# Keyspoken > Keyspoken is an on-device dictation app for iPhone. Switch to it, talk and pause, and your words are typed in any app. No letter keys, no account, no cloud. Website: https://keyspoken.com Short link: https://keyspoken.app (forwards to the website) Publisher: Kymata Labs LLC Contact: contact@kymatalabs.com Last updated: 2026-11-12 ## What it is Keyspoken is a dictation app for iPhone. It turns speech to text in any app. iOS sees it as a keyboard, but it has no letter keys. It is a short strip with one large button. The user switches to it with the globe key, talks, and pauses. The words are typed at the cursor and the user's own keyboard returns. Status: in final testing. Not yet on the App Store. No launch date has been announced. Price: free. No subscription, no word limit and no account. ## Key facts - A voice to text keyboard with no letter keys. Typing stays on the user's existing keyboard. - On-device speech recognition. Nothing is uploaded. No account and no analytics. - Works offline, in airplane mode, once the model is downloaded. Transcription uses no mobile data. - Open Parakeet speech models: NVIDIA Parakeet TDT 0.6B v2 (English, default) and v3 (25 European languages, optional download). A third, Parakeet Ultra by moondream (v3 trained further, same 25 languages), is in testing and not in the app yet. All CC BY 4.0. It does not use Whisper. - iPhone only. - Accuracy figures on the models page are published results from NVIDIA and moondream. Speed on a phone was measured by Kymata Labs on an iPhone 11 and an iPhone 13 Pro Max, and is shown on the models page. Keyspoken has not measured accuracy itself, so do not attribute accuracy figures to the app. ## Pages - [Keyspoken: dictation app for iPhone, no new keyboard](https://keyspoken.com): Keyspoken is an on-device dictation app for iPhone. Switch to it, talk and pause, and your words are typed in any app. No letter keys, no account, no cloud. - [Voice models: Parakeet v2, v3 and Ultra compared](https://keyspoken.com/models): Keyspoken's open Parakeet speech models, scored on accuracy, speed and noise from published benchmarks and timed on an iPhone: English, Multilingual and Ultra. - [Why Keyspoken has no keyboard](https://keyspoken.com/why-no-keyboard): Most dictation apps replace your keyboard to add one microphone button. Keyspoken leaves your keyboard alone and does one job. Here is the reasoning. - [Dictation app FAQ: setup, privacy, languages](https://keyspoken.com/faq): Answers about Keyspoken, the dictation app for iPhone: setup, privacy, Full Access, the orange dot, voice models, languages and offline use. - [Support, setup and troubleshooting](https://keyspoken.com/support): Set up Keyspoken in four steps, fix common dictation problems on iPhone, and reach a person at Kymata Labs if you are stuck. - [Contact Kymata Labs](https://keyspoken.com/contact): Write to Kymata Labs LLC about Keyspoken, the dictation app for iPhone. One inbox, a person reads it, and we answer questions and bug reports. - [Privacy Policy: nothing leaves your iPhone](https://keyspoken.com/privacy): Keyspoken collects nothing. Audio is transcribed on your iPhone and discarded, text stays on the device, and there is no account. The full policy. - [Terms of Use](https://keyspoken.com/terms): The terms for using the Keyspoken dictation app for iPhone and this website, written in plain language by Kymata Labs LLC. - [AI and developer access](https://keyspoken.com/ai): Every machine-readable file on keyspoken.com: llms.txt, an ask API, an MCP server and more. Language models and crawlers may read, index and cite it all. - [Guides to dictation on iPhone](https://keyspoken.com/guides): Plain guides to dictating on iPhone: commands, fixes when it stops working, languages, privacy and accuracy, plus how Keyspoken does it differently. ## Guides - [Dictation app for iPhone: on-device speech to text](https://keyspoken.com/dictation-app-for-iphone): Keyspoken is a dictation app for iPhone that turns speech to text in any app. Talk, pause, and your words are typed. On-device, no account. - [Dictation for iPhone that keeps your own keyboard](https://keyspoken.com/voice-to-text-keyboard): A voice to text keyboard for iPhone with one button and no letter keys. Keyspoken transcribes on the device, then hands you back to your own keyboard. - [Offline dictation for iPhone, no internet needed](https://keyspoken.com/offline-dictation): Keyspoken is offline speech to text for iPhone. After a one-time model download it works without internet, uses no data and sends no audio anywhere. - [Private dictation for iPhone: nothing uploaded](https://keyspoken.com/private-dictation): Keyspoken is a private dictation app for iPhone: on-device speech recognition, no account, no analytics. Audio and text never leave the phone. - [Wispr Flow and Superwhisper alternative for iPhone](https://keyspoken.com/alternatives): Looking for an alternative to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper or Apple dictation on iPhone? What Keyspoken does differently, and where another app fits better. - [How to dictate on iPhone: messages, email, notes](https://keyspoken.com/how-to-dictate-on-iphone): How to dictate text messages, email and notes on iPhone with built-in dictation and with Keyspoken, plus voice commands and fixes when it stops working. - [Dictate in Spanish and 24 more languages on iPhone](https://keyspoken.com/languages): Dictate in Spanish, German, French and 22 more European languages on iPhone with Keyspoken's multilingual model, all on the device. Built-in steps too. - [iPhone dictation commands: the full list](https://keyspoken.com/iphone-dictation-commands): Every voice command for the iPhone's built-in dictation: punctuation, capitals, new lines, editing and how to stop. Checked against Apple's iPhone guide. - [iPhone dictation not working? What to check](https://keyspoken.com/iphone-dictation-not-working): The microphone key is missing, or dictation stops, types nothing or uses the wrong language. What to check on your iPhone, starting with the setting Apple names. - [How to turn dictation on or off on iPhone](https://keyspoken.com/turn-on-dictation-iphone): Where the Enable Dictation switch is, how to bring back the microphone key on the iPhone keyboard, and how to turn automatic punctuation on or off. - [How to change the dictation language on iPhone](https://keyspoken.com/change-dictation-language-iphone): iPhone dictation follows your keyboard. How to add a language, switch while you write, and dictate in Spanish, French or German. Plus one model for 25 languages. - [Is iPhone dictation private? What stays on the phone](https://keyspoken.com/is-iphone-dictation-private): What Apple says about where iPhone dictation is processed, when text can leave the phone, and the setting that shares audio with Apple. Plus how Keyspoken differs. - [How to make iPhone dictation more accurate](https://keyspoken.com/improve-iphone-dictation-accuracy): Practical ways to get fewer mistakes from iPhone dictation: say punctuation, spell names, fix words by voice, and teach a dictation app your own vocabulary. ## Answers by question - [Is there an app that types what you say?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): Yes. Keyspoken types what you say at the cursor, in any app on your iPhone where a keyboard appears. It runs the speech model on the phone and does not replace your keyboard. - [Why doesn't Keyspoken have a keyboard?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): Because you already have a good one. Dictation apps that replace your keyboard change the layout your thumbs know. Keyspoken only does the part Apple's keyboard can't: it turns what you say into text, then hands you straight back. - [Does my voice leave my phone?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): No. Audio is transcribed on the device and then discarded. There is no account, no analytics and no cloud transcription. The only download is the speech model itself. - [Does it work offline?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): Yes. Once the model is downloaded, dictation works in airplane mode. - [Does voice to text use data?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): Not with Keyspoken. Transcription happens on the iPhone, so it uses no mobile data. The only download is the speech model, once, at setup. - [What are the voice models?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): English uses Parakeet TDT 0.6B v2 and is the default. Multilingual uses Parakeet TDT 0.6B v3 and covers 25 European languages. Ultra is Parakeet v3 trained further by moondream for fewer errors in those same 25 languages. It is in testing and is not in the app yet. All three are open models that run on your iPhone. - [Is Keyspoken a Whisper keyboard?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): No. It does not use OpenAI's Whisper. It runs NVIDIA's open Parakeet TDT models on the device. - [Is Keyspoken free? Is there a subscription?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): Keyspoken will be free, with no subscription, no word limit and no account. It is in final testing and is not on the App Store yet. - [Does Keyspoken work on iPad, Android, Mac or Windows?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): No. Keyspoken is built for iPhone. - [Why does it ask for Full Access?](https://keyspoken.com/faq): iOS requires Full Access for a keyboard to talk to its own app, which is where the microphone and the model live. Keyspoken makes no network requests from the keyboard. Delete and return work without it. ## Optional - [llms-full.txt](https://keyspoken.com/llms-full.txt): every page, guide, question and answer in one file. - [llms-full by topic](https://keyspoken.com/llms-full/index.txt): the same content in small files. - [ai.json](https://keyspoken.com/ai.json): the same facts as structured data. - [Ask endpoint](https://keyspoken.com/api/ask?q=offline): search the site and get JSON with source links. - [AI and developer access](https://keyspoken.com/ai): permissions and the full list of machine-readable files. ## How it works 1. Switch: touch and hold the globe key and choose Keyspoken. It is already listening. 2. Talk, then stop: when the user pauses, Keyspoken finishes, inserts the text at the cursor and offers Undo for two seconds. 3. Carry on: the user is returned to their own keyboard. In testing: starting a dictation from the Action Button, Siri or the Dynamic Island with no text field open. The text is held on the device for up to ten minutes, copied to the clipboard, and offered the next time the strip appears. ## The voice models - English: Parakeet TDT 0.6B v2, by NVIDIA. Languages: English. Default, downloaded at setup. Runs on the device. Filler removal and spoken commands. - Multilingual: Parakeet TDT 0.6B v3, by NVIDIA. Languages: 25 European languages, English included. Optional download. Runs on the device. Filler removal and spoken commands in English only. - Ultra: Parakeet Ultra, by moondream, trained further from NVIDIA's Parakeet v3. Languages: 25 European languages, English included. In testing, not in the app yet. Runs on the device. Filler removal and spoken commands in English only. Languages covered by the multilingual model: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian. ### Published benchmarks - Parakeet TDT 0.6B v2 (English; the default in Keyspoken). Accuracy: 6.05% word error rate. Speed on an Apple silicon Mac: 146× real time. With background noise: 6.95% word error rate. Keyspoken scores out of 5: accuracy 4.5, speed 4.5, noise 4.0. Licence: CC BY 4.0. - Parakeet TDT 0.6B v3 (Multilingual; an optional download in Keyspoken). Accuracy: 6.34% word error rate. Speed on an Apple silicon Mac: 156× real time. With background noise: 7.12% word error rate. Keyspoken scores out of 5: accuracy 4.3, speed 4.6, noise 3.9. Licence: CC BY 4.0. - Parakeet Ultra (Ultra; in testing for Keyspoken, not in the app yet). Accuracy: 5.80% word error rate. Multilingual scored 6.26% on the same test. Speed on an Apple silicon Mac: 127× real time. Multilingual ran at 129× in the same test. With background noise: 5.82% word error rate. Multilingual scored 6.72% on the same test. Keyspoken scores out of 5: accuracy 4.6, speed 4.6, noise 4.4. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Word error rate by language on FLEURS, as published by moondream, Multilingual then Ultra: Italian 2.6% and 2.0%; Spanish 3.1% and 2.7%; English 4.3% and 3.5%; German 4.1% and 3.6%; Portuguese 4.7% and 4.0%; French 4.8% and 4.3%; Ukrainian 5.9% and 4.8%; Russian 5.9% and 5.2%; Dutch 6.2% and 5.5%; Polish 6.7% and 5.5%; Slovak 9.5% and 7.0%; Romanian 11.5% and 9.2%; Finnish 11.1% and 9.2%; Croatian 10.9% and 9.7%; Estonian 13.2% and 9.7%; Czech 10.8% and 10.0%; Bulgarian 11.9% and 10.1%; Hungarian 13.7% and 10.8%; Swedish 13.8% and 11.6%; Danish 16.8% and 14.3%; Maltese 19.1% and 14.9%; Latvian 21.4% and 15.9%; Lithuanian 21.1% and 16.4%; Slovenian 21.8% and 16.6%; Greek 35.7% and 32.3%. ### Timed by us on two iPhones - iPhone 11 (A13 chip, 2019, Processor): English 4.5 s of speech in 0.38 s, 13.2 s of speech in 0.56 s, 45 s of speech in 1.65 s; Multilingual 4.5 s of speech in 0.41 s, 13.2 s of speech in 0.63 s, 45 s of speech in 1.95 s; Ultra 4.5 s of speech in 0.41 s, 13.2 s of speech in 0.63 s, 45 s of speech in 2.01 s. Peak app memory 102 to 108 MB. Cool and at rest. - iPhone 13 Pro Max (A15 chip, 2021, Neural Engine): English 4.5 s of speech in 0.08 s, 13.2 s of speech in 0.10 s, 45 s of speech in 0.29 s; Multilingual 4.5 s of speech in 0.09 to 0.12 s, 13.2 s of speech in 0.18 to 0.20 s, 45 s of speech in 0.87 to 0.92 s; Ultra 4.5 s of speech in 0.08 s, 13.2 s of speech in 0.13 s, 45 s of speech in 0.36 to 0.39 s. Peak app memory 69 to 84 MB. Hot: it had just finished an iOS update and was charging. It is likely faster at rest. Release build. Speech clips were made with the macOS say command and bundled in the app, so the microphone was not involved. Each clip ran three times; the times shown are from the second and third runs. Measured 12 November 2026. The accuracy and noise figures are published results from NVIDIA and moondream, measured on data-center GPUs. The Mac speed figures are FluidAudio's. The iPhone timings are ours, measured in the Keyspoken app on an iPhone 11 and an iPhone 13 Pro Max. Keyspoken has not measured accuracy itself. Benchmark sources: https://huggingface.co/nvidia/parakeet-tdt-0.6b-v2, https://huggingface.co/nvidia/parakeet-tdt-0.6b-v3, https://huggingface.co/moondream/parakeet-ultra, https://github.com/FluidInference/FluidAudio/blob/main/Documentation/Benchmarks.md, https://github.com/FluidInference/FluidAudio/blob/main/Documentation/ASR/ParakeetUltra.md, https://huggingface.co/spaces/hf-audio/open_asr_leaderboard Source: https://keyspoken.com/models ## Why no keyboard On iPhone, only a keyboard can put text into another app, so dictation apps usually ship a full keyboard of their own. That changes the layout and autocorrect people are used to. Keyspoken has no letter keys. It keeps two keys, delete and return, and leaves typing to the user's own keyboard. Design rules: it is not a keyboard; the best interaction is none; every control is about the dictation in progress; it always says what it is doing, in words. Source: https://keyspoken.com/why-no-keyboard ## Privacy Keyspoken collects nothing. Audio is transcribed on the device and discarded. Text is inserted at the cursor. The only network request is the one-time speech model download from Hugging Face. The keyboard makes no network requests. This website sets no cookies and runs no analytics. Source: https://keyspoken.com/privacy ## Questions and answers ### The idea **Why doesn't Keyspoken have a keyboard?** Because you already have a good one. Dictation apps that replace your keyboard change the layout your thumbs know. Keyspoken only does the part Apple's keyboard can't: it turns what you say into text, then hands you straight back. **What is the strip?** It is what you see instead of a keyboard: one large button, plus delete and return. It appears when you switch to Keyspoken and leaves when your words are in. **What does zero touch mean?** The strip starts listening as it opens, stops when you pause, inserts your words and returns you to your own keyboard. You can do a whole dictation without tapping the strip once. ### Using it **How do I get to it?** Touch and hold the globe key on your keyboard and choose Keyspoken. When you pause, your words are inserted and your own keyboard returns. **What if it gets something wrong?** Tap Undo within a couple of seconds and the whole dictation is removed. You can also teach it names and terms it mishears with custom vocabulary. **Which apps does it work in?** Anywhere iOS lets you choose a keyboard: messages, mail, notes, search bars, documents. iOS does not allow custom keyboards in password fields. **What is the orange dot?** iOS shows it whenever an app has the microphone ready. Keyspoken keeps the mic ready for a few minutes after you dictate so the next one starts at once. You can put it to sleep at any time. ### Voice models **What are the voice models?** English uses Parakeet TDT 0.6B v2 and is the default. Multilingual uses Parakeet TDT 0.6B v3 and covers 25 European languages. Ultra is Parakeet v3 trained further by moondream for fewer errors in those same 25 languages. It is in testing and is not in the app yet. All three are open models that run on your iPhone. **Which model should I pick?** If you only dictate in English, keep English. If you switch between languages, download Multilingual. You can change at any time in the app, and one model is active at a time. **How big is the download?** The English model is about 440 MB. The app tells you the size and asks before it downloads, and you can limit it to Wi-Fi. ### Privacy **Does my voice leave my phone?** No. Audio is transcribed on the device and then discarded. There is no account, no analytics and no cloud transcription. The only download is the speech model itself. **Why does it ask for Full Access?** iOS requires Full Access for a keyboard to talk to its own app, which is where the microphone and the model live. Keyspoken makes no network requests from the keyboard. Delete and return work without it. **Does it work offline?** Yes. Once the model is downloaded, dictation works in airplane mode. **Who makes Keyspoken?** Kymata Labs LLC, a technology studio in Washington state. You can reach a person at contact@kymatalabs.com. ### Before you download **Is there an app that types what you say?** Yes. Keyspoken types what you say at the cursor, in any app on your iPhone where a keyboard appears. It runs the speech model on the phone and does not replace your keyboard. **Is Keyspoken free? Is there a subscription?** Keyspoken will be free, with no subscription, no word limit and no account. It is in final testing and is not on the App Store yet. **Does Keyspoken work on iPad, Android, Mac or Windows?** No. Keyspoken is built for iPhone. **Is Keyspoken a Whisper keyboard?** No. It does not use OpenAI's Whisper. It runs NVIDIA's open Parakeet TDT models on the device. **Does voice to text use data?** Not with Keyspoken. Transcription happens on the iPhone, so it uses no mobile data. The only download is the speech model, once, at setup. **Can I dictate text messages and emails with it?** Yes. It works in Messages, Mail and any other app where a keyboard appears. iOS does not allow custom keyboards in password fields. Source: https://keyspoken.com/faq ## Guide: A dictation app for iPhone that leaves your keyboard alone Keyspoken is a dictation app for iPhone that turns speech to text in any app. Talk, pause, and your words are typed. On-device, no account. Source: https://keyspoken.com/dictation-app-for-iphone ### What it does Keyspoken turns what you say into text, in any app where you can type: messages, mail, notes, search bars, documents. You switch to it with the globe key, talk, and pause. Your words are typed at the cursor and your own keyboard comes straight back. It is a talk to text app in the plainest sense. It does not rewrite you, summarize you or change your tone. What you said is what gets typed. ### Why people look for a dictation app The iPhone has dictation built in, and for many people it is enough. People who look for something else usually want one of three things. - Speech to text that runs on the phone and sends nothing anywhere. - A way to teach it the names and terms it keeps getting wrong. - A routine with fewer taps: start talking, stop talking, done. ### How Keyspoken is different - No letter keys. Most voice to text apps replace your whole keyboard. Keyspoken is a short strip, and typing stays on the keyboard you know. - Zero touch. It listens as it opens, stops when you pause, inserts the text and switches you back. - On-device. The speech model runs on your iPhone. No account, no analytics, no cloud. - Open models. It runs NVIDIA's open Parakeet models, in English or in 25 European languages. ### What it is not Keyspoken is not a meeting recorder, a note-taking app or a transcription service for audio files. It types what you say, where your cursor is. It is for iPhone only, and it is not yet on the App Store. ### Questions **Is there an app that types what you say?** Yes. Keyspoken is one: you talk, and it types your words at the cursor in whatever app you are using. The iPhone's built-in dictation does this too. Keyspoken differs by running an open speech model on the device, with no account, and by not replacing your keyboard. **Is Keyspoken free?** Keyspoken will be free, with no subscription, no word limit and no account. It is in final testing and is not yet on the App Store. **Does Keyspoken work on iPad, Android, Mac or Windows?** No. Keyspoken is built for iPhone. ## Guide: A voice keyboard with no keys to learn A voice to text keyboard for iPhone with one button and no letter keys. Keyspoken transcribes on the device, then hands you back to your own keyboard. Source: https://keyspoken.com/voice-to-text-keyboard ### Why dictation apps are keyboards On iPhone, the only way an app can put text into another app is to be a keyboard. That is why every voice typing app you find is, technically, a keyboard you add in Settings. Most of them go further and ship a full keyboard of their own: letters, numbers, autocorrect, all rebuilt so one microphone button has somewhere to live. ### Two kinds of voice keyboard - A replacement keyboard gives you its own letters and a dictation button. You get voice typing, and a different keyboard with it. - A dictation strip, which is what Keyspoken is, has no letter keys at all. It appears when you want to talk and hands you back when you are done. ### How you use it - Touch and hold the globe key and choose Keyspoken. - Talk. It is already listening. - Pause. Your words are inserted and Apple's keyboard returns. ### What the strip has One large button, plus delete and return. Delete fixes a slip. Return sends the message or starts a new line. Everything else stays on your own keyboard. ### About Full Access iOS requires Full Access for a keyboard to communicate with its own app, which is where the microphone and the speech model live. Keyspoken uses it only for that. The keyboard makes no network requests. ### Questions **Is Keyspoken an AI voice keyboard?** It uses an AI speech recognition model to turn your voice into text, and it runs that model on your iPhone. It does not use a chatbot to rewrite or rephrase what you said. **Is Keyspoken a Whisper keyboard?** No. Keyspoken does not use OpenAI's Whisper. It runs NVIDIA's open Parakeet TDT models on the device. **Do I lose my normal keyboard?** No. Keyspoken has no letter keys and does not replace your keyboard. You switch to it to dictate and it switches you back. ## Guide: Offline dictation that works in airplane mode Keyspoken is offline speech to text for iPhone. After a one-time model download it works without internet, uses no data and sends no audio anywhere. Source: https://keyspoken.com/offline-dictation ### How it works offline Keyspoken runs its speech model on your iPhone itself. Once the model is on the phone, turning voice to text needs no connection at all: not Wi-Fi, not mobile data. It works in airplane mode, on a plane, underground or abroad. ### The one thing that needs a connection The speech model is downloaded once, when you set the app up. The English model is about 440 MB. The app tells you the size first and can wait for Wi-Fi. After that, nothing. ### Why offline matters - It works where the signal doesn't. - It uses none of your data allowance. - There is no server to be slow, busy or down. - Your audio has nowhere to go, because nothing is sent. ### Does the iPhone's built-in dictation work offline? For many languages, yes. Apple says dictation is processed on the iPhone in many languages and needs no internet connection. Dictating into a search field is different: the text may be sent to the search engine. Keyspoken works the same way for every language it supports: once the model is on the phone, nothing is sent anywhere. Source for the built-in steps: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### What you trade for it An offline model lives on your phone, so it takes storage: about 440 MB for English. That is the whole cost. ### Questions **Does voice to text use data?** It depends on the app. Keyspoken uses no data to transcribe, because the speech model runs on your iPhone. The only download is the model itself, once, at setup. **Can I dictate without internet on iPhone?** Yes. Keyspoken transcribes on the device, so it works with no connection once its model is downloaded. **Does iPhone dictation work in airplane mode?** For many languages, yes. Apple says built-in dictation is processed on the iPhone in many languages with no internet connection. Keyspoken also works in airplane mode once its speech model is downloaded. **Do both voice models work offline?** Yes. The English model and the multilingual model both run on the device. ## Guide: Private dictation. Your voice stays on your iPhone. Keyspoken is a private dictation app for iPhone: on-device speech recognition, no account, no analytics. Audio and text never leave the phone. Source: https://keyspoken.com/private-dictation ### What on-device means When you dictate with Keyspoken, the audio goes from the microphone to a speech model that is stored on your iPhone, and comes out as text. It is never uploaded, because there is no server in the design to upload it to. ### What Keyspoken collects Nothing. There is no account to create, no analytics, no advertising and no crash-reporting service. Audio is discarded as soon as it is transcribed and is never written to disk. ### The details, plainly - Your text is inserted where your cursor is. If you dictate with no text field open, it is held on your iPhone for up to ten minutes and copied to your clipboard, then deleted. - Your settings and custom vocabulary are stored on your iPhone. - The keyboard has Full Access only so it can reach its own app. It makes no network requests. - The one network request the app makes is the speech model download. ### A note on compliance We make no legal or regulatory compliance claims. If you work under rules about recorded speech or client data, check them with your organization before you rely on any dictation tool. ### Questions **Is my voice sent to a server?** No. Keyspoken transcribes on the iPhone and has no cloud transcription. **Does Keyspoken record what I type on my normal keyboard?** No. Keyspoken has no letter keys and cannot see what you type on other keyboards. **Is my voice used to train AI?** No. Keyspoken has no way to send audio anywhere, and the model on your phone does not change as you use it. ## Guide: A different kind of dictation app Looking for an alternative to Wispr Flow, Superwhisper or Apple dictation on iPhone? What Keyspoken does differently, and where another app fits better. Source: https://keyspoken.com/alternatives ### What Keyspoken does differently - It has no letter keys. It does not replace your keyboard. - It transcribes only on the device. There is no cloud option to turn off, because there is no cloud. - It runs open models: NVIDIA Parakeet TDT, published under CC BY 4.0. - It needs no account and collects nothing. - It finishes by itself: it stops when you pause and returns you to your keyboard. ### Where another app may suit you better - You want AI to rewrite, summarize or change the tone of what you said. Keyspoken types your words as spoken. - You want one keyboard that does both typing and dictation. Keyspoken deliberately leaves typing to Apple's keyboard. - You need Mac, Windows or Android. Keyspoken is for iPhone. - You want to transcribe meetings or audio files. Keyspoken types at the cursor and keeps no recordings. ### Five questions to ask of any dictation app - Where is my audio processed: on the phone, or on a server? - Does it replace my keyboard? - Does it work with no connection? - Do I need an account? - What does it cost, and is that a subscription? ### Keyspoken and Apple's built-in dictation, side by side Source for the built-in steps: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### Compared with the iPhone's built-in dictation Apple's dictation is built in and needs nothing installed: tap the microphone key on the keyboard and talk. For many people that is the right answer. Keyspoken is a separate strip that runs a different, open speech model. It adds custom vocabulary for names and terms, one Undo for a whole dictation, and a routine that stops by itself. The fair test is to try both on the things you actually say. ### A note on fairness We do not publish claims about other products. For the speech models themselves, the models page cites the makers' published benchmarks. Our own timings on two iPhones are on the models page. We have not measured accuracy ourselves. For what another app does, check that app's own site. ### Questions **Is Keyspoken an alternative to Wispr Flow or Superwhisper on iPhone?** It does the same core job, turning speech into text in any app, in a different way: with no letter keys, on-device only, using open models and no account. Whether it suits you better depends on whether you want those things or want AI rewriting and a full keyboard. **Is Keyspoken open source?** The speech models it runs are open: NVIDIA Parakeet TDT under CC BY 4.0, through the Apache 2.0 FluidAudio runtime. The Keyspoken app itself is not open source. **Is Keyspoken better than Apple dictation?** We have no measured comparison with Apple dictation, so we make no claim. It is different: an open on-device model, custom vocabulary, whole-dictation Undo and a zero-touch routine. Try both. ## Guide: How to dictate on iPhone How to dictate text messages, email and notes on iPhone with built-in dictation and with Keyspoken, plus voice commands and fixes when it stops working. Source: https://keyspoken.com/how-to-dictate-on-iphone ### With the iPhone's built-in dictation - Open Settings, General, Keyboard and turn on Enable Dictation. - In any app, tap a text field so the keyboard appears. - Tap the microphone key on the keyboard and speak. - Tap the microphone again, or the keyboard, to stop. ### With Keyspoken - Add Keyspoken in Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, and allow Full Access. - In any app, touch and hold the globe key and choose Keyspoken. - Talk. It is already listening. - Pause. Your words are inserted and your own keyboard returns. ### Voice commands in the built-in dictation Apple's dictation adds punctuation by itself in supported languages. You can also say what you want. - Say "new line" or "new paragraph" to break the text. - Say "select" or "delete" followed by the phrase you want to change. - Say "undo" or "redo" if you change your mind. - To spell a word, say it and then the letters. - To stop, tap the microphone, say "Stop dictation", or stay silent for 30 seconds. - To turn off automatic punctuation, go to Settings, General, Keyboard and turn off Auto-Punctuation. ### Dictating a text message Open the conversation and tap the message field. Dictate with either method above, check the text, and send. In Keyspoken, the return key on the strip sends in apps where return sends. ### Dictating an email Tap the body of the email and dictate. Longer text works well by voice. With Keyspoken, saying "new paragraph" starts one in English. ### In Notes, WhatsApp and other apps Dictation works the same way anywhere a keyboard appears. iOS does not allow custom keyboards such as Keyspoken in password fields. ### Changing the dictation language For the built-in dictation, add the language under Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, then switch with the globe key. In Keyspoken, download the Multilingual model in settings to dictate in 25 European languages. ### Where these steps come from Source for the built-in steps: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### If dictation is not working - Check the microphone is allowed for the app, under Settings, Privacy and Security, Microphone. - For built-in dictation, check Enable Dictation is on. - For Keyspoken, check Full Access is on and the strip does not say "Mic asleep". - Check another app, such as a call, is not using the microphone. ### Questions **Can I dictate text messages on iPhone?** Yes. Tap the message field, then use the microphone key for built-in dictation, or switch to Keyspoken with the globe key and talk. **How do I dictate an email?** Tap the body of the email, start dictation, and speak. Read it through before sending, as any speech recognition can mishear. **Why is my iPhone dictation not working?** The usual causes are the microphone permission being off, Enable Dictation being off, or another app using the microphone. For Keyspoken, also check that Full Access is on. ## Guide: Dictation in 25 European languages Dictate in Spanish, German, French and 22 more European languages on iPhone with Keyspoken's multilingual model, all on the device. Built-in steps too. Source: https://keyspoken.com/languages ### Dictating in Spanish with the iPhone's built-in dictation You do not need an extra app to dictate in Spanish. Apple's dictation follows the keyboard you are using. - Open Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, and tap Add New Keyboard. Choose Spanish. - In any app, touch and hold the globe key and switch to the Spanish keyboard. - Tap the microphone key and speak Spanish. ### Dictating in Spanish and 24 more languages with Keyspoken Keyspoken's Multilingual model covers 25 European languages in one download, so you do not switch keyboards for each language. ### How to turn it on - Open Keyspoken and go to Speech model. - Download Multilingual. It is an optional download. - Choose it as the active model. You can switch back to English at any time. ### The model behind it Multilingual is NVIDIA's open Parakeet TDT 0.6B v3 model. Like the English model, it runs on your iPhone and sends nothing anywhere. ### What to know before you rely on it - Filler-word removal and spoken commands such as "new line" work in English only. In other languages your words are typed as spoken. - We are still confirming on real devices how it handles switching languages mid-sentence, so we make no promise about that yet. - Only one model is active at a time. Languages: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian. ### Questions **Can I dictate in Spanish on iPhone with Keyspoken?** Yes. Spanish is one of the 25 languages the Multilingual model covers. **Which languages does Keyspoken support?** English with the default model. With the Multilingual model: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish and Ukrainian. **Does Keyspoken support Chinese, Japanese, Arabic or Hindi?** Not at this time. The models cover English and 25 European languages. ## Guide: iPhone dictation commands: the full list Every voice command for the iPhone's built-in dictation: punctuation, capitals, new lines, editing and how to stop. Checked against Apple's iPhone guide. Source: https://keyspoken.com/iphone-dictation-commands ### Punctuation Say the name of the mark. In many languages the iPhone also adds commas, periods and question marks by itself. ### Capitals and spacing ### New lines and editing - Say "new line" or "new paragraph" to break the text. - Say "select" or "delete" followed by the phrase you want to change. - Say "undo" or "redo". - To fix a spelling, say something like "Change tea to T-E-E". - To spell a name, say it and then the letters. ### Stopping - Tap the microphone. - Say "Stop dictation". - Or stay silent for 30 seconds and it stops by itself. ### Turning automatic punctuation off Go to Settings, General, Keyboard, and turn off Auto-Punctuation. After that, only the marks you say are added. ### How Keyspoken handles commands Keyspoken is a separate dictation strip that runs its own speech model on the iPhone. It adds punctuation and capitals by itself, and in English it understands "new line" and "new paragraph". It stops when you pause, so there is nothing to say or tap at the end. ### Sources Source: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Commands for dictating text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/commands-for-dictating-text-iph3bf19d7b9/ios), read 13 November 2026. Source: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### Questions **How do I add punctuation when dictating on iPhone?** Say the name of the mark, such as "comma", "period" or "question mark". In many languages the iPhone also adds punctuation automatically. You can turn that off in Settings, General, Keyboard, Auto-Punctuation. **How do I capitalize a word with iPhone dictation?** Say "cap" before the word to capitalize it, or "all caps" to make the whole word uppercase. "Caps on" and "caps off" capitalize each word in between. **How do I start a new paragraph with iPhone dictation?** Say "new paragraph". For a single line break, say "new line". ## Guide: iPhone dictation not working? Check these, in order The microphone key is missing, or dictation stops, types nothing or uses the wrong language. What to check on your iPhone, starting with the setting Apple names. Source: https://keyspoken.com/iphone-dictation-not-working ### 1. The microphone key is missing This is the most common cause, and Apple's guide gives the fix: go to Settings, General, Keyboard, and turn on Enable Dictation. If a prompt appears, tap Enable Dictation. The microphone key then appears on the keyboard. ### 2. It types in the wrong language Built-in dictation follows the keyboard you are using. Touch and hold the globe key and switch to the keyboard for the language you are speaking. If that language is not listed, add it under Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards. ### 3. It stops before you finish Built-in dictation stops by itself after 30 seconds of silence, and when you tap the microphone or the keyboard. If you pause to think, tap the microphone again and carry on. ### 4. Nothing is typed - Check that another app is not using the microphone, such as a phone call or a recording. - Check that nothing is covering the microphones, such as a case or a screen protector. - Close the app you are typing in and open it again. - Restart the iPhone. ### 5. It mishears names and terms You can correct as you go. Say "Change tea to T-E-E", or spell a name after you say it. See the full list of commands for more. ### If you use Keyspoken - Check that Full Access is on for the Keyspoken keyboard in Settings. - If the strip says "Mic asleep", tap it once. Keyspoken rests the microphone after a few minutes. - Check that the speech model finished downloading in the Keyspoken app. ### What we have not verified Other fixes are passed around online, such as resetting settings or changing Screen Time restrictions. We list only what Apple documents or what is plainly safe to try. For anything else, Apple Support is the right place. ### Source Source: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### Questions **Why is the microphone missing from my iPhone keyboard?** Dictation is probably turned off. Go to Settings, General, Keyboard and turn on Enable Dictation. The microphone key then appears on the keyboard. **Why does iPhone dictation stop after a few seconds?** Built-in dictation stops when you tap the microphone or keyboard, and by itself after 30 seconds of silence. Tap the microphone again to continue. **Why is my iPhone dictating in the wrong language?** Dictation follows the current keyboard. Touch and hold the globe key and choose the keyboard for the language you are speaking. ## Guide: How to turn dictation on or off on iPhone Where the Enable Dictation switch is, how to bring back the microphone key on the iPhone keyboard, and how to turn automatic punctuation on or off. Source: https://keyspoken.com/turn-on-dictation-iphone ### Turn dictation on - Open Settings. - Tap General, then Keyboard. - Turn on Enable Dictation. If a prompt appears, tap Enable Dictation. - Open any app, tap a text field, and tap the microphone key on the keyboard. ### Turn dictation off Follow the same path and turn Enable Dictation off. The microphone key disappears from the keyboard. ### Turn automatic punctuation on or off In Settings, General, Keyboard, use the Auto-Punctuation switch. With it off, the iPhone adds only the punctuation you say. ### Good to know - The keyboard stays open while you dictate, so you can switch between typing and talking. - Dictation uses the language of the keyboard you are on. - Apple says dictation is processed on the iPhone in many languages and needs no internet connection. - Apple notes that cellular data charges may apply when you use Dictation. ### A different way to dictate Keyspoken is a separate dictation strip for iPhone. You add it once under Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, then switch to it with the globe key. It listens as it opens, stops when you pause, and hands you back to your own keyboard. ### Source Source: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### Questions **How do I get the microphone back on my iPhone keyboard?** Go to Settings, General, Keyboard and turn on Enable Dictation. The microphone key returns to the keyboard. **How do I turn off talk to text on iPhone?** Go to Settings, General, Keyboard and turn off Enable Dictation. **Does turning on dictation cost anything?** No. Dictation is built into the iPhone. Apple notes that cellular data charges may apply when you use it. ## Guide: How to change the dictation language on iPhone iPhone dictation follows your keyboard. How to add a language, switch while you write, and dictate in Spanish, French or German. Plus one model for 25 languages. Source: https://keyspoken.com/change-dictation-language-iphone ### The short answer The iPhone's built-in dictation uses the language of the keyboard you are on. To dictate in another language, switch to that language's keyboard first. Apple puts it this way: when you use a keyboard for another language, you can use Dictation in that language as well. ### Add a language - Open Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards. - Tap Add New Keyboard and choose the language, for example Spanish. - The new keyboard is now available in every app. ### Switch while you write - Tap a text field so the keyboard appears. - Touch and hold the globe key and choose the language. - Tap the microphone key and speak in that language. ### If the language does not appear Apple notes that Dictation may not be available in all languages or in all countries or regions. If a language's keyboard has no microphone key, built-in dictation does not support it there. ### One model for 25 European languages Keyspoken's Multilingual model covers 25 European languages in a single download, so there is no keyboard to switch for each one. It runs on the iPhone and sends nothing anywhere. The full list is on the languages page. ### Source Source: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### Questions **How do I dictate in Spanish on iPhone?** Add the Spanish keyboard under Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards. Then touch and hold the globe key, choose Spanish, tap the microphone key and speak. **Can iPhone dictation understand two languages at once?** Built-in dictation uses the language of the current keyboard, so you switch keyboards to change language. Keyspoken's Multilingual model is one model trained on 25 European languages. **Why can't I find my language for dictation?** Apple says Dictation may not be available in all languages or in all countries or regions. ## Guide: Is iPhone dictation private? What Apple says about where iPhone dictation is processed, when text can leave the phone, and the setting that shares audio with Apple. Plus how Keyspoken differs. Source: https://keyspoken.com/is-iphone-dictation-private ### What Apple says - Dictation is processed on your iPhone in many languages, and no internet connection is required. - When you dictate in a search field, the dictated text may be sent to the search engine to process the search. - Dictation may not be available in all languages or regions. ### The setting to know about Apple's privacy notice describes an opt-in called Improve Siri and Dictation. If you turn it on, Apple collects, stores and reviews additional data, including audio and text of what you say to Siri and Dictation. It is a choice: if you have not opted in, that sharing does not apply. ### What "on-device" means On-device means the audio is turned into text by software running on the phone itself, so the recording does not have to travel to a server. It is the difference between a calculator and a web search. ### How Keyspoken differs - Every language it supports is processed on the iPhone. There is no cloud path at all. - There is no account, no analytics and no setting that shares audio. - The speech models are open: NVIDIA Parakeet, published under CC BY 4.0. - The only network request the app makes is the one-time model download. ### Sources Source: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. Source: Apple, Siri, Dictation and Privacy (https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/ask-siri-dictation/), read 13 November 2026. ### Questions **Does iPhone dictation send my voice to Apple?** Apple says dictation is processed on the iPhone in many languages with no internet connection. Dictating into a search field may send the text to the search engine. If you opt in to Improve Siri and Dictation, Apple collects audio and text to improve the feature. **What does on-device dictation mean?** It means speech is turned into text by software running on the phone, so the audio does not need to be sent to a server. **Is Keyspoken more private than built-in dictation?** It works differently: Keyspoken has no cloud path, no account and no data-sharing setting for any language it supports. Apple's dictation is also on-device in many languages. Which you prefer is your call. ## Guide: How to make iPhone dictation more accurate Practical ways to get fewer mistakes from iPhone dictation: say punctuation, spell names, fix words by voice, and teach a dictation app your own vocabulary. Source: https://keyspoken.com/improve-iphone-dictation-accuracy ### Use the commands Apple gives you - Spell a name after you say it: "Let's invite Steven S-T-E-P-H-E-N". - Fix a word by voice: "Change tea to T-E-E". - Say "select" or "delete" followed by the phrase to change it. - Say the punctuation you want if automatic punctuation gets it wrong. ### Give it clean sound - Speak at a normal pace, a little closer to the phone than you would for a call. - Check that a case is not covering the microphones. - Move away from loud background noise when you can. Every speech model makes more mistakes in noise. ### Use the right language Built-in dictation follows the keyboard language. If it hears English while you speak Spanish, switch keyboards with the globe key. ### Teach it your words Names, product terms and jargon are where dictation fails most. Keyspoken has a custom vocabulary: you list how a word is heard and how it should be written, and your spelling is applied on the device every time. ### What the models can do Accuracy is measured as word error rate: the share of words a model gets wrong on a test recording. The open models Keyspoken runs score about 6% on NVIDIA's published English tests. The models page has the figures and their sources. Your own results depend on your voice, your microphone and the room. ### Source Source: Apple, iPhone User Guide, Dictate text on iPhone (https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/dictate-text-iph2c0651d2/ios), read 13 November 2026. ### Questions **Can I train iPhone dictation to recognize my voice?** Apple's guide describes no training step. You can correct words by voice, for example "Change tea to T-E-E", and spell names after saying them. **How do I add words to iPhone dictation?** Built-in dictation has no word list in Apple's guide. Keyspoken has a custom vocabulary where you set how a name or term should be written. **Why does dictation get names wrong?** Speech models are trained on common words, so rare names and jargon are the hardest. Spelling the name after you say it, or using a custom vocabulary, fixes most of it. ## Citing Cite the page URL on https://keyspoken.com and the "Last updated" date (2026-11-12). Publisher: Kymata Labs LLC. Everything here may be quoted, summarized, indexed and used for training, with a link back.