How to enable voice typing on Android

On most Android phones, voice typing is already inside the keyboard. You do not need a separate recorder: open a text box, tap the microphone on Gboard, and speak. If the microphone is missing, the setting or its permission is usually turned off.

Turn on Gboard voice typing

1. Open an app with a text field, such as Messages, Gmail, or Keep.
2. Tap the text field to open Gboard.
3. Tap the gear icon. If it is hidden, tap the four-square menu first.
4. Open Voice typing and turn on Voice typing.
5. Return to the text field, tap the microphone, and start speaking.

Google's own instructions describe the same basic flow: tap a place where you can type, tap the keyboard microphone, and wait for "Speak now." The button may sit in Gboard's top toolbar rather than beside the letters. See Google's voice-typing guide for the current Gboard controls.

If the microphone button is missing

First, check the Voice typing switch above. Then open Android Settings, go to Apps → Gboard → Permissions → Microphone, and choose Allow only while using the app. Menu names vary slightly by phone maker, but the permission always belongs to Gboard.

Android 12 and later also have a phone-wide microphone control in Quick Settings. Swipe down twice and make sure Microphone accessis not disabled. That control overrides the permission you gave Gboard; Google explains it in its Android microphone controls guide.

Standard voice typing versus advanced voice typing

Standard Gboard voice typing works on a broad range of Android phones. Advanced voice typing is different: Google limits it to Pixel 6 and newer devices, including Pixel Fold and Tablet. It adds automatic punctuation, voice commands such as "delete last word," and the ability to keep typing while the microphone stays on.

On a supported Pixel, open Gboard Settings → Voice typingand turn on Advanced voice typing features. If the switch is unavailable, make sure the phone's primary language and Gboard's primary language match. Google currently lists English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish for the advanced mode. Its advanced voice typing documentation has the device and language requirements.

Change the voice-typing language

Add the language to Gboard first, then switch keyboards by holding the space bar or tapping the globe. Standard voice typing supports many languages, but not every Gboard language has speech recognition. On a supported Pixel, advanced voice typing can automatically switch among its supported languages when more than one is enabled.

What Gboard will and will not clean up

Standard voice typing mainly transcribes what you say. Commands such as "comma," "new line," and "question mark" can add formatting, but a rambling sentence generally stays rambling. Detailed voice edits require a Pixel 8 or newer and English (US).

Pixel 11-series devices also have Gboard's Rambler mode, which removes filler words, formats grammar and punctuation, and accepts natural rewrite commands. Google documents the current requirements in its Rambler guide. On other Android phones, compare the best voice typing apps for Android if you want that cleanup across apps. If the microphone is visible but nothing happens when you tap it, continue with the Gboard troubleshooting guide.