispr Flow's battery optimization to Don't optimize.

  4. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps so it isn't closed when you swipe it away.

  5. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Realme

Realme devices need battery exemption and Auto Launch enabled.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above.

  2. Tap Allow when Flow prompts you to disable battery optimization; Flow re-prompts if the setting changes.

  3. Enable Auto Launch and Allow Background Activity for Wispr Flow.

  4. Set Wispr Flow's battery optimization to Not optimized.

  5. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Vivo

Vivo devices need Autostart enabled and Flow locked in recent apps.

  1. Complete the core permission steps above.

  2. Tap Allow when Flow prompts you to disable battery optimization; Flow re-prompts if the setting changes.

  3. Enable Autostart via Settings → More Settings → Applications → Autostart, and toggle Wispr Flow on.

  4. Lock Wispr Flow in recent apps so it isn't closed when you swipe it away.

  5. Test by focusing a text field and tapping the bubble. If dictated text appears, setup is complete.

Important: Without battery exemption, your device may stop Flow in the background, causing it to disconnect mid-dictation or require a manual restart.

FAQs

Why does Flow need accessibility and overlay permissions?

Accessibility lets Flow detect when you focus a text field and insert dictated text; without it the bubble cannot read or write into other apps. Android requires Display Over Other Apps for any app that draws on top of others, which is how the bubble floats over the app you're using.

What does the Flow Bubble's warning triangle or restart icon mean?

A warning triangle means accessibility permission was revoked — tap the bubble to open Flow's accessibility repair screen and re-enable Wispr Flow. A restart icon ("Flow isn't responding") means the service stopped while permission is still granted — tap the bubble to restart Flow. The matching notification opens the repair screen.

What happens if I allow notifications?

Flow sends word-limit warnings, permission changes, tips, and account updates as heads-up notifications. With notifications off or silenced, word-limit alerts appear as a bottom sheet over your current app. Android requires a permanent, non-dismissible "Voice ready" notification while the background microphone and overlay service runs. Manage individual channels — Accessibility Status, Session Limits, Connection Status, and App Feedback — in Settings → Apps → Wispr Flow → Notifications.

Where do I change Flow Bubble size or opacity?

Open Flow and go to Settings. Changes apply immediately, and each screen has a Reset button that restores the default.

  • Flow Bubble Size (Settings → Flow Bubble Size): 0.70×, 0.85×, 1.00× (default), 1.15×, with toggles for Shrink the bubble when not in use, Shrink to a dot, and Shrink the bubble in search fields. The two sub-toggles stay greyed out until Shrink the bubble when not in use is on.

  • Flow Bubble Opacity (Settings → Flow Bubble Opacity): 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% (default), and 100%.

Will Flow work offline?

No. Flow requires an internet connection to transcribe audio. A weak connection may cause delays or failed transcriptions.

Can I use Flow with a Bluetooth headset?

Yes. Flow uses whichever microphone Android has selected as the active input. Connect your headset before tapping the Flow Bubble.

Flow stopped working after my phone closed it in the background — do I need to reinstall?

No. Flow restarts itself at boot, on screen unlock, and after Play Store updates, as long as accessibility remains enabled. If the bubble shows a warning triangle, tap it to re-enable Wispr Flow.

Can I dictate in browser address bars and notification replies?

Yes. The bubble appears in address bars across Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Brave, Samsung Internet, Opera, Vivaldi, DuckDuckGo, Kiwi, UC Browser, Yandex, Chrome Beta/Dev/Canary, Firefox Beta/Nightly, Opera Mini, and generic Chromium browsers; unlisted Chromium forks may not be recognized. It also appears in inline notification reply boxes, such as replying to a WhatsApp message from the notification shade.

Why didn't sign-in return me to Wispr Flow automatically?

Tap Open Wispr Flow on the confirmation page to return to the app. The in-app browser tab then closes automatically.

I see a "Finish signing in" screen when I open Wispr Flow — what does it mean?

The app was closed or restarted before sign-in completed. Tap Try again to resume, or Cancel to start over. If you backed out of the SSO screen partway through, the prompt may offer only Cancel.

The Flow Bubble disappeared — how do I get it back?

The bubble may be snoozed. Dragging it to the drop-target at the bottom of the screen snoozes it for 10 minutes, after which it returns automatically. End the snooze early by shaking the phone with the screen unlocked, or by tapping End snooze now on the Bubble is snoozed card on the Home screen. Cancelling snooze resets the bubble to its default right-edge position. Snooze is unavailable while accessibility needs attention, and is cancelled automatically if accessibility breaks mid-snooze. If the bubble was turned off entirely, the Home screen shows a Flow Bubble Disabled card with a Turn Back On button.

What are the education cards that appear after setup?

Three tip cards cover how to start dictating, how to resize the bubble, and how to snooze the bubble. Dismiss them individually with the X on each card; nothing needs action.

Where can I find past dictations?

Past dictations appear on the Home screen grouped by day under "Today", "Yesterday", or a date header. Copy and Report are buttons on each card; Retry and Delete are under the … (More options) menu. Retry appears only when the original audio file is still on the device, and Delete asks for confirmation — deleted transcripts cannot be recovered. Failed transcripts show the error message or "Transcription failed" and have no Copy action. Transcripts are stored per device and do not sync across devices.

What are the cards on the Flow Home screen?

Home surfaces a card whenever something is missing: We can't hear you (Allow Microphone), Enable Flow bubble on screen (Go to Settings), Flow can't insert text (Go to Settings), Keep Wispr Flow running (Allow), and Flow Bubble Disabled (Turn Back On). With no history, the screen shows "It's quiet here".

Limitations and notes

  • Flow requires Android 13 or later and a device with an accelerometer; devices without one cannot install it. Shake-to-unsnooze works only while the screen is unlocked and the bubble is snoozed, and is blocked in banking apps.

  • Transcription requires an active internet connection. On a weak connection Flow may report that transcription is taking longer than usual; your audio is saved in the app so you can retry from the transcript list.

  • Dictation sessions max out at 5 minutes: a warning appears 1 minute before the limit, then the session ends with a toast and a notification.

  • The Flow Bubble does not appear in password fields, numeric or phone fields, or in banking and financial apps.

  • If a background restart fails, Flow recovers the next time you open the app.

  • Status indicators are never shown during an active dictation, so your recording isn't interrupted.

  • In some apps, Flow copies your text to the clipboard so you can paste it manually instead of inserting it directly.

  • If you open the app via a link while signed out, mid-onboarding, or while an accessibility fix is required, those steps take priority and the link's destination is honored afterward. Unrecognized links open the Home screen.

  • Sign-in opens in an in-app browser tab. If no compatible browser is available, sign-in falls back to a standard browser launch; if all browsers are unavailable, an error screen with a Try again option appears.

  • The Picture-in-Picture onboarding guide is attempted on all devices; where PiP is unsupported, Flow opens system Settings instead.

Still stuck?

Reach out to support if:

  • The Flow Bubble does not appear when you focus a text field after granting all permissions and completing onboarding.

  • Dictation produces no text even after granting microphone permission.

  • You see an error not covered in this guide.

Include your device model, Android version, and the step where you got stuck. Most setup issues are resolved in one reply.