Taking Pressure OFF Your Eyes – or How to Use Voice-to-Text
Picture this: your thumbs are cramped, your wrists ache, and your eyes are tired from squinting at the tiny screen. It’s a familiar scene for anyone who spends too much time texting or dealing with digital devices.
I was tired of the eyestrain I got from typing texts. That’s why I can’t gatekeep this new-to-me tool that makes texting and generally using my phone 10,000 times easier. This tool is dictation – or using voice-to-text.
Hesitation Didn’t Stop Me
Using dictation on your phone is a quick workaround for hand strain, arthritis, eye fatigue, and more; it solves a physical problem that can cause a lot of friction around tech. But I was initially resistant to trying it. My reason was that I just felt ‘silly’ talking to my phone.
My preferred way to get my thoughts out is behind a mechanical keyboard, one that makes that satisfying clicking noise as I type. That’s not always practical. I find that I can respond to a more complex text question much faster and more easily if I talk it out. It didn’t take long to get used to using this smart input method. I tried it out a few times at home, with no one listening in.
It is simple to use: tap the microphone icon in your messages or search bar, then start talking.
It’s Not Always Perfect
As I began using dictation more often, it sometimes produced weird, random-sounding text that didn’t come close to what I actually said. I discovered that this happens because the tool obviously can’t ‘listen’ the same way a human does. Instead, it makes fast predictions based on sound patterns. For example, if I say “I’ll grab milk on the way home,” background noise can turn that into “I’ll grab silk on the way home.”
When it starts spitting out wrong words, one likely cause is that subtle sounds such as fans, TV audio, or even clinking dishes compete with your voice.
Improve Your Dictation Skills
Try some or all of these tips to improve your output:
- Control background noise if you can: turn the TV down or off.
- If you can’t shut down the noise, try bringing the phone closer to your mouth.
- Speak slowly and deliberately.
- Use commands like “comma,” “period,” or “new paragraph” for more control over the output.
- Dictate in chunks so you can proof and edit, then move on.
It is important to note that dictation improves as you adjust your speaking and correct errors. There is a bit of a learning curve to make this work optimally. It will get better the more you use it and correct it.
Don’t Skip Proofreading
Always proofread quickly before you hit send. Fixes can be fast if you do it right.
Tap the wrong word once; this should either select the word or put the cursor next to it.
If you see a suggested replacement word above the keyboard, tap the correct word to insert it.
You may need to drag the cursor to highlight the problem word.
Backspace once to remove it, then retype or re-dictate only that word.
Like most tech tools, dictation gets easier the more you let yourself use it. It’s easy to assume that when technology gets something wrong, it’s because we’re doing something wrong. Dictation is a good reminder that that statement is not always true.
Common Diction Questions
Accessibility: Does Dictation Work Well for People with Accents or Speech Differences?
Yes, but accuracy varies. Dictation systems are trained on many speech patterns, but they may struggle more with strong accents, speech differences, or atypical pacing. Speaking slightly slower and correcting errors manually can improve results over time.
Troubleshooting: What If the Microphone Icon Is Missing or Dictation Won’t Start?
This is usually a setting or permission issue. Check that dictation is enabled in keyboard settings and that microphone access is turned on for the app you’re using. A quick restart often fixes temporary glitches.
App Compatibility: Does Dictation Work Everywhere?
Dictation works in most text fields, but not all apps support it equally. If the microphone icon doesn’t appear, that app may not allow voice input in that field.
Privacy: Is My Voice Data Stored or Shared When I Use Dictation?
Your phone’s operating system processes dictation, not the app you’re typing in. Short audio snippets may be temporarily sent to Apple or Google to convert speech into text, and in some cases, may be used to improve accuracy, but they are not saved as recordings you can replay. You can review and control these settings inside your phone’s privacy or keyboard settings.
For more tips about phone settings, read Hidden Smartphone Settings That Make Life Easier.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you prefer typing text messages and emails or have you embraced dictation? If you’re hesitant to try voice-to-text, what’s your reasoning? If you have any tech questions, please leave them below.
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